Brenda Song Thinks Her New Movie Might "Scare" People Who Know Her From Disney Channel: "It Feels Weird"
Brenda Song was once one of Disney's most well-known young stars. At 16 years old, she made her debut as the rich and ditzy London Tipton in the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. The series ran from 2005 to 2008 and was spun off into The Suite Life on Deck, which ran until 2011. Sandwiched in between this period, Song's career also included playing the titular action-adventure lead in Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior.
Along with co-stars like Debbie Ryan, Cole Sprouse, and Dylan Sprouse, Song was one of Disney Channel's most prominent stars in the 2000s. She made crossover guest-star appearances on series like Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place, playing her London Tipton role. After leaving Disney Channel, her career slowed down for a while as she played smaller parts in TV shows. Song is back again, however, with a major film role.
Song Thinks The Last Showgirl Will Surprise Audiences
Song Swears In The Last Showgirl
Song thinks audiences might be scared by her role in The Last Showgirl. The movie follows a showgirl who has to pivot her life when her long-running show gets suddenly cancelled after 30 years. The Gia Coppola-directed movie features a leading performance from Pamela Anderson, whose performance has earned her praise and Best Actress buzz. Song steps in to play the role of Mary-Anne, a younger showgirl, in the film. In addition to Song and Anderson, The Last Showgirl features a leading cast including Kiernan Shipka, Dave Bautista, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Billie Lourd.
The Last Showgirl is getting great reviews, as it currently holds an 82% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Speaking with Bustle, Song explains the big differences between her The Last Showgirl role and her Disney history. Specifically, Song mentions her copious swearing in the Anderson-led film as a reason why audiences may be "almost scared," because it "feels weird to see you that way." While those who know her from her Disney days may be surprised, Song admits that she swears a lot in real life, a habit she even had to curb since becoming a mother. Check out the full quote from Song below:
"It’s funny because up until these last couple of years I feel like I’ve never sworn on-screen. Coming from a Disney Channel background, I think people are almost scared. It feels weird to see you that way.
But I’ll be honest. I think in LA, ‘f*ck’ is a verb. It’s a noun. It is an adjective. It’s natural in my language. Since having children, I’ve had to really watch myself. People like to say that Valley Girls say ‘like.’ I think we say ‘f*ck’ as much as ‘like.’"
Our Take On Song's The Last Showgirl Role
Disney Stars Have Been Getting Dramatic Roles Recently
Over the past few years, audiences have had to grapple with a lot of 2000s and 2010s Disney stars growing up into more mature roles. This includes Selena Gomez, who has been in Only Murders in the Building as well as the Golden Globe-winning film Emilia Pérez. Miley Cyrus has also broken out in the music industry with far more adult content than her Hannah Montana days. Song is just the latest star to join this trend with The Last Showgirl, but it makes for an interesting time period for Disney stars.
Source: Bustle
The Last Showgirl
- Release Date
- January 10, 2025
- Runtime
- 89 Minutes
- Director
- Gia Coppola
- Writers
- Kate Gersten
- Producers
- Alex Orlovsky, Natalie Farrey, Robert Schwartzman, Josh Peters, Nick Darmstaedter, Kara Durrett
Cast
Shelly
Brenda SongMary-Anne
The Last Showgirl follows Hannah, a seasoned performer coping with the end of her dance show career after thirty-five years. As she seeks a new purpose, she also works to strengthen the bond with her estranged daughter.
- Main Genre
- Drama
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