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In This Article:
- What the movie *The Last Showgirl* got right—and wrong
- Behind-the-scenes realities of Las Vegas showgirl life
- Costume care and backstage events no one talks about
- The discipline and strength of real dancers
- How showgirls built new careers after the spotlight
What "The Last Showgirl" Got Right and What It Got Wrong
by Diane Christiansen, author of the book "The Last Real Showgirl".
The recently released film starring Pamela Anderson and Jamie Lee Curtis, The Last Showgirl, has been a hot topic of discussion in my life lately. For one thing, it's nearly the same as the title of my book, The Last Real Showgirl: My Sequined ’70’s Onstage. But I decided to write it 20 years ago, when I was at a Stardust Reunion with some 650 attendees — mostly dancers, choreographers, stagehands and musicians from the glittering productions in Paris and Las Vegas. The Stardust Hotel and Casino was scheduled to be imploded. I looked around that reunion and realized we were marking the end of an era.
I've had many readers ask if the film was based on my book. It wasn't. I was one of those iconic showgirls, and I lived and worked in the world this movie takes place in. But my life didn't end there.
Shifting Gears: Real life versus a movie
When it was time to shift careers, I became a successful actress in Los Angeles, and then a top acting coach. I'm familiar with the ins and outs of the movie industry. So I thought I'd weigh in on what the movie got right, and what it didn't from both of those perspectives.
The first difference between my experience and the movie? My story is real. At 17, after auditioning for the famed Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, I left Illinois to embark on my career as a showgirl. So many dancers have told me how they got their start, and their stories are amazing.
It's not likely that little girls grew up in their local dance studio and said “I want to be a showgirl?” Yet all over the world, here we were. Most showgirls are classically trained dancers, something altogether overlooked in the movie.
What did the movie get right?
You'll see titles for showgirls, like ‘Dancing Nudes.' You might see ‘Tall Showgirls’ or ‘Pony Line'. Most of the showgirls in the spectacular Las Vegas productions I danced in were Dancing Nudes. I was happy to see that line inserted into the script, though I do think the script was the movie's weakest link.
Great casting:
Another thing the movie got right was its casting. All of the actors were well suited for their roles and delivered elevated performances based on the dialogue they had to work with. Pamela Anderson’s charisma carried the film. She has definitely grown as an actress, but it was her likability and epic charisma that drove the story.
Jamie Lee Curtis took courageous risks and showed real bravery as Annette. It's not easy to be a 60-something actor and play such a raw, gritty character. Curtis has become a forerunner in female-driven projects with the characters she creates. She deserved the award nods she received this year.
Gorgeous costumes:
What about the costumes? The film did get this right: they curated the original costumes from the Jubilee show, the last showgirl production at Bally's Las Vegas, which closed in 2016. These exceptional pieces, designed by Bob Mackie and Pete Menefee, were stored like museum treasures and leased out with elaborate details on care and use.
Recently many were leased to Dita VonTeese for her showgirl/burlesque show, which ran at the Jubilee theatre and then the Venetian Hotel (which has a smaller, more fillable showroom). In fact, seeing those gorgeous costumes again was the highlight of the film for me and most of the retired showgirls and dancers I know.
This would never happen:
A key plot line hinged on the issue of a damaged costume. How that played out would never happen in real life. For one thing, the costumes themselves were extremely well made of highly durable fabrics. They were kept impeccably clean, always professionally mended, and stored carefully.
For another, we dancers didn't change by ourselves: each row of dancers in the dressing rooms had its own wardrobe professional (a dresser), who helped us with quick costume changes backstage. They were beloved, believe me: and paid well. We never saw a rhinestone out of place or a pair of torn fishnets.
If for some reason, a costume ripped, the dancers weren't allowed to touch it. Nor would our paychecks ever be docked. We were under contract and we always knew how much we would make week to week (and we made good money).
Skimps on locations:
What else did the movie get wrong? Shot on a low budget, it's missing quality locations. The director, Gia Coppola, shot much of the film ‘gorilla style’ with hand-held cameras and over-used choker shots (extreme close-ups) to cover up the fact that they were not in a glamorous showroom or casino.
Showgirls were glamorous creatives! We deserve a bigger production. This was all due to the budget, I am sure.
Questionable characters:
What about the characters? I'll start with Annette. Did I know anyone like Annette (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) when I was a showgirl? No. Not at all. Did I know anyone like Shelly (played by Pamela Anderson)? No. Not at all. The only showgirl I remember working to the age of 50 was at the Stardust when I danced there in the Lido de Paris from 1979–1981. She had never married or had children and was very well preserved.
In terms of time, the story has Shelly working in the same show for 30 years. Did I know anyone who worked in one show for 30 years? No. Not at all. Most dancers, showgirls and show boys worked in numerous shows, often with the same producers. We opted to travel the world — from New York to Paris to Las Vegas to Puerto Rico, in my case, but that was the norm for us.
Forging strong friendships:
Were strong friendships born in these shows, as happens in the movie? Yes: most definitely, powerful connections were created that exist a lifetime. I always felt it was because we worked in an intimate setting, semi-nude.
Real showgirls are disciplined professionals:
Most of the showgirls and boys I know who have seen the film were disappointed that we were not depicted realistically — the characters were sad, unfocused and unrealistic, and I wonder if the young screenwriter was too many years removed from the actual reality of a show dancer's life. Dancers are warriors: we have to be physically, mentally, and emotionally strong. We're ambitious, well-trained, dynamic professionals.
Business savvy and discipline:
Most are also business savvy. Those coveted Las Vegas jobs paid good money, certainly enough to afford a home and a babysitter. It didn’t even make sense that a showgirl would leave a child wait in a car with a Gameboy for two or three shows a night in the heat of the Nevada desert.
All of the dancers I knew had their lives together. You simply couldn’t perform two shows a night and three shows on Saturday, or seven nights a week, if you were a lush, a gambler or a negligent parent. That whole angle was very far-fetched. Real dancers have incredible discipline.
New careers beyond the headdress:
We also plan for our retirement and new careers. In my book, The Last Real Showgirl, I write about the many careers dancers planned for, and trained for, after their showgirl chapter was over. I worked as a showgirl until I was 30 and then moved to Los Angeles, launched my acting career, and then became the #1 acting coach in Hollywood, and I've held that title for the last 33 years. So many dancers went on to become extremely successful in a whole range of other careers. We know how to work hard, and to deliver.
We real showgirls once represented the pinnacle of club and resort entertainment, though now there are very few shows left. Paris still has the Moulin Rouge and the Crazy Horse Saloon, but the days of the great Las Vegas productions are long gone. My book presents, in my own words, the life of one of the last real showgirls.
Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved.
Book by this Author:
BOOK: The Last Real Showgirl
The Last Real Showgirl: My Sequined '70s Onstage
by Diane Christiansen.
During the 1970s, showgirls represented the pinnacle of club and resort entertainment. In the modern age, very few shows left in Las Vegas, the resorts, or Paris feature showgirls at all. This memoir presents in her own words the life of Diane Christiansen, the last real showgirl.
From opium dens in Paris to comedy clubs in the Bahamas, Diane's dazzling career spans the globe, all before she is 28. This insider perspective on the industry presents the singular life of the last real showgirl, while also capturing the swansong of a thrilling era in stage entertainment.
For more info and/or to order this book, click here. Also available as a Kindle edition.
About the Author
Diane Christiansen has had a five-decade career as an actress, dancer, author, director, producer, writer, costume designer, and studio owner. As a professional showgirl she danced from Las Vegas to the Bahamas to Paris, from the famed Rudas Dancers to the Lido. She's now a top acting coach with students on TV shows like Euphoria, This is Us, and Stranger Things, and in countless popular movies. Her new book is The Last Real Showgirl: My Sequined ’70’s Onstage. Learn more at thelastrealshowgirl.com.
Article Recap:
In this insider look at the movie, The Last Showgirl, Diane Christiansen—author of the book "The Last Real Showgirl"—breaks down the film’s hits and misses. From costume accuracy to character portrayal, she highlights what Hollywood got wrong about the disciplined, glamorous world of real showgirls. With a career spanning Stardust to acting coaching in LA, Diane shares her firsthand insights into the vibrant lives and lasting friendships forged in the heyday of Las Vegas entertainment.
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