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.

Related: Pamela Anderson Is Done With Makeup: ‘It’s Better for Me’

Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage Pamela Anderson is done wearing makeup. In the ‘90s, the actress, now 56, was known to rock a smokey eye and lined pink lips, but these days she’s more comfortable with a fresh face. Anderson explained in a Thursday, August 17, interview with Elle that she came to the realization after the […]

“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.

Pamela Anderson Says New Movie ‘The Last Showgirl’ Is ‘The Beginning of My Career’

Pamela Anderson
Amy Sussman/Getty Images

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.

Inside Pamela Anderson s Vancouver Home I Was Not in a Good Place When I Moved Back

Related: Inside Pamela Anderson’s Life Changing Vancouver Home and Garden

Ditte Isager Pamela Anderson personally struggled when returning home, but her Vancouver house helped her get into a better mindset. “I was not in a good space when I moved back to Canada. I don’t know what happened over the last few decades, but I feel so far removed from the image of who I […]

“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.”

For more on Anderson, watch the video above and pick up this week’s Us Weekly, on stands now.