Heather Graham on ‘Boogie Nights’ nude scene: ‘Beggars can’t be choosers’

nypost.com:

“Boogie Nights.”The then-27-year-old starlet had already racked up promising parts in indies like “Drugstore Cowboy” and “Swingers” when her career stalled — and she was worried about shooting the full-frontal scene so early in her career.“That was my first time, and I was so nervous about it — but at that point in my career I was also like, ‘Beggars can’t be choosers,’ ” Graham, now 53, told Yahoo!

of the modern classic that went on to earn multiple Oscar nominations.“It was a great script and Paul [Thomas Anderson] was an amazing talent,” she added. “I had a great time making that movie even though it was terrifying doing a nude scene.”Graham — currently starring opposite Dennis Quaid in the new faith-based drama “On a Wing and a Prayer” on Amazon Prime — also recalled how co-star Mark Wahlberg had strapped on a prosthetic penis for his role as infamously well-endowed adult film star Dirk Diggler.However, the “Hangover” star noted that Wahlberg flashing fake genitalia didn’t exactly compare to her stripping down to nothing but skates for her iconic turn as the porn star known as “Rollergirl.”The “Austin Powers” alum also revealed that she had to take a crash course in her “Boogie Nights” character’s specialized skill.“I didn’t know how to roller skate when I got that job; I had to take lessons,” the native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, told the outlet. “It was a little bit terrifying, because there were all these cables around on set and you had to go around stairs and stuff.

The girl that was my stand-in bit it a couple of times! But I also felt like this kid just floating along.”Now an industry veteran — Graham has been in the Hollywood biz since the mid-1980s — Graham also got honest about how the industry has evolved in.