Pamela Anderson: The Last Showgirl Is ‘The Beginning of My Career’

Pamela Anderson is just getting started — even though she’s been a Hollywood icon for years.

“This is the beginning of my career,” Anderson, 57, told Us Weekly exclusively at the 2024 Glamour Women of the Year Awards. “I have a lot to do yet.”

The actress is gearing up for The Last Showgirl, which is set to be released on Friday, December 13. Playing Shelley in the upcoming film was a “dream role” for Anderson, she told Us.

“I wish I would have started my career a little bit sooner — gotten some movie roles sooner,” she continued, referring to this specific role. “But it was worth the wait.”

Anderson made her big-screen debut in Snapdragon in 1993. She appeared in other films as well over the years, including the 2017 Baywatch movie, a reboot of the show of the same name in which she starred as C.J. Parker from 1992 to 1997.

“This is my next chapter,” Anderson said about the movie, in which she stars alongside Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Bautista, Billie Lourd and Kiernan Shipka, among others. The Gia Coppola-directed movie follows the story of a seasoned showgirl, played by Anderson, who is forced to plan her future after her show closes following a 30-year run. The film initially premiered in September at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Anderson has received praise for her performance.

Anderson spoke candidly about the evolution of her career earlier this month after receiving the Golden Eye Award at the Zurich Film Festival.

“I never thought I would be on stage, receiving an award like that,” she told Variety at the time. “I just want to keep working. I am excited to do more.”

Anderson told the publication that everything from Baywatch to her 2022 Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago was “a big blur.” The actress took a brief break from the spotlight before her 2023 return with Pamela, a Love Story, the Netflix documentary featuring the same title as her memoir.

“I am just happy to be here, in this moment, because I think I have had depression for a couple of decades,” she admitted, noting that she “always knew” she was “capable of more.”

“It’s great to be a part of pop culture, but it’s a blessing and a curse,” Anderson added. “People fall in love with you because of a bathing suit. It has taken a long time, but I am here.”

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