A dance of nerve and dedication

Jamie Lee Curtis won a Golden Globe for her role as Helen Tasker, but the striptease scene in True Lies followed her for a long time.

The scene faced some criticism, with some viewers seeing it as misogynistic. However, director James Cameron later revealed that Curtis played a significant role in shaping how the scene unfolded. Initially, the plan was for Helen to strip completely in the dark, showing only her silhouette.

Curtis, however, suggested doing the scene in full light while keeping her underwear on. She even demonstrated this approach to Cameron, who remarked that it reminded him of why he loved his job. Interestingly, while many men criticized the scene, most female reviewers found it empowering and even liberating for Helen.

Jamie Lee Curtis has called True Lies “without question, the greatest experience of my professional life so far.” However, filming the iconic striptease scene took quite a toll on her.

“Please, to say I wasn’t neurotic as any woman would be who was going to do that dance! To say I didn’t diet. To say I didn’t go to the gym. I did a lot of leg lifts, squats, anything to firm up my body, because I was about to be photographed for the rest of time in my G-string and bra!”