Pamela Anderson is already an icon. She could easily have rested on that status for life, but the 57-year-old wanted more. So she put her head down, studied acting, and opened herself up to risks. In recent years, she has conquered Broadway with a run in Chicago, worked with artists like Alex Israel and Sara Cwynar, and overhauled her public image—emerging as a serious fashionista who confidently hits the red carpet without makeup. However, it’s her starring role in Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl that may mark the pinnacle of Anderson’s reinvention. In the film, she plays Shelly, a veteran Las Vegas showgirl forced to confront her future as her long-running revue comes to an end. After watching Anderson’s documentary, Pamela: A Love Story, Coppola instantly knew she had found her lead. “She’s been underestimated and not really given a chance to showcase her talents,” Coppola told W. Until now. Anderson’s poignant performance has earned her critical acclaim and her first Golden Globe nomination, for best actress. “I feel like this is just the beginning,” Anderson tells W’s editor-at-large, Lynn Hirschberg.
How did The Last Showgirl come into your life?
It was a rocky road. It was sent to an old agent of mine, who turned it down within five minutes. I had gone home to my garden to make pickles and jam, thinking, I’m probably never going to do a film of any substance. I was beating myself up a little bit. Then Gia found my son and sent him the script. I read it, and bells rang and I could hear the voice. It really sang to me.
How did you prepare to play a Vegas showgirl?
I spent time with some of the dancers from the show Jubilee and asked them a lot of questions. They came over to my house for tea, and I learned the showgirl dos and don’ts. They don’t wear pasties—that’s one thing. And they never go down into the casino. There are a lot of rules to keep them safe. And they take great pride in their art form.
Did the costumes help you get into character?
They’re Bob Mackie costumes—museum pieces. They hadn’t left the theater in 30 years, so putting on those costumes was like putting on pieces of magic. There were even name tags in some of them, so I felt the spirit of the women who had worn them before me.
Were the heels a challenge?
I’m a high-heel girl! I used to run down railroad tracks in high heels. I could do anything in high heels. As a girl, I used to sneak high heels in my backpack to school—spikes. But I was also a tomboy. I never wore any makeup until I came to L.A. The costumes and the headdresses were very heavy—50 to 80 pounds in some cases—but I was confident in my heels.
Have you ever seen anyone dress as you for Halloween?
I’ve been many Halloween costumes, and I take that as a compliment. Beyoncé was me; Kim Kardashian was me. I like that I’ve created memorable characters that people love. There’s a lot of heart and vulnerability in those characters. Maybe Shelly, the last showgirl, will be a costume next year.
If Baywatch comes on, do you watch?
I’ve never seen a Baywatch episode. I don’t like to watch myself.
Do you ever get starstruck?
I do. I get frightened to meet people. I was really afraid to meet Jamie Lee Curtis [who also stars in The Last Showgirl]. I was terrified. But as soon as I met her, she grabbed me by the shoulders, looked me in the eye, and said, “I did this for you.” All of my reservations and fears and insecurities went out the window. She is such a cheerleader and champion of women. She’s fearless.
Anderson wears a Bottega Veneta dress; Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. gold cuffs and bangle; Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany & Co. bracelets; Stella McCartney shoes.
When you were growing up, who did you have a crush on?
Michael Jackson. I thought he would want to marry me. Then I met him, and he didn’t ask me to marry him! I was really disappointed.
Do you have a pet peeve?
Pessimists. You’ve got to be an optimist. It takes a lot to lift people up when they’re always down.
Do you have a go-to karaoke song?
Well, I never thought I could sing until I played Roxie in Chicago on Broadway. I started working with a voice coach, and she said, “You have a lot of range in your voice.” We really experimented with it, so it was great. I’ve still never, ever sung at karaoke.
On Broadway, you had to learn all the Fosse choreography as well.
There’s no thought. You just have to do it. That made me realize that I have a lot more to give. I’m capable of much more than I ever believed I could do in my past. With this film, I dove in headfirst and gave it all I could. I studied privately, and I have worked really hard on the film and on Broadway and other projects. It’s such a relief to do something that you’re proud of, even though I feel like this is just the beginning.
Style Director: Allia Alliata di Montereale. Hair for portfolio by Paul Hanlon at Dawes & Co.; makeup for portfolio by Sam Visser at Art Partner; manicures for portfolio by Michelle Saunders James. Set design by Gerard Santos at Lalaland.
Creative producer to Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott: Leonard Cuinet-Petit at January Productions; producer to Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott: Kevin Isabelle; produced by AP Studio, Inc.; executive producer: Alexis Piqueras; producer: Anneliese Kristedja; associate producer: Kimmy D’Ancona; production manager: Hayley Stephon; production coordinators: Miranda Dos Santos, Susan Lucas; photography assistants: John Neate, Jed Barnes, Chris Whitaker, Kendall Peck; digital technician: Niccolo Pacilli; digital assistant: Cassian Gray; postproduction by Dreamer Post Production; fashion assistants: Tyler VanVranken, Molly Cody, Celeste Roh, Raea Palmieri, Tatiana Isshac, Haleigh Nickerson, Lauren Marron, Savannah Steilner, Sage McKee, Frankie Benkovic, Kaley Azambuja, Tatum Sanchez; production assistants: Gigi Rosenfield, Lily Cordingley, Eli Cash, Lex Vaughn, Anderson Renno, Kat Saravia, Kyle Dekker, Wyatt Noble, Brandon Martin, Moose Krupski, Josh Muwwakkil, Bradley Gonsalves, Drew Carter, Thomas Lynch, Alex Kofman, Jackson Schrader, Anatalia Zavaleta, Joseph Wride, Matt Flynn; first AD: Steve Kemp; location manager: Kyle Hollinger; hair assistants: Kim Garduno, Ben Gregory, Marco Iafrate, Hyacinthia Faustino, Chris Foster; makeup assistants: Shimu Takanori, Laura Dudley, Brian Dean, Beatrice Sandoval; manicure assistant: Cheyenne Vander Schuur; set design assistants: Seth Powsner, Denver Stoddard, Ryan Johnson; tailors: Irina Tshartaryan, Ripsime Vartanyan, Jackie Martirosyan at Susie’s Custom Designs, Inc.
