But they never got to fully share that excitement at the time of release.
But a campy, niche classic isn’t exactly what theBurlesquecrew set out to make.
They were becoming a popular thing, so she decided to do a bigger show at the Roxy.
STEPHEN VAUGHAN/Screen Gems
It was still the early days of the Pussycat Dolls, before they were a pop group.
I wrote a story for her show that loosely weaved together their musical numbers.
My sister was getting all these celebs to appear as guest performers.
Jeff Errico
I got some cameras and shot the show over a few nights and edited together a little movie.
That was the genesis.
They thought I might have something, and I smiled and told them I might.
Cher and Christina Aguilera in ‘Burlesque’.STEPHEN VAUGHAN/Screen Gems
I called Steven [and told him] it was a sign he should make this movie.
Steven started to write it and it snowballed from there.
We started on the script right away!
STEPHEN VAUGHAN/Screen Gems
So, Clint and I wrote an outline together, then started writing the script.
It had that feel to it.
That’s what we grew up on!
Jeff Errico
Naughtiness without being crass!
I hate that gadget.
I always did," he says).
Timing can play a big factor in balancing between album and touring cycles.
A few years after, we sent her the script forBurlesque.
I saw her at a party and approached her.
Jeff Errico
She was sweet and said she knew about the script, but hadn’t read it yet.
I wasn’t there for that meeting, and I believe Clint helped in getting her to say yes.
CULPEPPER:She had notes…. We even did a rewrite to make the character more active.
Jeff Errico
She wanted it to reflect more of today’s woman.
ANTIN:She came and met me in my office….
It was a very good meeting.
STEPHEN VAUGHAN/Screen Gems
I liked her so much.
She asked really smart questions.
One has to be quick and prepared for someone like Christina in a meeting.
STEPHEN VAUGHAN/Screen Gems
She had the best skin and the bluest eyes I’d ever seen.
They hit it off great.
Steven and Christina were, creatively, on the same page.
…and then came Cher.
ANTIN:For the role of Ali, we wanted an actress with averybig voice.
The role of Tess could’ve gone several ways.
At first, I was interested in Queen Latifah or Michelle Pfeiffer.
But Clint came up with and loved the idea of Cher.
Amy really wanted Cher, and so did Clint.
I liked the idea, too.
I mean, hello.
Enough said…. Cher was on a soundstage doing a voiceover forZookeeper.
Clint heard she was there.
We camped outside of the stage and waited for her to exit.
When she did, we introduced ourselves.
She laughed and turned to her assistant and said, “We have a few minutes.
Let’s humor them!”
We begged for five minutes of her time.
When she got to my office, she was impressed with everything she saw.
The meeting went well.
But there were many more meetings and conversations before she actually said yes.
A few weeks later, Clint and I went to her house in Malibu for another meeting.
I went to her house alone with just the two of us for another meeting.
More meetings and many more conversations followed.
It was a long process.
Clint was driven to get her on board, and he made it happen.
CULPEPPER:Christina kept saying, “just, Clint, get Cher!
Don’t come back to me without Cher!”
She was at the Chateau with some friends and she said, “Come here immediately.
I have to hear everything!”
Culpepper felt Aguilera’s deep admiration for Cheremotions complimentary to the dynamic between Ali and Tess in the film.
And he needed them to feel it, too.
So, he introduced Aguilera to her idol on the Sony lot after Cher committed to the project.
So, I did.
Christina was on theotherside of the lot rehearsing.
Cher started laughing hysterically and said, “Well, I hope that doesn’t become necessary!”
It was so cute.
Cher grabbed her and gave her a big hug and a kiss.
AGUILERA:She’s truly an incredible woman and a force of nature.
[When Cher arrived] I’d play stuff that I’d cut together.
It was all of these numbers with Christina.
She smiled and said, “Oh my God, this is going to be fun!”
She was adorable, reading off her iPhonekind of scaredwith something prepared, and the songs blew us away.
They were beyond genius.
STEWART:We were sitting in a room at her house.
Once I hit a kick pattern, she loved it, and she started rapping.
She was coming out with words, going back and forth.
Musically, everyone anticipated Aguilera delivering natural talent.
ANTIN:Christina had to become familiar with the entire process of acting.
She’d never really done it before, and suddenly she was the lead, carrying a movie.
From rehearsing with other actors to learning lines to embracing the moment and the realness of it all.
AGUILERA:In preparation of shooting, I worked with an acting coach.
CULPEPPER:Christina said, “Trust me, you’re not going to have a problem.
I’ve got this.”
After a few days, Denise said we weren’t going to need a body double.
She’d rehearse, even at home, because Christina’s not showing up tonotbe the best on set.
There’s not a world where Christina is going to be out-danced or out-sung.
She didn’t use any doubles.
This is all her, working hard and being spectacular.
It’s averytough move that requires a lot of skill.
I can do it."
She did it on the day we shot it over and over.
FAYE:“Tough Lover"went through an awful lot of changes.
But I don’t have one number in that movie that I wish was a different number.
I said, “Ok, let’s see it!”
They started the number, and…. it was all over the place!
I started to sweat and panic.
I thought I was going to fail at capturing this opening number for Cher.
At lunch, I went to Cher’s trailer to say hi and check in.
I was thinking, “Ok, this is surreal.
I’m in Cher’s trailer dressing room, just hanging out and chatting.
She was sweet, cool, and very casual, and she somehow made it all seem normal.
I was vocal about saying this isn’t the best version of how this works….
The audience loves it.
CULPEPPER:With all the coverage,“Show Me How Your Burlesque"took the most daysmultiplelong days.
It was the most challenging to everybody.
It was a very time-consuming number, but well worth it!
KAPLAN: Dance costumes have different requirements than the bang out of clothing I’m used to designing.
The costumes for the film’s finale were made from a variety of chains I bought at hardware stores.
These were extremely challenging to produce, with a very effective result, if I do say so myself!
AGUILERA:Cher definitely felt like my mama bear during shooting.
They look out for you in a real way, and it was an honor to work alongside Cher.
It’s important to have a communication and a special understanding of each other.
CHER:One of my favorite scenes is when I was helping Christina with her makeup.
It was all very spontaneous.
The film originally had a different endinga nod to theJulia RobertsclassicPretty Womanthat Antin retooled.
ANTIN:The first ending for the film I shot wasn’t good.
I didn’t like the way it was written, and I didn’t like the set.
Honestly, I didn’t do a very good job.
It wasPretty Womanon a fire escape.
We tested it with an audience, and everyone agreed… reshoot it!
I can’t even remember where.
I got really inspired…. reading the script, because that character is a lot like Cher.
She’s not a quitter.
I rolled up my sleeves and wrote something really great.
I wanted to write Cher’s “My Way.”
When you think about Cher, she did do it her way, and she’ll never go away.
But, I think she’ll outlive the cockroaches.
That’s what I was aiming for.
WARREN:I was trying every way [to keep the song in the film].
I had everyone that I knew calling [Steve].
I played her the song, because what did I have to lose?
She was like, “This is so great!”
I was like, “No, tell her it’s a new f—in' song!”
Loree said if I got her the CD, she’d get it to Cher.
I gave her the song thinking nothing was going to happen.
I don’t think Steven even wanted it then!
But it was the right song for her and the movie.
ANTIN:[I] wanted to cut that number.
It wasn’t about Cher’s performance.
Her performance was good and she looked great.
The song just didn’t belong in the movie.
I didn’t think it was right the first time Diane played it for me.
It sounded like an ’80s power ballad, which I love, but it seemed incongruous in the movie.
It did, however, win a Golden Globe, so perhaps I was wrong!
She really had my back on that song.
CHER:I think everyone can relate to the message of that song.
At some point in everyone’s life, you feel that need to remind the world who you are.
Some battles I won.
Others, I lost.
Generally, the studio wins.
Unless you’re Christopher Nolan.
I do wish our differences weren’t so public.
CULPEPPER:There weren’tcreativedifferences.
There wasn’t anything Steven wanted, creatively, that anybodydisagreedwith.
The disagreements came from, we didn’t have time, we have to move on.
That’s just what happens in movies.
The difference is, in every movie, the director isn’t in a relationship with the studio.
You’re always against a clock, and that will always be every project’s nemesis.
[It’s all a] normal process of making a movie.
It became very personal.
To keep it strictly professional was impossible.
Still, signs pointed to a solid opening for the film against family-oriented fare at the Thanksgiving box office.
The movie tested through the roof.
It was in the high-90s, and that’s rare.
It was obviously an audience that loved Cher and Christina, but I was worried.
I thought something was off.
I didn’t believe those high numbers.
WARREN:I was blown away.
That song is hers.
ANTIN:We opened on Thanksgiving weekend, which is generally a weekend for family movies.
We were up against huge titles.
So, I was a bit disappointed by the opening weekend numbers.
CULPEPPER:A lot of people worked really hard to get this movie made.
Christina, I’ve never seen anyone more professional than she was.
I feel like this was pre-judged before everyone saw it.
That, Culpepper says, is whereBurlesquefound wider audiences outside the largely queer demographic that supported its theatrical run.
It was a lifetime of lessons compacted into a short period of time, in so many ways.
All of that felt good.
Cher was really pissed off….
I never saw [Steven] after that.
Looking back now, I’m thankful he kept it in.
I don’t hold grudges.
It all worked out!
FAYE:I directed and choreographed Cher for many years.
It came up so much, more than anything else.
Now that it’s taken on this cult following, Cher has a whole new audience of young girls….
It was a bunch of 13-year-old girls who’ve loved it and grown with it.
ANTIN:I certainly didn’t set out to make a camp movie that people laugh at.
CHER:It’s not a surprise to me that it has been deeply embraced by the gay community.
They just looked at it and went, “That’s charming as s—.”
And that’s what everyone says about the movie: It’s charming, it makes you smile.
In today’s world, that’s all you hope for.
I also developed and sold several TV shows I wrote the pilots for, so I’ve kept busy.
I also have two TV shows in development now, both involving music.
Steven and I are deep into this.
ANTIN:It’s inspired byBurlesque: A re-imagination.
It morphs what’s best about TV, Broadway, film, and digital entertainment.
It’s a hybrid television event/series taking the movie to the next level.
Burlesqueis now available on disc and digital.
