Did Lucy Liu really take nude photos of Drew Barrymore?
Lucy Liu & Drew Barrymore will be forever linked by the Charlie’s Angels franchise. The action-comedy films were among the most iconic in both actresses’ careers, and they remain pop culture staples of the early 2000s.
Lui recently appeared on Barrymore’s talk show to reflect on Charlie’s Angels’ legacy, and the former made a comment about taking nude photos of Barrymore during the production of the first film!
Was this a joke or a real-life anecdote just now seeing the light of day? Are these nude photos available to view online? Here’s what we know about them.
Liu’s career overview
Lucy Liu is an American actress and director known for her work in film and television. She was born on December 2, 1968, in Queens, New York, and began her career in the entertainment industry as a model in the 1980s. She later transitioned to acting, and achieved mainstream success with her role as Ling Woo in the popular television series Ally McBeal in the late 1990s.
Her career would continue to go from strength to strength. She landed roles in major films like Chicago (2002), Shanghai Noon (2002), Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), and Lucky Number Slevin (2007). She also voiced a character in the popular animated franchise Kung Fu Panda.
Liu returned to television in the 2010s, playing Dr. Joan Watson in the crime drama series Elementary. It ran for seven seasons between 2012 and 2019 and netted her three People’s Choice Awards nominations for Favorite TV Crime Drama Actress.
Charlie’s Angels fame
Charlie’s Angels was a major box office success. The film was released in November 2000 and grossed over $264 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of the year and the most prominent film in both Liu and Barrymore’s careers.
The film’s success was due in part to its star-studded cast, which included Barrymore, Liu, and Cameron Diaz. Their chemistry was undeniable, and the three actresses quickly struck up a friendship in real life.
The success of Charlie’s Angels also led to a sequel, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, which was released in 2003. While the sequel was not as big as the original film, it still managed to gross over $259 million worldwide, demonstrating the enduring popularity of the franchise and the chemistry of its stars. When the franchise was rebooted with different actresses, it did not fare nearly as well.
Barrymore’s nude photos
During Liu’s appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, the host casually made reference to photos that Liu had taken during their time on the set.
“Do you know what I was actually trying to find?” Barrymore asked. “I was trying to find the nude photographs you took of me on the set of Charlie’s in my dressing room . . . I would love to borrow them.”
The crowd was audibly surprised by the question, but Liu responded without missing a beat. “I have them. I do, of course,” she said. “And you look gorgeous, as you still do. And you’re so natural and, you know, playful and having a great time . . . I have a series of portraits of so many people — with and without clothes on.”
The duo also joked about the fact that Liu put in hours of training for the physical stunts in the film, while Barrymore and Diaz goofed off. “I remember pain,” Liu added jokingly. “We were pretty badass . . . I remember eight hours a day of training, five days a week.”
The photos that Liu took of Barrymore are not currently available to view online, as they remain in possession of the former. It sounds like Barrymore may be getting them soon though, based on her request to borrow them!
