Channing Tatum reveals what it really takes to be a Magic Mike star

As the original Magic Mike, Hollywood star Channing Tatum knows a thing or two about what it takes to be stripper – specifically one good enough to be part of the Magic Mike franchise.

If the huge success of his movies Magic Mike, Magic Mike XXL, and the Magic Mike Live shows are anything to go by, they’ve certainly been finding the right people to take their clothes off on stage (among other things).

“As silly as it sounds it’s actually not that easy to give a really good lap dance,” Channing said, after announcing Magic Mike Live was coming to Australia in 2020 on Tuesday.

“You can be an amazing dancer but there is a negotiation that happens and certain guys can just do it, and others can be the sickest dancers in the world but just can’t.”

Channing Tatum and his production team spilled the beans on some of the secrets behind the audition and rehearsal process at the Melbourne launch event, revealing it definitely isn’t easy to be chosen, with more than just your dance moves coming into play.

The Magic Mike audition process

Executive Producer Vincent Marini explained there are two women employed full-time, whose sole job it is to scour the globe for the best talent.

“Not only do they have to be amazing dancers, and obviously look great and be in shape. They might have special skills like singing, or they can do parkour, or play an instrument. But one of the most important things to us is that they’re good people. Because they spend so much time close to women we want the women to really like them,” Vincent said.

Choreographer Alison Faulk also said they ask those applying about a female they look up to in their lives.

“It tells you a lot about a person when they talk about their mum or their sister or a friend,” she revealed.

And while Channing wants the guys to be great dancers, he actually watches every single interview tape to see how the guys might relate to the women in the audience.

“We’ve turned away some of the sickest dancers because there was just something off. Like, I’m just not sure about them,” Channing admitted.

Magic Mike rehearsals

Once the guys have been chose for each show - for Australia that’s 20 performers, 10 of which are Aussies - the rehearsals don’t get any easier.

Channing recalled how much work it was getting into shape for his role in the movies.

“We’ve experienced so much together,” he said about Alison, who has been the choreographer since the first movie.

“When you rehearse for stripping, it’s a messy affair. We have experienced some things. You get to know each other really, really well,” Channing joked.

Alison said the rehearsal process was “really, really difficult”, which meant the guys all form a tight bond and work together to get through it all.

“She whips them,” Channing quipped, “Ask them when they come back out.”

Magic Mike Live comes to Australia

In May next year, Australian fans will be able to get up close and personal with the Magic Mike Live dancers, as they bring the highly popular show to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth in a luxurious custom-made super tent - The Arcadia - built especially for Australian audiences.

The Magic Mike Live tour will open at Melbourne’s Birrarung Marr on May 26th 2020.

The show first debuted in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Cafe to rave reviews in 2017, with Channing telling Cosmopolitan at the time that he wanted to “create a place for women that is their gentlemen’s club, their Playboy club.”

Tickets for each of the shows are on sale now from Ticketmaster.

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