10 Best Strippers in Movies

Played by Elizabeth Berkley, Nomi is an unforgettable figure. In this cult phenomenon she rises from lap dancer to Las Vegas star with as much rage as ambition. The film was initially panned but has grown into a camp classic in which Nomi has become a symbol of survival.

Matthew McConaughey plays the slick, charismatic club owner and headliner, and steals literally every scene he's in. With his Southern charm, sculpted torso and all-in performances, he embodies both the spectacle and the business instinct of the male stripping world.

Channing Tatum based this character partly on his own experiences as a young stripper, and his dance skills and charisma are unmatched. Mike isn't just an entertainer but a man with dreams and doubts, giving the male stripper a human face.

Jennifer Lopez gave one of the best performances of her career as the smart, commanding and mesmerizing Ramona. Her pole dance to Fiona Apple's 'Criminal' is an iconic scene, but her real power lies in her leadership, friendships and moral gray areas.

Natalie Portman's role as the mysterious Alice is both vulnerable and powerful. In a key scene in a strip club she plays a cat-and-mouse game with Clive Owen, keeping complete control despite her vulnerability. A performance that's both sensual and intensely psychological, and earned her an Oscar nomination.

Julianne Moore plays an adult film actress who manages to combine warmth, sadness and allure. She's a mother figure, a star and a broken woman all at once, which makes her role unforgettable and earned her an Oscar nomination.

Cassie (Carey Mulligan) isn't a real stripper, but in the film's opening scene and a later, darker moment she uses the aesthetics of seduction, including a nurse-costume disguise, as a weapon to confront men with their behavior, which makes her performance all the more powerful.

Mia Kirshner plays a gentle dancer in an elegant Toronto strip club, in an Atom Egoyan film that's more about emotional pain than eroticism. Her dances are dreamy and melancholic, and her relationship with one regular customer is complex, sometimes tender, sometimes tense.

Marisa Tomei's role as the aging stripper Cassidy (real name Pam) is raw and honest. She's a woman who uses her body to make a living but also seeks emotional connection. Tomei's performance is sensitive, vulnerable and human, and was rightly nominated for an Oscar.

Lolita Davidovich plays this real-life legendary burlesque star, who had an affair with Louisiana governor Earl Long (Paul Newman). The film is a mix of politics and eroticism, and Blaze is portrayed as a confident, charming woman with real influence.