Paul Verhoeven reveals Charlize Theron nearly bagged the lead in Showgirls

Paul Verhoeven has revealed that Oscar-winning actress, Charlize Theron could have had a very different career, telling New York Daily News that the Mad Max star nearly bagged the leading role in his uber-camp '90s melodrama, Showgirls. The role eventually went to Elizabeth Berkley, with the director explaining that Theron’s relative anonymity at the time counted against her.

"Charlize also auditioned, and I don't recall her having any problem with the nudity at all," says Verhoeven. "She was good and wanted the part, but basically she was not well known enough at the time and just did not fit the part, so we said no."

"I have full respect for Charlize, but if she had been offered the part then she would probably have been chewed up in the same way they treated Elizabeth. She was very lucky that she did not get the part. I wish Charlize congratulations for that because it would have have been a miserable 20 years for her!"

Speaking of Showgirls, Verhoeven went on to reveal that he had a sequel planned, only for the reaction to the first film to render it a non-starter. "We had actually been working on the sequel to Showgirls which was going to be called Bimbos," says Verhoeven. "It was going to be ‘Nomi does Hollywood', but after Showgirls was released there was no way anyone was going to give me money for that. If we could just make Elizabeth Berkley 20 years younger now I would love to make Bimbos today."