If you were alive in the 90s, you remember the "I’m so excited!" girl. Jessie Spano was the quintessential overachiever on Saved by the Bell, the girl next door with big dreams and even bigger hair. Then, 1995 hit like a freight train. Elizabeth Berkley traded the Bayside High hallways for the neon grit of Las Vegas in Showgirls, and suddenly, the world decided she was done.
It was brutal.
Honestly, the industry treatment of Berkley after that movie is one of the most glaring examples of Hollywood hypocrisy you’ll ever find. While the director, Paul Verhoeven, went on to make Starship Troopers and Hollow Man, Berkley was basically treated like a social pariah. She wasn't just panned; she was blacklisted.
The "Lockout" No One Talks About
For years, people wondered what happened to Elizabeth Berkley after she disappeared from the A-list radar. We now know the truth is way darker than just "the movie flopped." Berkley recently opened up about being literally "locked out" of the industry. Her agency dropped her. Casting directors wouldn't even let her in the room to audition for two solid years. Imagine being 21, at the height of your visibility, and suddenly finding every door bolted shut because you followed a director's vision that people didn't "get."
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Verhoeven has since admitted he pushed her to be as over-the-top as possible. He wanted that frantic, abrasive energy. He got it, and she paid the price for it.
Reclaiming the Narrative Through "Ask Elizabeth"
Instead of fading into a "Where Are They Now?" trivia question, Berkley did something kinda unexpected. She pivoted to philanthropy. In 2006, she started Ask Elizabeth, a non-profit and workshop program for teen girls.
She spent years traveling to schools, sitting on gym floors, and talking to girls about body image, self-esteem, and the "mean girl" culture she experienced firsthand from the global press. It wasn't some PR stunt. She really did the work. She even wrote a New York Times bestseller based on it. It’s a bit of a plot twist: the woman the media tried to tear down became the person helping young women build themselves up.
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The 2026 Resurgence: All's Fair and Beyond
Fast forward to right now, 2026, and the vibe has completely shifted. The "Showgirls" 30th-anniversary screenings in 2025 weren't just nostalgic—they were a victory lap. People finally see the movie for the campy, satirical masterpiece it was always meant to be.
But it’s her recent acting work that’s actually making waves. If you’ve been watching Hulu lately, you probably caught her in Ryan Murphy's legal drama All’s Fair. Working alongside heavyweights like Sarah Paulson and Glenn Close isn't just a comeback; it’s a total vindication. She also had a wild cameo in Max Minghella’s horror-comedy Shell, proving she hasn't lost that fearless edge she had back in the 90s.
Why the Comeback Matters
- She Outlasted the Critics: Most people would have quit. She stayed.
- The Reboot Era: Returning as Dr. Jessie Spano in the Saved by the Bell revival (2020-2022) allowed her to executive produce and give the character the depth she deserved.
- The Ryan Murphy Effect: Being cast by Murphy is the ultimate "you're back" stamp of approval in Hollywood.
What We Can Learn From the Berkley Cycle
Elizabeth Berkley’s story isn't just about a bad movie; it’s about resilience in a world that loves to watch women fail. She was "canceled" before that word even existed, yet she managed to curate a life that includes a stable marriage to Greg Lauren (yes, the Ralph Lauren family) and a career that’s currently more interesting than it was 30 years ago.
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Next Steps for the Elizabeth Berkley Fan:
If you want to catch up on her modern era, start with the Saved by the Bell revival on Peacock—it’s actually much funnier and smarter than the original. After that, dive into All’s Fair on Hulu to see her hold her own against Oscar winners.
The biggest takeaway? Don't let a "Showgirls" moment define your "All's Fair" future. Keep showing up.