Gia Coppola on 'The Last Showgirl' and Pamela Anderson's Reinvention

Gia Coppola, granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola, discusses her third feature film 'The Last Showgirl' (2025, distributed in Italy by BeWater Film). Shot on 16mm, the film stars Pamela Anderson as a Las Vegas showgirl facing the end of an era, grappling with unresolved memories and the need to reinvent herself. Inspired by Kate Gersten's play 'Body of Work', which Gersten also co-wrote, the film explores the lives of women across generations confronting a suddenly suspended future. Coppola, who debuted in 2013 with 'Palo Alto' (an adaptation of James Franco's stories) and returned in 2020 with 'Mainstream' starring Andrew Garfield and Maya Hawke, describes Las Vegas as a city full of magic and sadness that represents America. She notes parallels between Anderson and her character Shelley, both capable of reinvention, though Shelley remains stuck in her ways. Coppola cites Stephen Shore, Godard, Sofia Coppola, Paul Thomas Anderson, David Fincher, and John Cassavetes as influences. She believes art's purpose is to broaden horizons and show systemic limits faced by women, especially working mothers. The interview took place at the Filming Italy Sardegna Festival.