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Beyond ‘Beyond The Lights’: 10 Essential Dramas About Women In Showbiz

Beyond The Lights is opening nationwide in theaters this weekend and the romantic drama could be this fall’s biggest surprise hit. It’s got a great soundtrack, critical acclaim, and an up-and-coming starlet (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). But Beyond The Lights has another thing going for it. It’s the latest entry in a very compelling, and very specific genre: dramas about women surviving in show business.

For as long as actors, writers, dancers, and musicians have been putting on shows, they’ve been putting on shows about themselves. There are backstage dramas and satiric send ups, and then there are the serious stories. These are romances, biopics, and tragedies that depict how men and women give up parts of themselves for a chance at stardom.

In honor of Beyond The Lights, we’ve compiled 10 essential dramas about women in show business that you can stream tonight.

 

1

‘The Bodyguard’

the-bodyguard
Everett Collection

When The Bodyguard came out in 1992, it was more than just a hit; it was a cultural obsession. It had Whitney Houston, Kevin Costner, a killer song, and a devastating ending. [Where To Stream The Bodyguard]

2

‘Funny Girl’

funny-girl
Everett Collection

Barbra Streisand might be a living legend now, but she became a star playing Fanny Brice in the lavish big screen adaptation of Funny Girl. As is the case in most of these movies, Fanny is caught between her successful stage career and her love for a shifty charmer (Omar Sharif). [Where To Stream Funny Girl]

3

‘The Turning Point’

The Turning Point
Everett Collection

Not everyone who chases fame actually finds it. The Turning Point tells the story of two friends who both had the chances to become the world’s foremost ballerina. One found that success, while the other got pregnant.  [Where To Stream The Turning Point]

4

‘All About Eve’

all-about-eve
Everett Collection

All About Eve is one of the best movies of all time, and it just so happens to be about the rivalries between two women in show business. Bette Davis plays the aging star, Margo Channing, and Anne Baxter plays her manipulative protege, Eve.  [Where To Stream All About Eve]

5

‘The Sapphires’

the sapphires
Everett Collection

In most show business stories, our heroine has to contend with inner demons, domineering parents or terrible boyfriends. In The Sapphires, four cousins — all brilliant singers — have to contend with the Vietnam War and racism. The film is based on a true story and reveals the injustices that the Aboriginal population faced in Australia during the 20th century. [Where To Stream The Sapphires]

6

‘A Star Is Born’ (1937)

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Everett Collection

It’s a tale as old as time: woman has dreams of stardom, woman catches eye of fading alcoholic star, they fall in love, he gets her a job, her star eclipses his, he kills himself. In fact, it’s such an ageless story that it’s been adapted three times. Why not go all the way back to the original 1937 version starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March? [Where To Stream A Star Is Born]

7

‘What’s Love Got To Do With It?’

What's Love Got TO Do With It
Photo: Everett Collection

What’s Love Got To Do With It? is more than just a famous musician’s biopic. It’s the story of how one woman not only became a star, but a phoenix. It also boasts one of the luminous Angela Bassett’s most incendiary performances. [Where To Stream What’s Love Got To Do With It?]

8

‘Black Swan’

black-swan
Photo: Everett Collection

In most showbiz dramas, you see an artist’s struggle to balance their need for love with their intense thirst for fame. In Black Swan, Natalie Portman’s Nina isn’t torn between love and fame; she’s torn between the light and dark within herself.  [Where To Stream Black Swan]

9

‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’

Coal Miner's Daughter
Photo: Everett Collection

Country music revels in the hardships and heartaches that strike the common man. Loretta Lynn might have started literally as a coal miner’s daughter, but she harnessed her talent for country music and became one of the 20th century’s brightest stars. [Where To Stream Coal Miner’s Daughter]

10

‘First A Girl’

first-a-girl
Everett Collection

First A Girl is one of those weird gems that you’ll find if you dig deep enough on Netflix. The 1935 musical comedy  wasn’t just the basis for Julie Andrew’s famous film Victor/Victoria, but it also provides a unique view of gender politics and show business in 1930s London. [Where To Stream First A Girl]

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