10 Movies That Almost Killed Actors' Careers

A film’s journey from disaster to cult classic can be a lengthy and difficult one. In 1995, Paul Verhoeven released Showgirls to hoots of derision from critics. An erotic drama that essentially failed in both of its goals, it was camp fare that shouldn’t be taken seriously.

Watching it now knowing what you’re getting yourself in for, it’s a lot of fun.

Less fun was had by star Elizabeth Berkley, though. The former Saved By The Bell star was taking a leap of faith in accepting this highly explicit role as a topless dancer, and she bore the brunt of much of the film’s criticism.

She was dropped by her reactionary, puritanical agents, and found it hard to get a call from any other firm. Berkley’s performance in Showgirls is perfectly fine, and certainly isn’t the key issue with the film, but Hollywood had turned against Verhoeven’s efforts, and Berkley was to pay the cost.

Thankfully, she was not left on the shelf for long, and the actress was soon working with the likes of Oliver Stone and Woody Allen. There are many regrettable things about Showgirls, but Hollywood’s subsequent treatment of Elizabeth Berkley is the worst.