AGUILERA: I wanted to make sure Burlesque felt right before confirming, so it was important to meet Steven in person. When she came to set, we needed to have a melting time to coalesce the whole thing into what it ultimately became. The song just didn't belong in the movie. It sounded like an '80s power ballad, which I love, but it seemed incongruous in the movie. But a campy, niche classic isn't exactly what the Burlesque crew set out to make. It's been more than a decade since Burlesque released and Steve Antin's passion project is still considered one of the most memorable musicals Hollywood has produced. Sort of. says the actress. Essentially, spend money (the film was Screen Gems' most expensive picture to date) to look worn. Still, signs pointed to a solid opening for the film against family-oriented fare at the Thanksgiving box office. Jack refers her to Tess for an audition, but is rejected instantly and ushered out by Sean (Tucci). But there were many more meetings and conversations before she actually said yes. She also makes up with Nikki and rehires her at the club. [It's all a] normal process of making a movie. But, the meat of the narrative was there, and the pair were ready to dot their call sheet with glistening stars beginning with courting Aguilera to play their budding ingenue. The difference is, in every movie, the director isn't in a relationship with the studio. Ali Larter was considered for the role of Tess. [26], Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune said, "The choicest dialogue in Burlesque provokes the sort of laughter that other, intentionally funny films only dream of generating. -M-NUva. Really terrible director. Christina was on the other side of the lot rehearsing. Cher. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from, Behind the music: High Fidelity stars look back on the cult-classic film 20 years later, The rise and fall and rise of Kevin Smith's Mallrats. Hoda Kotb Makes Pre-Taped Appearance on 'Today' Amid Continued Absence, Formula 1 Driver Max Verstappen and GF Kelly Piquet's Relationship Timeline, PDA in the Rink! Keep your legs straight while you bend and then bring your body back up, running your hands up your legs. It was in the high-90s, and that's rare. They had to rewrite the character because I was just like, This girl doesnt have a lot of drive,' she said at the time. Antin switched the big romantic gesture-driven conclusion to a more grounded ending; the original ending was designed as an homage to Pretty Woman and the test audience reportedly found it quite derivative. The credits play over a background of the stage set from the final scene ("Show Me How to Burlesque" dance number). There wasnt anything Steven wanted, creatively, that anybody disagreed with. They started the number, and. Amy really wanted Cher, and so did Clint. Christina stuck her hand out and said "Hi, I'm Christina, the one who would drink your bathwater." Steve Antin got the idea for this film after watching Christina Aguilera perform as a featured vocalist for The Pussycat Dolls in 2002. Cher's first film appearance since her cameo in Stuck on You (2003). The soundtrack includes a mix of original and cover songs. Aguilera performed "Express" at the American Music Awards of 2010 and "Show Me How You Burlesque" at the Dancing with the Stars finale. "Express" is the fruit of actually having them explain their vision, then the vision [for that song] came out through the music. Honestly, I didn't do a very good job. I saw her at a party and approached her. Cher was really pissed off. The idea for "Express," when the girls are crawling through the vanities, we came up with that there, and the idea for the "Burlesque" letters lighting up at the end, we came up with that and using the 360 degrees of the space because it was so gigantic there. Although Cher enjoyed her time working on the movie, she admitted in 2013 that she wasn't proud of the project. That was one of the things where Steve rolled up his sleeves and got in there for two or three days of [angles]. I wrote a story for her show that loosely weaved together their musical numbers. She wanted it to reflect more of today's woman. Christina was the choice. FAYE: I directed and choreographed Cher for many years. RELATED:Hamilton: 10 Differences Between The Real-life Events And The Broadway Show. Sean encourages Jack to end the engagement, as Ali is a better person than his shallow fiance. Despite rumors, Aguilera and Cher got along well on the set and became friends. The Dirrty singer added that she channeled her lack of acting experience into the character. Its been more than a decade since Burlesque released and Steve Antins passion project is still considered one of the most memorable musicals Hollywood has produced. Ali Rose: The Spy Kids star portrayed club doorman Alexis, who briefly takes the stage for a risqu dance number. TV series. Background Ali Rose (Aguilera) moves to Los Angeles after she quits her bar job when her boss refuses to pay her. Cam Gigandet and Peter Gallagher both previously starred on the television series The O.C. The reason Aguilera could seamlessly step into the role of the burlesque performer Ali was that she had already done her homework. Or, at least, the seemingly far-off fantasy of getting Cher who first received the script from Antin and Culpepper's friend, David Geffen to play the club owner, Tess, in her first movie role in seven years (and the Oscar winner's first-ever musical feature film). It did, however, win a Golden Globe, so perhaps I was wrong! [30] Lou Lumenick of the New York Post said, "Aguilera can dance like nobody's business, but her acting debut isn't going to keep Anne Hathaway awake at night. But a campy, niche classic isn't exactly what the Burlesque crew set out to make. The opening scene of Burlesque tells the story: Ali, our plucky ingenue, logs time as a diner waitress in the corn-tinted town of Genericsville . [22] Overall, it has grossed over $30,053,366 on video sales (DVD and Blu-ray sales) in United States alone. At Georgia's wedding, Jack appears to call off his engagement, getting drunk. At times I can be a bit snobby about movies. It was about "a girl escaping her life", showing up in a neo-burlesque club and launching a career as a performer. At first, I was interested in Queen Latifah or Michelle Pfeiffer. Ali tells Tess, and together they inform the owner of the new million-dollar condos across the street; fearing the loss of business that would result from the obstruction of his prospective tenants' view, he purchases the air rights to the club's property. RELATED:10 Movies/Television Shows You Didn't Know Had Been Adapted Into Musicals. The first TV spot premiered during the season 2 premiere of Fox's Glee on September 21, 2010. The Glee alum made a cameo appearance as Jack's fiance, Natalie, who returns from New York to find her beau in bed with Ali. Whats happening in this Burlesque movie clip?Ali auditions to be one of the club's dancers and when she's done, she persuades Tess to take her much to the lead dancer Nikki's (Kristen Bell from Veronica Mars and Forgetting Sarah Marshall) annoyance.Click to Buy/Rent Burlesque on iTunes: https://apple.co/2BNHE2nWhats the Burlesque movie about? I collected books, had played with burlesque style on my Back to Basics tour, and explored visual concepts and songs (including "Nasty Naughty Boy," about a striptease). CHER: I think everyone can relate to the message of that song. Cher was on a soundstage doing a voiceover for Zookeeper. Welcome to the Quantum Realm. 50s Burlesque By the 1950s burlesque had been clamped down on in New York. CULPEPPER: [One newspaper] decided they'd do a thing on the back-and-forth between me and Steven about budget and making our days, and it turned it into, 'Oh, these two queens making a movie together,' and that's so reductive and not fair to Christina, Cher, Denise, all the dancers. After her selfish boss refuses salary, Ali steals from him and moves to Los Angeles. ANTIN: [I didn't direct another film because] I guess I needed time to lick my wounds, and I was suddenly getting jobs directing commercials mostly musical commercials at first, but it opened up to all kinds. CULPEPPER: When you want somebody and they're not available, before you move on, you have to see if it's logistically possible [to accommodate], so that's what we did: We frontloaded [Christina's solo parts] before Christmas, and we shot everything with Cher after Christmas. In a fit of rage, Nikki sabotages the performance by turning off the music that the dancers usually lip sync to until Ali impresses everyone with her singing skills. Alice "Ali" Marilyn Rose ( Christina Aguilera) is a young waitress from Iowa who dreams of becoming a professional dancer following her mother's death during childhood. There Ali attends multiple auditions with little success. ANTIN: The movie has continued to have legs and make money, well over $100 million with a [Gold soundtrack] album. It wasnt a good film, the Moonstruck star told the Los Angeles Times. Because she dreams of a career in show business, Ali (Christina Aguilera) leaves her small town for Los Angeles. Although director Steven Antin wrote the original screenplay, Diablo Cody (Juno) revised it uncredited. She finally read it and agreed to a meeting with Clint and [then-Sony Motion Picture Chairperson] Amy Pascal. So did Christina. In defense of Ali, Tess questions Nikki's gratitude for the help she has received during her binges. ANTIN: It's inspired by Burlesque: A re-imagination. Marla (as Wendy Benson) Tisha French . WARREN: I don't ever expect anything, but it was kind of shocking [that "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" didn't get an Oscar nod]. A few years after, we sent her the script for Burlesque. Ali wants to audition but finds herself working at the club as a waitress. Credit: Thierry Carpico/News Pictures/Shutterstock. ", "Watch the Sexy, Burlesque-Inspired Skate That Propelled These Ice Dancers to a National Title", "Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE isuresults.com", "Dorian Awards 2010: Winners: I AM LOVE, GLEE, EASY A", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Burlesque_(2010_American_film)&oldid=1140159067, Favorite Film Leading Actress Comedy or Musical, "Welcome to Burlesque" Tess and the Burlesque Lounge Troupe, "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" Ali, "Tough Lover" The Burlesque Lounge Troupe, "Jungle Berlin (Instrumental)" Alexis and The Contortionists, This page was last edited on 18 February 2023, at 19:10. I also have two TV shows in development now, both involving music. Watch Burlesque: Christina Aguilera as Ali Rose, Watch Burlesque: He Bats For The Other Team, The photo of seven-year-old Ali with her mother is actually a photo of a much younger. CULPEPPER: A lot of people worked really hard to get this movie made. Enough said. ANTIN: The first ending for the film I shot wasn't good. Naughtiness without being crass! She was sweet and said she knew about the script, but hadn't read it yet. A couple of weeks later I heard from Cher's manager, who loved the song, and she ended up recording it. You can not create feedback by disconnecting the inputs. Emma Stone was considered for the role of Ali. That, Culpepper says, is where Burlesque found wider audiences outside the largely queer demographic that supported its theatrical run. Ali leaves Marcus, after discovering his plans to sell the burlesque for money. Jack refers her to Tess for an audition but she is told to come back another time and ushered out by her assistant Sean (Stanley Tucci). She was adorable, reading off her iPhone kind of scared with something prepared, and the songs blew us away. CULPEPPER: The audience it got that was surprising [after release] was the young girls who looked at these strong women. Later, a sobered Nikki admits that she lied about sleeping with Vince out of anger, and Tess rehires her. The first instrumental Ali dances to during her audition is the background music from "Nasty Naughty Boy," performed by Christina Aguilera. Buzz snowballed ahead of the film's Nov. 24 theatrical bow, to the point where press for the project fixated on gossip, to Culpepper's chagrin. ANTIN: I certainly didn't set out to make a camp movie that people laugh at. I'd basically given up, and I ended up going out to dinner the next week, where I ran into Loree Rodkin, Cher's best friend. The film earned a nomination for Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the 66th Golden Globe Awards, where Cher's performance of "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me", written by Diane Warren won the for Best Original Song. Show me how you burlesque! There's a bit of the Crazy Horse Saloon in Paris, the musical Cabaret, as well as the '60s TV show Hullabaloo as well as the Follies Bergre. like that! First introduced by a visiting British dance troupe in the 1860s, burlesque took off in America even as its popularity dwindled in England. She also added that had it been shorter, it would "have squeaked by and been a really good popcorn movie". TRICKY STEWART (songwriter/producer): Christina is a real diva, and being around her and watching her attention to detail, the vibe that she gives me always made me want to make music that I consider to be "fabulous." On Sunday, November 28, 2010, it went back up to third place behind Tangled and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. What, I dont have a brain? These girls were watching it time and time again on TV, they'd watch it with their friends or their mothers or buy the DVD. 1. It was all very spontaneous. She knew what it was, and Cher doesn't always know what the right song is. and this one she loved from day one. The film follows Ali played by Aguilera a small-town girl who finds her big break performing at a Burlesque Lounge. Dandy Dillinger, a 33-year-old baker and burlesque performer living in the East Village, lost both her day job and her performance career when the pandemic hit. and then came Cher. I thought something was off. Overall, it has grossed over $30,053,366 on video sales (DVD and Blu-ray sales) in United States alone. There Ali attends multiple auditions with little success. By the Christmas weekend, it was number 15 at the box office. Tess: [upon seeing a nauseous Georgia emerge from the bathroom stall] Oh, God, Georgia. None of us thought she could do it, and honestly, we weren't concerned because we had the double ready to go. Surprisingly, this is Cher's first musical film. [29] Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter called Burlesque "a refreshing throwback to movie musicals that celebrates its stars while indulging in sexy fun" and also praised Aguilera's acting and singing. The controversy on the set was the number of days and getting the movie done so it wouldnt go over budget. The soundtrack received a nomination at the 54th Grammy Awards for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media. All of that felt good. We had a detailed outline, but it was really broad, and more of a comedy, like the old Beatles movies. It stars Cher, Christina Aguilera, Kristen Bell, Cam Gigandet, Stanley Tucci, Julianne Hough, Alan Cumming, and Peter Gallagher, and features cameos from Dianna Agron, and James Brolin. FAYE: When Cher started working on that, she wanted to work at her house with her person, meaning one of her dancers coming to our rehearsals and bringing the work back to her. CULPEPPER: If I'm doing my job, it's protecting the studio, and if Steven's doing his job, he's being an advocate for the movie. STEVEN ANTIN (writer-director): My sister, Robin Antin, had a show that she created at the Viper Room [for] the Pussycat Dolls. That's what I was aiming for. So, I did. The first movie is The Devil Wears Prada (2006), when Tucci's character Nigel gives Anne Hathaway' a makeover, followed by a montage set to "Vogue.". It was a long process. Moon Bloodgood was considered for the role of Tess. And so, they rewrote it." Ali Rose: Oh, yeah, it's short for Alice. After leaving Iowa with stars in her eyes, Ali arrives at a Los Angeles burlesque lounge with dreams of taking the stage with her soaring voice. One thing Antin initially wanted to remove from the film, however, has since grown into one of its most iconic moments: Cher's solo number, "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me," which sees her singing a meta tune (penned by longtime collaborator Diane Warren) about resilience. They were beyond genius. Started shooting on November 9, 2009 and ended on March 3, 2010. . The meeting went well. One has to be quick and prepared for someone like Christina in a meeting. The O.C. CHER: One of my favorite scenes is when I was helping Christina with her makeup. I gave her the song thinking nothing was going to happen. In the scene where Nikki is singing about a dentist, the song is "Long John Blues" sung by Megan Mullally. Her game is good. Third, the first number seen at the club is reminiscent of Cabaret's opening with Cher introducing the dancers with little adages about each one. CULPEPPER: We both had the idea of doing something that harkened back [to] old musicals from the '40s. Most of the flamboyant costumes worn by Cher were her own clothes, some of which were designed by her longtime friend Bob Mackie (interview on The Graham Norton Show (2007) / 18 Dec. 2010). First, Alan Cumming (plays the money taker at Burlesque) famously starred as the Emcee in the 1991 stage version of Cabaret. Third, the first number seen at the club is reminiscent of Cabaret's opening with Cher introducing the dancers with little adages about each one. The resulting money is enough for Tess to buy out Vince's share, pay off the bank, and re-fashion the club to her own vision. She overcame a lot. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. -Welcome to the Hero/Protagonist wiki! Here you will find iconic scenes, moments, and lines from all the films, characters, celebrities and actors you love. In retaliation, a furious Nikki quits after she reveals to have slept with Tess' ex-husband Vince (Peter Gallagher). [9] The first outline of the screenplay was written by Antin and Clint Culpepper, the Screen Gems' president. [42] The movie was also referenced in the third season of the VH1 reality show RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. Aguilera was also one of the celebrities Antins sister Robin directed for a cameo at The Pussycat Dollss Viper Room show. I should've. It morphs what's best about TV, Broadway, film, and digital entertainment. Starring: Cher, Christina Aguilera, Alan Cumming Watch all you want. She has sold more than 30 million albums . Ali's Hotel Manager: Michael Landes . She overcame a lot. ANTIN: The day we shot "Welcome to Burlesque," I'd never seen Cher do the number. Its story is earnest and timeless: A vocally gifted, small-town waitress, Ali (Aguilera), leaves Iowa for Los Angeles with nothing but a bus ticket and raw talent in tow. Here, that is his character's nickname for Ali. If you can help us with this wiki please sign up and help us! The Believe singer told Collider in November 2010 that she felt an immediate connection to Aguilera, whom she tried to mentor during filming. We won't post to any of your accounts without asking first. Now, the team behind Burlesque including Cher, Aguilera, Antin, choreographer Denise Faye, songwriter Diane Warren, music producer Tricky Stewart, costume designer Michael Kaplan, and Clint Culpepper, the Screen Gems president (and Antin's romantic partner at the time) who made it all happen, have assembled to reflect on the film's legacy, recount its gestation, and reclaim the spotlight their work deserved. That night, Ali and Jack sleep together, beginning an affair. Many fans have wondered if Burlesque used an original screenplay. AGUILERA: I had always been inspired by throwback classic pin-up art and burlesque style, essentially all things celebrating the female body and sexuality, so I was already versed in the history and appeal of this world, conceptually. Natalie angrily insists she and Jack never broke up though the latter denies this but asks Ali to leave. After a few days, Denise said we weren't going to need a body double. The soundtrack includes a mix of original and cover songs. See production, box office & company info. When we met Cher, Christina was holding her kid on her hip, and we walked over. Both Electra Avellan and Rose McGowan was considered for the role of Ali. After her selfish boss refuses salary, Ali steals from him and moves to Los Angeles. There were many reports that circulated during the filming of Burlesque which suggested that Antin and Culpepper would have fights on set and it delayed filming. The website's critical consensus reads, "Campy and clichd, Burlesque wastes its talented cast (including a better-than-expected Christina Aguilera) on a movie that wavers uncertainly between 'bad' and 'so bad it's good. [23] In all, the DVD has sold over 1.4 million units in the United States. Ali wants to audition but finds herself working at the club as a waitress. You can find her work if you want to, you know, 10 Behind The Scenes Facts About Burlesque You Didn't Know, the original ending was designed as an homage to, The Pussycat Dolls was actually a burlesque dance troupe, Antin had considered Queen Latifah or Michelle Pfeiffer, Hamilton: 10 Differences Between The Real-life Events And The Broadway Show, 10 Movies/Television Shows You Didn't Know Had Been Adapted Into Musicals, Cher had revealed during the red carpet of the films premiere, The 10 Greatest Movies About Music, Ranked (According To IMDb). FAYE: "Tough Lover" went through an awful lot of changes. KAPLAN: Dance costumes have different requirements than the type of clothing I'm used to designing. I've got this." She'd rehearse, even at home, because Christina's not showing up to not be the best on set. Second, similar choreography. Beyonc Knowles was considered for the role of Ali. Gabriela Spanic was considered for the role of Tess. "[35] Variety observed that the film "wants to be Cabaret, but lacks the edge and historical context to pull it off. The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. She smiled and said, "Oh my God, this is going to be fun!" When Georgia (Hough) becomespregnant, auditions are held to replace her. The photo of seven-year-old Ali with her mother is actually a photo of a much younger Christina Aguilera with her real-life mother, Shelly Kearns. Then there are the custom shoes and the blisters. One of Christina's costumes was made completely of pearls wired together.