The actress, who has long been associated with family-friendly entertainment, plays a character involved in the world of adult entertainment, a sharp contrast to her previous roles.
In a recent interview with Bustle, Song opened up about the shift in her career and the surprising nature of the role. "It’s funny because up until these last couple of years I feel like I’ve never sworn on screen,” she said. “Coming from a Disney Channel background, I think people are almost scared. It feels weird to see you that way.” However, Song, who uses profanity frequently in real life, pointed out that it's quite natural for her, particularly living in Los Angeles where words like “f—” are commonly used in everyday language. "I think in L.A., ‘f—’ is a verb. It's a noun. It is an adjective. It's natural in my language," she explained.
Despite her Disney past, Song has never shied away from adult-themed projects. She played a memorable role as Andrew Garfield's girlfriend in The Social Network and has appeared in a range of TV shows, including New Girl, Dads, and Dollface. Nevertheless, she has kept a lower profile since the end of The Suite Life in 2011, spending time with her fiancé, Macaulay Culkin.
Song’s surprising role in The Last Showgirl came at an unexpected moment. She recalled being in a Costco parking lot when her agent called with the script for the film. "Mack was sitting there going, 'Babe' — he had never been to a Costco before we started dating," she said. "And I was like, 'How dare you, sir!' That's when the phone rang."
The whirlwind 18-day shooting schedule for the film didn’t allow her to dwell on any insecurities she may have had about playing a showgirl in Las Vegas. "There was something really freeing about not being worried every two seconds going, 'Oh my God, this is the least amount of clothing that I’ve ever worn in my career,’" she said. With support from her co-stars, Song was able to feel comfortable and embrace the role. "The women I worked with every day uplifted and supported me, made me feel beautiful," she added.
With The Last Showgirl, Song is stepping into a new phase of her career, one that’s more mature and complex, reflecting the changes in her own life as well as her acting choices.
