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Cher and Christina Aguilera: Burlesque’s glam gal pals dish


The Cher & Christina show

Burlesque star Cher has been called a showbiz legend. Her co-star, Christina Aguilera, has been dubbed "the voice of a generation" for her amazing vocal abilities. Aguilera and Cher might represent different generations [Cher is a great-looking 64 and Christina turns 30 soon], but both megastars look glam, fit and can blow the roof off with their voices. They display fine acting chops in addition to some amazing costumes and dance moves in the new movie musical Burlesque.

SheKnows sat down with the two amazing women and learned that their Burlesque film experience has turned them into great friends. Christina Aguilera admits that the very idea of Cher intimidated her [this is her first film], but she quickly relaxed and soaked in relationship advice and much more from the dynamic diva.

Cher and Christina Aguilera in Burlesque

We're talking past, present and a rosy future with these talented, feisty femmes. Picture Christina sporting bright make-up, her blonde hair down, wearing a sleek, silk Dolce and Gabbana dress. Aguilera was eating a bowl of veggie soup, cuddling a furry mini-blanket and she brought her cute Papillion dog Stinky who wandered around as we talked.

Cher was slim in black pants, an off-one shoulder black sweater embellished with rhinestones, a huge killer belt with studs, a snake ring and her usual big hoop earrings and black, fluffy hair. Cher is frankly -- just stunning.

Burlesque babes bring it to SheKnows

SheKnows: Why wait so long to make another movie and what was it about this one?

Cher in Burlesque

Cher: You don't get many offers that you want to do. You get lots of scripts but you don't get things you want to do and the only thing that I've missed that I wanted to do was Mamma Mia. I wanted to have the chance to work with Meryl again but I was on the road so I couldn't do it. [The two were in Silkwood together].

SheKnows: Christina, what was the best bit of advice you got from Cher that you'll remember the most? Did she give you any good relationship advice?

Christina Aguilera: In her case, she was like, "Husbands come and go, but you'll always be Cher." [Laughs] Just priceless information and valuable stories for days. We would talk about love and relationships a lot. She's been there and done everything. How could you not learn from Cher with her work ethic and the way she commands attention when she walks into a room, but exudes such peaceful tranquility and love for everyone? She just makes you feel warm and welcome and more inspired to do a better job because you want to step up to the plate.

Burlesque star Christina Aguilera strikes a pose

SheKnows: I can tell you are friends now, but what did Christina bring to your life on Burlesque, Cher?

Cher: She reminded me of the relationship that I had with Meryl [on Silkwood] when Meryl took me under her wing because the truth was, I didn't have any idea where to stand. Not that I know where to stand now. I think I just learned what downstage or upstage is. But, she [Christina] worked so hard. She overcame [a lot]. She came on the set with us and that's a little bit nerve-wracking when you've done nothing in film. I think I tried to put her at ease. So, I think that quickly, as time went by, she felt a lot more comfortable.

Cher & Christina chat children

Christina Aguilera

SheKnows: You are both moms. Cher, you've talked about how tough it was for your children being Cher's kids. Is that one of the prices you have to pay for being one of the most famous women in the world?

Cher: It was a price that my kids definitely paid but I think any time you [have to] be a parent and a worker in our business where you might have to leave your kids or drag them with you, you never feel like you're doing it well enough and I think every working mother knows that feeling. I just think, in my job, it makes it worse. I remember one day going with Chaz to Olivera Street [in L.A.] on a field trip and all these people were coming up and she said 'Can't we ever go any place without Cher, Cher, Cher?' On the other hand, we'd go to the head of the line at Disneyland which nobody complained about [laughs]. I'm sure I wasn't the best mother in the world because of that and because of my schedule. Sonny was a good father though so that was a help.

SheKnows: Christina, what about you with little Max?

Christina Aguilera: It's always hard. As a mother, that's your first priority. I have good help and I had the weekends off, which was good. I put my foot down on that. So, I was a mom on the weekends and I spent as much time as I possibly could with him. You just do it. I knew going into it that I would not stop working after I became a mother. It's important for me to continue to work too, so that he can have an example of a strong woman in his life, and one that has her own passion, so that he can then have his own goals and dreams. Max brought elements of play out of me that I hadn't experienced in a long time, as well as unconditional love and unconditional patience. Of course, it changes your life.

Cher chats cinema

SheKnows: Cher, did you walk away from films in a way?

Cher: No. It doesn't work like that. Whatever is in front of you is the thing you do. If there had been great movies, I would have done those. But, the only movie I didn't get to do was Mamma Mia and that was a pain in the ass. [She was on tour at the time].

Cher and Christina Aguilera

SheKnows: Tea with Mussolini was your last film [before Burlesque], right? What were your emotions after all these years finding yourself on a sound stage again?

Cher: I was terrified. That's the way I roll. I roll terrified in the beginning. You go scene by scene.

SheKnows: Has this experience made you want to do more films now?

Cher: There's the opportunity to go on a tour and yet I'm not so sure that that's something I want to do immediately because I've been working for a long time. I did like working on this film so much that I really would like to do another film.

Christina's first film foray

SheKnows: Christina, this is your first film. What was your biggest misconception about making a film that was proven wrong?

Christina Aguilera: Probably learning lines. It was so overwhelming looking at this entire script. I said, 'Oh, my God, how am I going to memorize all of this at once?' but you don't. Some days, you'd have no dialogue and it was just about a walk or a look. Each day, I would take it as it came. I would do more or less studying the night before or the morning of, running lines. That actually was a little bit less strenuous than I thought it was going to be.


SheKnows: You and your hot love interest in Burlesque, Cam Gigandet, look like you had a blast doing your scenes.

Christina Aguilera: [Laughs] Yeah, we had a blast. We teased each other a lot. There was a lot of cat-and-mouse stuff.

SheKnows: And were you the cat or the mouse?

Christina Aguilera: [With a sexy grin] Oh, I'm a cat.

Up next…Christina chats meeting Cher for the first time and Cher gives us her insight into singing for film.

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