Pamela Anderson Reflects On ‘Hurtful’ Pam And Tommy Series: ‘It’s The Best Payback’

Pamela Anderson in Pamela, a Love Story
(Image credit: Netflix)

Pamela Anderson may be one of the most beloved celebrity public figures of our time. Unfortunately, though, the model and actress had quite a turbulent rise to fame, culminating in a life-changing robbery. She then had to relieve the dark spot, in a way, with 2022's Pam & Tommy, which was available to Hulu subscription holders. Now, the Barb Wire star is sharing how "hurtful" the show's release while relishing in the success of her latest film -- Gia Coppola's The Last Showgirl.

The 57-year-old actress appeared on Sirius XM's Radio Andy's "Andy Cohen Live" to talk about the Las Vegas-centric movie, amongst other facets of her career. When the Baywatch alum was asked about what she knew or if she had been involved in the creation of Hulu's Emmy-nominated drama series, she had this to say on the matter:

No. I found out about the Hulu thing during the filming of the documentary. I didn’t know anything about it, the Pam and Tommy…I didn’t have any involvement, no one called me. Which was so strange and that was hurtful.

When the show was released a few years ago, it received much attention. The miniseries chronicled the release of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee's sex tape, with Lily James and Sebastian Stan playing the lead roles. Around the time the show premiered, the Scary Movie 3 actress shared how upsetting she found Pam & Tommy to be.

During this recent interview, Andy Cohen eventually asked if the the show was allowed to chronicle those real-life events without consent from her. The Borat actress then revealed her feelings on the matter, including what people told her in regard to her life:

I think ethically it’s illegal. But I mean it’s kind of fair game. I remember people telling me a long time ago that you are basically public property and you have no right to privacy.

The Scooby-Doo alum also claimed that the streamer hasn’t made any gestures to make amends. Despite that, Pamela Anderson doesn't seem to be dwelling on the past too much, even if people involved with the show won awards. After gathering herself, she said that she’s pleased with where she is now, calling that success "the best payback." She also added the following thoughts:

I’m being seen and recognized for my work and not these tawdry moments.

Pamela Anderson has certainly been receiving her flowers for her work in The Last Showgirl. She also received support from those who worked on the movie with her. An example of that would be her anxiety-melting meeting with co-star Jamie Lee Curtis, who joined the film for her sake. Aside from receiving critical acclaim, Anderson has also been showered with award nominations and wins.

It’s been great to see the Showgirls alum take her career into her own hands by declining the Baywatch reboot but joining the new Naked Gun flick. That aside, the actress's work remains revered by fellow celebrities, with even Beyoncé dressing up as her BW character for Halloween.

While it's honestly unfortunate that Pamela Anderson has had to go through so much, I'm pleased to see the success she's having. At this point, she's in a position to thrive and carve out a new chapter years after the drama depicted on the limited series.

The Last Showgirl is playing in theaters nationwide now.

Contributing Writer