Actress LeAnn Rimes says ‘Coyote Ugly’ ended ‘America’s Sweetheart’ era

LeAnn Rimes is reflecting on how she shed her “America’s Sweetheart” image and embraced her sexuality after appearing as herself in “Coyote Ugly.” 

The singer and actress, who rose to fame at the age of 13 in 1996 with the success of her hit song “Blue,” was just 17 when she filmed a cameo in “Coyote Ugly.”

In the finale of the 2000 musical drama, Rimes, who was clad in a low-cut, backless crop top with snakeskin leather pants, performed a duet of the film’s theme song, “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” with lead actress Piper Perabo while dancing on the counter of the movie’s titular bar. 

During a Wednesday appearance on “Good Morning America,” the two-time Grammy Award winner recalled that her iconic cameo marked a turning point in her career.

“That was kind of my introduction to sexiness and sex sells,” Rimes, now 43, said.

“I mean really, I was ‘America’s Sweetheart’ until they put me on a bar, and then it was all over,” she continued. “So I mean I was just like, ‘What do I do?’”

“I know what to do now on a bar but back then that was just really good editing,” Rimes joked. “Really good editing.”

The movie follows shy aspiring songwriter Violet Sanford, who moves to New York City to pursue her dreams and ends up working at a wild bar called “Coyote Ugly.”

At the bar, the female bartenders, known as “Coyotes,” pour drinks while dancing on the counter and whipping the crowd into a high-energy frenzy.

“Coyote Ugly” became a box office hit, raking in $113 million worldwide and later achieved cult classic status.

“Can’t Fight the Moonlight,” which was written by Diane Warren and recorded by Rimes, reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Rimes recently recreated “Coyote Ugly’s” famous final scene at the Coyote Ugly Saloon Nashville in a video that she shared on Instagram Feb. 20. 

In the clip, Rimes lip-synced “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” while dancing on the counter alongside her “9-1-1 Nashville” castmates Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Jessica Capshaw, Mackenzie Porter, Hailey Kilgore and Juani Feliz.

“Nashville, do we serve water in this bar…,” Rimes wrote in the caption, referring to one of the movie’s famous lines.

“Somebody call the 113 as your girls had a little fun of their own in between filming #coyoteugly #cantfightthemoonlight #911nashville @911nashville,” she added. “Big thank you @coyoteuglysaloonnash for having us and to the bada– ladies for teaching us some moves!”

While appearing on “Good Morning America,” Rimes shared the story behind her viral post.

“Coyote Ugly will forever live on. It’s 26 years since we shot this movie, and I was 17 and like all the ladies, we all grew up together,” she said, referring to her co-stars in the procedural drama. 

“They all grew up with this movie, and it was my idea to take them down to the bar in Nashville,” Rimes continued. “I had a group text and everybody was like, ‘Let’s go. I’ve been wanting to go to the bar forever.’ They were so excited.”

Rimes previously opened up about the most shocking moment that she remembered from filming her cameo.

“The chicken cutlets that they had me put in my top. There you go,” Rimes told Entertainment Tonight in 2018.

“I’m 17. My mom was very happy that was the only bar I was dancing on. That she knew of. Thanks, Mom,” Rimes joked. “And so literally they [said] you’re gonna dance on a bar and they’re like, ‘Here’s your outfit. Here’s your chicken cutlets.’ … I mean, literally, I’m like, ‘What do I do with these? How do I put these in?’ I had no idea. That’s what I remember.”

Rimes also shared her thoughts on “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” after including a new rendition of the song on her EP “Re-Imagined,” released in June 2018. 

“Oh my God. What’s so crazy about the song was it became an international success. It was number one in 11 countries. I think it was,” she said.

“It did nothing in the States,” Rimes continued. “It came back around almost two years later and then was a top 20 hit in the States.” 

“I don’t know, it’s weird how the universe works,” she added. “Weird how things come back around. I never expected it. You just never know what’s gonna hit. It really is crazy how successful this was.”