Seven iconic films about showgirls, inspired by Taylor Swift’s latest album The Life of a Showgirl.

“In many ways, this mirrors Swift’s own journey–dazzling, relentless, and always under the gaze of an eager audience. As these films remind us, the life of a showgirl is never only about performance, but about the courage it takes to keep shining in the light.”

Taylor Swift has just announced her upcoming album The Life of a Showgirl, which she describes as an exuberant record born out of the whirlwind of her Eras tour and shaped by the sense of theatricality that comes with living under the spotlight. The announcement, made on her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s podcast, carried the kind of calculated reveal that Swift has perfected over the years: album artwork, a carefully ordered tracklist, the promise of a collaboration, and a title that feels both nostalgic and daring.

With a name like The Life of a Showgirl, it is impossible not to think of cinema’s longstanding fascination with women who perform on stage, no matter in smoky cabarets, glittering revues, or seedy clubs where glamour and desperation intertwine. Swift may be speaking in metaphor, yet the cultural memory of the “showgirl” runs deep. Cinema has been celebrating (and reimagining) this figure for decades, offering countless interpretations of that life.

Below are seven films that capture different shades of the showgirl myth, from tragic romance to sharp satire, and while some have divided opinion on release, each has earned its place as a memorable interpretation of a life lived in the glow of performance. Together they map out an uneasy but compelling portrait of performance, desire, survival, and spectacle.

1. Burlesque (2010),

Musical/Romance

Christina Aguilera’s screen debut opposite Cher brought fresh energy to the classic backstage musical at a time when many thought the genre had faded. Yet Burlesque insists on its charm: a small-town girl steps into a world of feathers, sequins, and rivalries, and discovers her voice–quite literally–when the sound system fails. Its sincerity, carried by great performances and music, has since become a late-night favourite, showing that heartfelt spectacle often outlasts cynicism.

2. Anora (2024),

Romance/Comedy

Sean Baker’s Cannes-winning triumph presents the showgirl not as a glossy cabaret star but as a survivalist in New York’s underbelly. Anora, a stripper drawn into a chaotic marriage with the son of a Russian oligarch, embodies the contradictions of performance as both work and identity. Mikey Madison’s award-winning role lays bare the contradictions of the showgirl figure: desired yet discarded, powerful yet vulnerable, always a step away from being erased by men with more money and more control.

3. Moulin Rouge! (2001),

Musical/Romance

Baz Luhrmann’s feverish celebration of love and artifice turns the Parisian cabaret into a glitter-stained battlefield of music, colour, and emotion. Nicole Kidman’s Satine is both adored star adored star and tragic heroine, embodying the cruel paradox of the showgirl whose light dazzles even as it burns out. The film’s maximalist style redefined the modern musical and reminded audiences that grand spectacle can reveal truths as moving as any realism.

4. Pleng Sood Tai (The Last Song) (2006),

Melodrama/Romance/Drama

The 2006 remake of Pleng Sood Tai (The Last Song) reintroduced a Thai classic to a new generation, this time with a contemporary lens. While the 1985 original carried the raw energy of cabaret life in Pattaya’s heyday, the later version leaned into melodrama and glossy production, combining nightclub spectacle with an emotional cautionary tale. It follows a showgirl whose romance unravels into betrayal and heartbreak, reminding audiences that behind the sequins and bright lights lies a story of vulnerability. The remake echoes Thailand’s fascination with cabaret culture and how the figure of the showgirl embodies fragility. Its tragic arc reminds us of how the showgirl myth often hides deeper realities of rejection and loneliness, particularly for those already living on society’s margins.

5. The Last Showgirl (2024),

Drama

Gia Coppola’s drama strips away the sequins to ask what becomes of a woman whose career was built on spectacle once the lights go out. Pamela Anderson delivers a layered performance as a veteran Las Vegas performer facing redundancy when her revue closes after decades, forcing her to reimagine herself outside the glamour that defined her. The film captures both the cruelty of an industry that thrives on youth and also the indignity of being told that the skills which once defined you no longer hold value, gently exploring the challenge of moving forward once the stage goes dark.

6. Chicago (2002),

Musical/Black-Comedy/Crime

Rob Marshall’s Oscar-winning adaptation of the Broadway hit is less about the grind of cabaret than the collision of showbiz and crime, yet its critique of fame as performance makes it essential to this list. Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly discover that murder trials are just another stage, with the courtroom as theatre and journalists as audience. Here the showgirl becomes the ultimate manipulator of narrative, her survival dependent on keeping herself interesting enough to headline tomorrow’s papers. With its dazzling choreography and sharp wit, Chicago remains one of the most exuberant and influential musicals of the century.

7. Showgirls (1995),

Erotic Drama/Satire

Paul Verhoeven’s infamous NC-17 release has become one of cinema’s most discussed cult films. Initially dismissed, it has since been embraced by many as a provocative take on ambition, sexuality, and the cost of success. Elizabeth Berkley’s Nomi Malone claws her way through Las Vegas’ entertainment underworld, embodying the ruthlessness demanded by a culture that confuses desire with power. Love it or loathe it, its persistence in pop culture proves the fascination with the showgirl’s raw ambition.

Taylor Swift’s forthcoming album taps into a long and complicated cultural archetype. The showgirl is a figure of glamour and tragedy, of liberation and exploitation, of joy that is always tinged with danger. In many ways, it is a fitting metaphor for Swift’s own career–dazzling, relentless, but scrutinised at every turn. Just as these films show, the life of a showgirl is never just about the performance, but about what it costs to keep the spotlight on.