''Dancing at the Blue Iguana'' is a 2000 American

erotic Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, scul ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

, released September 14, 2000, directed by

Michael Radford Michael James Radford (born 24 February 1946) is an English film director and screenwriter. He began his career as a documentary director and television comedy writer before transitioning into features in the early 1980s. His best-known credits ...

about the lives of strippers at a gentlemen's club. The film was based on an improvisational workshop involving the lead actors. It explores the intersecting lives of five exotic dancers who work at a

San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, California. Located to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it contains a large portion of the City of Los Angeles, as well as unincorporated ar ...

strip club, the Blue Iguana, and the difficulties in their lives.

Plot

Angel (

Daryl Hannah Daryl Christine Hannah (born December 3, 1960) is an American actress and environmental activist. She made her screen debut in Brian De Palma's supernatural horror film '' The Fury'' (1978). She has starred in various movies across the years, i ...

) wishes for a baby of her own or a foster child to take care of, but her messy, dysfunctional existence makes this an impossible dream. Jo (

Jennifer Tilly Jennifer Tilly (born Jennifer Ellen Chan; September 16, 1958) is an American–Canadian actress and poker player. Known for her distinctive voice and comedic timing, she has been nominated for an Academy Award, two MTV Movie Awards and three Sat ...

) is pregnant, wants an abortion, and can barely contain her rage at the world, which is useful in her moonlighting as a dominatrix. Jasmine (

Sandra Oh Sandra Miju Oh (born July 20, 1971) is a Canadian–American actress. She is best known for her starring roles as Rita Wu on the HBO comedy '' Arliss'' (1996–2002), Dr. Cristina Yang on the ABC medical drama series ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005 ...

) writes beautiful poetry on the side and finally finds a boyfriend. She tells him she's a stripper, but he maintains that he is all right with it. However, once he sees her dance at the club, he disapproves silently and leaves. Jesse (

Charlotte Ayanna Charlotte Ayanna (born Charlotte Lopez; September 25, 1976) is a Puerto Rican-American actress and former Miss Teen USA. Early life Ayanna was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but moved to Vermont at an early age. She had a troubled childhood, spen ...

), the youngest and newest stripper looks for acceptance and love among the strippers and customers, but is eventually beaten by her boyfriend, leading her to drink and depression. Stormy ( Sheila Kelley) is having an

incestuous Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adopti ...

relationship with her brother.

Companion documentary

In 2001, actress

released a one-hour companion documentary, ''Strip Notes'', based on her experience researching her role as a stripper in the film, which is included as an extra on the ''Dancing at the Blue Iguana'' DVD. Hannah stars along with

Elias Koteas Elias Koteas (; el, Ηλίας Κοτέας; born March 11, 1961) is a Canadian actor. He is known for playing Alvin "Al" Olinsky in the ''Chicago'' franchise, as well as appearing in lead and supporting roles in numerous films. He won the Cana ...

, and

Cast

as Jasmine *

as Jessie * Kristin Bauer as Nico *

W. Earl Brown William Earl Brown (born September 7, 1963) is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, musician, and songwriter. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Kenneth "Kenny" Brown in the film ''Scream (1996 film), Scream'' (1996), Warren in the ...

as Bobby *

as Angel * Chris Hogan as Dennis * Sheila Kelley as Stormy *

as Sully *

Vladimir Mashkov Vladimir Lvovich Mashkov ( Russian: Владимир Львович Машков; born 27 November 1963) is a Soviet and Russian actor and director of cinema, known to Western audiences for his work in the 2001 film '' Behind Enemy Lines'' and 2 ...

as Sacha *

Rodney Rowland Rodney G. Rowland (born February 20, 1964) is an American actor. He is credited as Rod Rowland in more recent productions, given his predilection to being called Rod. Rowland's most noted appearances to date were as 1st Lieutenant Cooper Hawkes ...

as Charlie *

as Jo *

Robert Wisdom Robert Ray Wisdom (born September 14, 1953) is an American actor, best known for his roles as Howard "Bunny" Colvin in ''The Wire,'' Norman "Lechero" St. John in ''Prison Break'', and Harold Conway in the 2021 Hulu movie ''Vacation Friends''. ...

as Eddie

External links

* * * 2000 films 2000s English-language films 2000s erotic drama films Films set in the San Fernando Valley Films directed by Michael Radford Incest in film American erotic drama films Films produced by Graham Broadbent Films produced by Ram Bergman Films about striptease Lionsgate films 2000 drama films 2000s American films {{erotic-film-stub