Pamela Anderson has experienced countless highs and lows in her career, which may explain her calm response to missing out on an Oscar nomination for The Last Showgirl.
Despite receiving nods at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Canadian actress, 57, is not among the contenders for this Sunday’s Academy Awards.
“The win is the work,” Anderson told BBC News. “You couldn’t have told me I’d be here a decade ago, so this is very exciting for me, to even be in the conversation.”
Rather than dwelling on the missed nomination, she expressed gratitude for the opportunity to perform and share her talent.
Anderson first gained international fame as lifeguard C.J. Parker in Baywatch, which became the most-watched television show of its time.
However, over the decades, her life in the public eye has included Playboy magazine covers, a leaked sex tape, and multiple marriages.
Her story was revisited in 2022 with Hulu’s Pam & Tommy, a dramatization of how her infamous tape with ex-husband Tommy Lee was stolen and distributed.
Anderson later criticized the series, calling it “shocking” and demanding an apology from those involved.
Now, she is making waves with The Last Showgirl, a film about second chances. Anderson plays Shelly, a veteran Las Vegas dancer forced to confront her future after her show abruptly ends.
Many have drawn parallels between Shelly’s struggles and Anderson’s own journey in Hollywood, a comparison she does not dispute.
“I think that’s what drew me to the project—it was so relatable on so many levels,” she shared, emphasizing how the film’s themes of reinvention and the challenges women face in later middle age resonated with her.
Shelly’s complicated relationship with her daughter in the movie also mirrors Anderson’s experiences as a mother.
The actress, who shares two sons with Tommy Lee, acknowledged the difficulties of balancing career ambitions with parenting, stating, “There’s no proper way to do it.”
While The Last Showgirl has received mixed reviews, Anderson’s performance has been widely praised.
The New York Times called her “dazzling,” while The Guardian was far less generous, giving the film just one star.
Many have labeled her return to acting as a “comeback,” though Anderson prefers to see it as a “new chapter.”
She also reflected on the resurgence of female-led films, expressing happiness for Demi Moore’s success with The Substance, which has earned Moore an Oscar nomination.
“I think she’s earned her place. And you have to earn it. You have to fight for it,” Anderson said.
Despite Baywatch facing criticism over the years for its portrayal of women, Anderson maintains a fondness for the show.
“I thought it was quite innocent and wholesome,” she said, recalling how she worked alongside real lifeguards and first responders, which she found empowering.
In recent years, Anderson has also embraced a natural look, moving away from the heavy makeup that defined her earlier career.
“My beauty routine is rest,” she revealed, explaining that this stage of her life is about self-acceptance.
“I know I have a lot more to give in this world, in this industry too, and I feel like I have to remember who I am first—then hopefully, play characters in films, not in my personal life.”
With The Last Showgirl, Pamela Anderson is proving that reinvention is always possible, and she is determined to embrace whatever comes next.
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