Stripping for Hollywood

Check out actresses who worked the pole for the big screen.

Jennifer Beals in Flashdance  - Alex Owens (Beals) is a welder at a Pittsburgh steel mill during the day and an exotic dancer at a club called Mawby's at night... but only because she lacks the formal dance training to become what she really wants to be—a professional dancer. After seeing some break dancers on a street corner and incorporating the moves into an audition, she kisses stripping goodbye. (Photo: Landov)

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Jennifer Beals in Flashdance  - Alex Owens (Beals) is a welder at a Pittsburgh steel mill during the day and an exotic dancer at a club called Mawby's at night... but only because she lacks the formal dance training to become what she really wants to be—a professional dancer. After seeing some break dancers on a street corner and incorporating the moves into an audition, she kisses stripping goodbye. (Photo: Landov)

Rosario Dawson in Rent  - In this film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, Rosario Dawson is the heroin-addicted erotic dancer Mimi. Even love and getting HIV doesn't deter her from her wild life. But just when it seems she's about to meet her end, a song brings her back to life. (Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection)

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Rosario Dawson in Rent  - In this film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, Rosario Dawson is the heroin-addicted erotic dancer Mimi. Even love and getting HIV doesn't deter her from her wild life. But just when it seems she's about to meet her end, a song brings her back to life. (Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection)

Zoe Kravitz in X-Men: First Class - Playing erotic dancer Angel Salvadore, Lenny Kravitz's little girl is appropriately a mutant with housefly wings and acidic saliva. Who says strippers can't be superhuman and have superpowers?

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Zoe Kravitz in X-Men: First Class - Playing erotic dancer Angel Salvadore, Lenny Kravitz's little girl is appropriately a mutant with housefly wings and acidic saliva. Who says strippers can't be superhuman and have superpowers?

Vivica A. Fox in Independence Day  - Playing the girlfriend of Will Smith's Captain Steven Hiller, Vivica gave America one of its most lovably kick-ass strippers in the character Jasmine Dubrow. Aside from saving her son and herself from evil aliens attacking Earth, she finds and helps an injured First Lady. She was a stripper with a heart of gold!

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Vivica A. Fox in Independence Day  - Playing the girlfriend of Will Smith's Captain Steven Hiller, Vivica gave America one of its most lovably kick-ass strippers in the character Jasmine Dubrow. Aside from saving her son and herself from evil aliens attacking Earth, she finds and helps an injured First Lady. She was a stripper with a heart of gold!

LisaRaye in The Players Club  - LisaRaye played Diamond, the ideal Atlanta pole worker who's stripping to pay for college. She's a single mom trying to make a better life for herself and her son until her little cousin Ebony (played by Monica Calhoun) comes to live with her and also, uh, dance. (Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection)

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LisaRaye in The Players Club  - LisaRaye played Diamond, the ideal Atlanta pole worker who's stripping to pay for college. She's a single mom trying to make a better life for herself and her son until her little cousin Ebony (played by Monica Calhoun) comes to live with her and also, uh, dance. (Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection)

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Monica Calhoun in The Players Club    - Monica Calhoun plays Ebony, the younger cousin of LisaRaye's character Diamond. Once she moves in with her cuz and begins working the pole, her innocence and self-worth is slowly, well, stripped away. Of course, it all doesn't end pretty. (Photo: New Line Cinema)

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Monica Calhoun in The Players Club    - Monica Calhoun plays Ebony, the younger cousin of LisaRaye's character Diamond. Once she moves in with her cuz and begins working the pole, her innocence and self-worth is slowly, well, stripped away. Of course, it all doesn't end pretty. (Photo: New Line Cinema)

Paula Jai Parker in Hustle & Flow  - Paula Jai Parker plays Lexus, a Memphis prostitute who moonlights as a stripper. But to her pimp, DJay (Terrence Howard), she's a dream killer. When she downs his hopes of giving up pimping for fame as a rapper, she berates him. Who said pimping was easy? (Photo: Everett Collection)

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Paula Jai Parker in Hustle & Flow  - Paula Jai Parker plays Lexus, a Memphis prostitute who moonlights as a stripper. But to her pimp, DJay (Terrence Howard), she's a dream killer. When she downs his hopes of giving up pimping for fame as a rapper, she berates him. Who said pimping was easy? (Photo: Everett Collection)

Gina Ravera in Showgirls     - In Showgirls, Ravera plays Molly Abrams, a stripper who's also a costume seamstress for Las Vegas showgirls. She helps a runaway with a seedy past--until she is brutally assaulted at a party.(Photo: MGM Distribution CO)

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Gina Ravera in Showgirls     - In Showgirls, Ravera plays Molly Abrams, a stripper who's also a costume seamstress for Las Vegas showgirls. She helps a runaway with a seedy past--until she is brutally assaulted at a party.(Photo: MGM Distribution CO)

Halle Berry in Frankie & Alice   - Deal with this "skrippa" named Frankie and you'll get more than you bargained for--namely multiple personalities. One is a seven-year-old genius. Another is a Southern white racist woman named Alice, whom Berry really struggles to overcome. Berry received a Golden Globe nomination for the role. (Photo: Access Motion Pictures)

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Halle Berry in Frankie & Alice   - Deal with this "skrippa" named Frankie and you'll get more than you bargained for--namely multiple personalities. One is a seven-year-old genius. Another is a Southern white racist woman named Alice, whom Berry really struggles to overcome. Berry received a Golden Globe nomination for the role. (Photo: Access Motion Pictures)

Madea - While we've never seen Madea work the pole, in Madea Goes to Jail she tells Cora, after she asks for some "me" time, "Did I ask you for some 'me' time when I had to hit that stripper pole?" I think we all need a Madea film called Madea: The Early Years, just to see her dropping it like it's hot! (Photo: Quantrell D.Colbert/Tyler Perry Studios)

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Madea - While we've never seen Madea work the pole, in Madea Goes to Jail she tells Cora, after she asks for some "me" time, "Did I ask you for some 'me' time when I had to hit that stripper pole?" I think we all need a Madea film called Madea: The Early Years, just to see her dropping it like it's hot! (Photo: Quantrell D.Colbert/Tyler Perry Studios)