In 1983, Gina Gershon experienced a memorable and glamorous encounter with the legendary Prince Rogers Nelson, who was on the hunt for a leading lady for his film, Purple Rain.
As reported by Page Six, a musician friend informed the 63-year-old actress, known for her role in Showgirls, “Prince wants to meet you. He’s making a movie, and the lead female role requires someone who can sing, dance, and act. I mentioned you to him.”
At the time, Gershon was finishing her senior year at New York University, working towards a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drama and psychology/philosophy. Despite her academic commitments, she eagerly traveled to Minnesota, where Prince himself chauffeured her in a limousine.
Upon meeting her, Prince remarked, “I think I’m going to call you ‘Ghee-na,’” using a hard G sound.
Gershon responded with a playful tone, “‘Ghee-na?’ As in Ghee-na Gershon?” she questioned.
The seven-time Grammy Award winner clarified, “No, just Ghee-na,” he insisted.
Gina Gershon had a glamorous, close encounter with the late great Prince Rogers Nelson in 1983 while he was searching for someone to play his onscreen leading lady in the film Purple Rain
‘”Prince wants to meet you. He’s doing a movie and the lead woman has to be able to sing, dance and act. I told him about you,”‘ a musician friend told the 63-year-old Showgirls alum (pictured February 25)
The Assassin star balked at the idea of becoming one of Prince’s pretty protégées and muses like Sheila E., Wendy & Lisa, Mayte Garcia, Carmen Electra, Sheena Easton and Jill Jones.
‘I don’t want to be called “Ghee-na” for the rest of my life,’ Gershon said.
‘It was more than that…I never had someone look at me that way. I felt as if he were, like, rearranging my molecules…I felt very uncomfortable with it.’
However, the LA-born New Yorker confessed in her new memoir AlphaP**** – hitting shelves this Tuesday – that she ‘regretted not working with Prince’ many times.
‘I would kill for the chance to have been able to make music with that genius. But I didn’t love being controlled,’ Gershon said.
‘For better or for worse, I listened to my instincts.’
Apollonia Kotero eventually replaced Vanity in the role of The Kid’s girlfriend after Jennifer Beals turned the plum part down in Albert Magnoli’s iconic rock musical drama, which earned $70.3 million as well as the best songwriting Oscar.
Prince tragically passed away, age 57, from an accidental fentanyl overdose in 2016 after selling over 120 million albums worldwide.
The High Rollers actress went on to make her big-screen acting debut as mean girl to Molly Ringwald in Howard Deutch’s 1986 teen romantic drama Pretty in Pink, which led to more substantial roles like Cocktail opposite Tom Cruise.
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At the time, Gershon was still a senior enrolled at New York University pursuing a BFA degree in drama and psychology/philosophy but she eagerly took the trip to Minnesota where the Purple One picked her up by limousine (pictured in 1984)
‘I think I’m going to call you “Ghee-na,”‘ Prince described with a hard G sound. ‘Just Ghee-na’
The Assassin star balked at the idea of becoming one of Prince’s pretty protégées and muses like Sheila E., Wendy & Lisa, Mayte Garcia, Carmen Electra, Sheena Easton and Jill Jones (pictured in 1984)
‘I don’t want to be called “Ghee-na” for the rest of my life,’ Gershon said. ‘It was more than that…I never had someone look at me that way. I felt as if he were, like, rearranging my molecules…I felt very uncomfortable with it’
However, the LA-born New Yorker confessed in her new memoir AlphaP**** – hitting shelves this Tuesday – that she ‘regretted not working with Prince’ many times: ‘For better or for worse, I listened to my instincts’
Apollonia Kotero (R) eventually replaced Vanity in the role of The Kid’s girlfriend after Jennifer Beals turned the plum part down in Albert Magnoli’s iconic rock musical drama, which earned $70.3 million as well as the best songwriting Oscar
Gershon went on to make her big-screen acting debut as mean girl to Molly Ringwald in Howard Deutch’s 1986 teen romantic drama Pretty in Pink (pictured), which led to more substantial roles like Cocktail opposite Tom Cruise
Gershon’s 288-page tell-all features blurbs from her famous friends Miley Cyrus, Aubrey Plaza and James Frey.
‘It’s like a collection of my personal stories about navigating toxic situations and difficult people…and maintaining my sovereignty,’ the Doom: The Dark Ages actress described.
‘It’s empowering in a way. There’s a lot of toxic people out there, and they want to tell you what to do, what to think.’
Gershon will sign copies of her book after a Q&A event moderated by SNL alum Bowen Yang scheduled this Tuesday at the Great Hall at Cooper Union in Manhattan.
‘I’m in love with him,’ the SNL guest star noted. ‘I just adore him. He’s a wonderful guy.’
Gershon – who previously penned Camp Creepy Time (2007) and In Search of Cleo (2012) – is also remembered for her roles in Bound, The Insider, Face/Off and The Player during her four-decade career.
