Top 10 Actresses Who Have Played Strippers

Lindsay Lohan makes the news for making a lot of mistakes, from poor fashion choices, partying too hard, and reportedly stealing a formula for fake tanner. But her most recent faux pas was turning down the role of the loveable stripper in one of the best movies of the summer, 'The Hangover', which Heather Graham should very graciously thank her for. Lindsay Lohan allegedly thought that the blockbuster movie had no potential, and I guess she's just one of those actresses that's too classy to play a stripper. Oh wait, Lindsay Lohan has already played a stripper; she was the limb-losing exotic dancer in the bomb 'I Know Who Killed Me'! All Lindsay Lohan jokes aside, there have been many actresses who have played strippers just like Lindsay Lohan, some that chose not to do nude scenes (Lindsay didn't do any in 'I Know Who Killed Me') and some who went for the more realistic route and chose to do nude scenes (Heather Graham sort of has one in 'The Hangover'). But from Oscar-nominated actresses to box office bombs, here's a look at ten other best actresses who have played strippers in movies:

Salma Hayek in 'From Dusk till Dawn' and 'Dogma' - The crazy thing about both of Salma Hayek's stripper roles is that she doesn't do nude scenes in either one, despite showing skin in many of her other movies. Still, her role as one of the vampire strippers in 'From Dusk Till Dawn' is unforgettable; she just oozes sex appeal while dancing with a snake and convincing us all that Quentin Tarantino might have a bit of a foot fetish. Salma Hayek should be an inspiration to all actresses who have played strippers early in their careers; you can still end up getting nominated for an Oscar later on and being known as one of the best actresses in Hollywood.

Natalie Portman in 'Closer' - But Salma Hayek might be able to learn a thing or two from Natalie Portman; she's one of the few actresses to ever be nominated for an Oscar for actually playing a stripper onscreen. Natalie Portman's character in this deep film focusing on a twisted love triangle is enigmatic, beautiful, and extremely seductive. She shot a few nude scenes for the movie, but they were mostly cut. This is probably a good thing, because it makes it easier for everyone to focus on what the film is really about: how horrifying and depressing relationships can be.

Marisa Tomei in 'The Wrestler' - Marisa Tomei shares the same distinction of Natalie Portman in being nominated for an Oscar for playing a stripper. She, however, does do nude scenes in 'The Wrestler', and has been applauded for proving that older women can still be sexy in their birthday suits on camera. Marisa Tomei's role in this movie wasn't just about being sexy, however; she was a caring and complex character that knows how to take care of herself: by not letting anyone get too close. And it's always nice to see strippers portrayed as real people; remember that many of these women are mothers just trying to provide for themselves and their family the only way they see possible. This is really one of the best portrayals of a stripper you'll ever see in a movie.

Daryl Hannah in 'Dancing at the Blue Iguana' - Daryl Hannah is the most memorable character in this movie that seems to be all about squeezing in as many nude scenes as possible. Actresses Sandra Oh and Jennifer Tilly make appearances in nude scenes in the movie, as well. The movie tries to focus on the personal lives of the strippers at the Blue Iguana, but the real purpose of this movie is pretty obvious, and the storyline that tries to focus on the non-glamorous side of adult entertainment is just a side note.

Jessica Biel in 'Powder Blue' - This movie got a lot of attention due to the first-time nude scenes of actress Jessica Biel. Unfortunately for her, this role isn't getting the attention that actresses like Marisa Tomei and Natalie Portman got for their roles as strippers. Still, the movie does at least try to have an interesting storyline, with an odd bunch of people including Jessica Biel's stripper, an ex-con, a suicidal ex-priest, and a mortician, being brought together by odd circumstances on Christmas Eve. This may be a swing and a miss for Jessica Biel, but she deserves an A for effort in choosing an edgy role. I've often lumped Jessica Biel and Jessica Alba together as the two "good" Jessicas who would never do nude scenes, but she's definitely separated herself from Jessica Alba now.

Elizabeth Berkley in 'Showgirls' - At least Jessica Biel didn't sink to this level. The whole point of this movie was to fulfill the fantasy of many guys who grew up with the show 'Saved by the Bell' by having Jessie Spano shoot a few nude scenes. So Elizabeth Berkley got naked, and a slim and terrible plot was written around her nude scenes. All I can say is shame on her; feminist Jessie Spano from 'Saved by the Bell' would be appalled by her behavior and the demeaning position she put herself in. Elizabeth Berkley became a bit of a joke after the movie, which didn't exactly jumpstart a career in more adult roles as she had hoped, and the movie went on to become a campy cult classic. I can almost see Zack Morris doing one of his 'Saved by the Bell' asides about what Elizabeth Berkley has learned from her foray into the adult entertainment business.

Demi Moore in 'Striptease' - Sadly, many movies about strippers are just about getting the actresses in them to do nude scenes, and this is yet another one of them. Demi Moore was paid a lot of money to strip in this movie, and like many other movies on this list, the film was a bit of a bomb. But Demi Moore recovered by finding her more manly side in 'G.I. Jane', where she freaked us all out with her big guns and ripped physique. She would later on become the most famous cougar in the world by snagging Ashton Kutcher, and the woman looks like she hasn't aged in years. So we may have all laughed at 'Striptease', but it is she who is having the last laugh (you just can't tell due to all that Botox).

Rose McGowan in 'Grindhouse' - And Rose McGowan proves that not doing nude scenes and playing a stripper doesn't always make a stripper movie classier. Well, at least she doesn't do nude scenes when she's onstage, anyway (she does have a sex scene at another point in the film). 'Grindhouse' is kind of difficult to watch, and it has diminished my faith in both Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. This role, however, seemed to suit Rose McGowan perfectly (though still not one of her best), and I do admit the machine gun leg was pretty original (I'm sure there's someone out there who has a fetish for such a thing).

Mia Kirshner in 'Exotica' - Mia Kirshner is now best-known for her gratuitous nude scenes on 'The L Word', but before that she was starring as one of the strippers in this freaky film about a guy with a fetish for his babysitter. It's a weird film that's a little difficult to watch (well, at least I found it boring; guys might view it a little differently).

Jessica Alba in 'Sin City' - Jessica Alba doesn't do any nude scenes in her stripper role in this film, and I'm kind of glad. I honestly have a very difficult time picturing this adorable actress doing nude scenes or sex scenes; she's just too cute and innocent-looking! Perhaps Jessica Alba is better suited for romantic comedies, but it's nice to see her give a sexier role a try.

So sometimes actresses who play strippers are applauded, and other times they are laughed right off of their pole-wielding stage. But whether their classy or trashy, you have to admit that these actresses are brave for portraying women working in one of the most difficult industries there is.

SOURCES:
www.wikipedia.com
www.imdb.com
http://www.cinecon.com/news.php?id=0411095