Feature: The Last Showgirl Film, Opening Jan. 10, Showcases the End of An Era in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is known as the entertainment capital of the world with big-name residencies, neon lights, thrilling entertainment, and larger-than-life Cirque du Soleil productions. There was a time when the iconic showgirl ruled the iconic Las Vegas Strip before those productions came to an end. The Last Showgirl, starring Pamela Anderson and Jamie Lee Curtis, opens in movie theaters on Jan. 10.

The film dramatizes the poignant story of two showgirls, one who lost her career years ago and the other showgirl facing the end of her career after 30 years. The movie plot was partly inspired by the closing of Jubilee at Bally's Las Vegas, the longest-running production show in Las Vegas that closed on February 11, 2016. Homage is paid to Folies Bergere at The Tropicana Hotel Las Vegas, with the show closing on March 28, 2009, and the Tropicana's last two towers imploded on October 9, 2024.

Anderson portrays Shelly, a showgirl who once enjoyed top billing but has still been performing on stage for 30 years. She is forced to confront the harsh reality that her decades-long career is over with the transformation of Las Vegas to cater to new generations with different tastes in entertainment.

The character reflects on her sacrifices while struggling to give it her all before her world crashes. The juxtaposition of the demolition of the Tropicana, once one of the jewels of the Strip, to Anderson facing what she perceives is a bleak future brings into focus what this means for those who loved the Strip of the past.

Jamie Lee Curtis portrays a former showgirl whose career ended long before Shelly and is now addicted to gambling. Curtis’ character, with her wigs and fake spray tan, is shown to be much older than Shelly and is now working as a cocktail waitress whose dreams didn’t come true as planned.

Anderson performed on the Las Vegas stage as a magician’s assistant with headliner Hans Klok in “The Beauty of Magic” at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, which opened on June 2, 2007.

Anderson eloquently spoke about her character during the Q&A session with Anderson and producer Robert Schwartzman after a special screening of the movie at The Beverly Theater.

“To be a showgirl … is dreams come true in Las Vegas. I have always loved the glamour, the history, and the nostalgia. Las Vegas was the cultural center [with] really important music and art. Everybody comes to Las Vegas. So, we just really wanted to celebrate the people that make Vegas sparkle. That resonated with me in this film, and I was drawn to it because it was about working-class people in Las Vegas.”

The film was shot in 18 days in Las Vegas theaters and casinos to capture its history. As Schwartzman said, “[We were] trying to see if there was a way to shoot this in Los Angeles because everyone lived there. But, we quickly realized there was no way to shoot a movie [there] that's really about Las Vegas. That speaks to the history of Las Vegas and gives respect to the history.”

The production of The Last Showgirl is part of the Coppola legacy, and the granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola, Gia Coppola, directed the film. Her cousins, Schwartzman and Michael Shire, served as producers, all sharing a commitment to the legendary family film legacy.

The Last Showgirl premieres in theaters on Friday, Jan. 10. For more info and theaters, visit thelastshowgirl.com.

Photos by Hollie Cardinal

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