Why You Rarely Hear From Pamela Anderson Anymore
The Season 3 premiere of "Baywatch," titled "River of No Return: Part 1," changed the course of pop culture without even knowing it. The episode featured the debut of the fan-favorite character C.J. Parker, turning actor Pamela Anderson into one of the hottest stars of the '90s. Anderson possessed experience and exposure as a model and actor before her time on "Baywatch," but it was her slow-motion running across the beach in a itsy bitsy red bathing suit that made her the Marilyn Monroe or Farrah Fawcett of a new generation.
She rode the wave of success, appearing in men's magazines and talk shows around the country as everyone wanted to find out more about this blonde bombshell and the story behind her rise to celebrity. Her personal life became tabloid fodder too, as she hooked up with bad boy rockers like Poison's Bret Michaels, Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee, and Kid Rock. Two of these relationships resulted in personal tapes of intimate moments being illegally released to the public.
After leaving "Baywatch," Anderson struggled to maintain the level of popularity she achieved on the show. She never left the public eye, making sporadic appearances at events or popping up in films and television shows, but she's far from the first name mentioned in gossip columns nowadays. So what has Anderson been up to since her heyday? Let's take a look.
The shadow of Baywatch looms over Pamela Anderson
There's a reason actors fear becoming too attached to a singular role. While a successful, lengthy stint on a popular television show can elevate them to the next level in their career, it could also be an albatross around their neck. No matter what they do afterward, they will always be judged or seen as that one character. That's exactly what Pamela Anderson experienced as C.J. Parker in "Baywatch."
She starred as C.J. across five seasons and several TV movies, becoming as beloved and important a figure as David Hasselhoff's Mitch Buchannon. While others might have come and gone from the franchise, Anderson and Hasselhoff established themselves as the heart and soul of "Baywatch." As a result, Anderson and C.J. became intrinsically linked as one, with audiences struggling to disassociate the person from the character. Unfortunately, so too did casting agents and producers in Hollywood. Every role Anderson has taken feels like an extension of C.J., as she portrays the same archetype or a derivative of it.
While some might argue that it's a fair trade-off since she received fame and fortune for her time as C.J., her son Brandon Lee disputes the latter part. He revealed how his mother only makes $4,000 a year from her "Baywatch" residual checks because she signed a terrible contract back in the day. So while it's a role that turned her into a household name, it didn't come with all the fruits of her labor.
Her first big leading role in a film flopped
With the "Baywatch" hype propelling Pamela Anderson to the forefront of public attention, the inevitable happened: She landed a leading role in a movie. While it wasn't Roland Emmerich's "Independence Day" or Robert Rodriguez's "From Dusk Till Dawn," 1996's "Barb Wire" was a project that intrigued the entertainment industry, as director David Hogan cast Anderson as Barbara "Barb Wire" Kopetski. Based on the '90s Dark Horse Comics series, the action film also featured Temuera Morrison and Victoria Rowell in supporting roles.
"Barb Wire" cost $9 million to produce — not exactly the most expensive film of its time, but also too costly to write it off as an indie movie if it flopped. And that's exactly what it did, struggling to make $4 million in theaters. That wasn't the worst of it, though, as the picture received a critical beatdown of epic proportions, with the movie nominated for six Razzies and Anderson herself winning "Worst New Star."
Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman didn't hold back in his "Barb Wire" review, writing: "The film comes at you in shards ... with [Anderson], a mannequin in her bad-girl bondage gear, as its blank vixen. She's an image out of a comic book, all right, but an image is all she is." Hollywood doesn't forget, and after this monumental flop, no one was rushing to give Anderson any more lead roles in films.
She starred in her own hit series
A year after departing "Baywatch," Pamela Anderson starred in her own show called "V.I.P." in 1998. Half action, half comedy, the series features Anderson as Vallery Irons, a hot dog stand employee who ends up saving a celebrity's life by complete accident. As a result, she's hired as the face of a bodyguard agency named Vallery Irons Protection (V.I.P.). Vallery has no real skills as a bodyguard and is completely out of her depth — as it's up to her colleagues to do the heavy lifting — but she usually saves the day through sheer luck and determination.
Anderson led all four seasons of the show and also served as an executive producer. While the premise sounds totally outrageous and even sillier than "Baywatch," that was part of its overall charm and appeal. There was a tongue-in-cheek and wink-at-the-audience element to it, and it proved to be popular, airing in over 80 countries. "V.I.P." also featured memorable guest appearances from the likes of Jay Leno and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
The New York Times' Rick Marin best described the series and its endearing qualities, writing: "In the words of 'This Is Spinal Tap,' there's a fine line between stupid and clever, and Ms. Anderson — ex-Playmate, 'Baywatch' bikini filler and amateur porn star — walks it in five-inch Lucite heels."
Anderson had her own animated superhero show
"V.I.P." came to an end in 2002, but Pamela Anderson didn't need to wait too long to find her next starring vehicle. In 2003, she lent her voice to the Stan Lee-created adult-oriented animated show "Stripperella," which aired on Spike. Anderson played the lead character, Erotica Jones, who is an exotic dancer by day and the superhero Stripperella by night. The series also boasted the voice talents of Joey Lauren Adams, Thomas F. Wilson, and Jon Cryer.
Appearing on CNN to chat with Larry King, Anderson joked about how she's practically the character in real life too. "Without the glasses, I'm Stripperella," she said. "With the glasses nobody recognizes me. I'm a superhero."
"Stripperella" received positive reviews, as critics praised the show's sense of humor and extreme self-awareness. However, that didn't stop it from having the lights shut off after only 13 episodes. In fact, the biggest story to come out of this show is how a former exotic dancer claimed that Lee stole the idea from her after she told him about it while giving the fabled comic book creator a private lap dance.
She got married and divorced a few times
Regardless of whatever happens in her life, Pamela Anderson remains a firm believer in the power of love. "I'm a romantic so I'm old school," she told Fox News. "I believe in love. I'll never give up." Ever since her "Baywatch" fame catapulted her into every gossip mag, she has been linked to a number of high-profile relationships, including romances with model Marcus Schenkenberg and French soccer player Adil Rami.
She has also had several marriages, divorces, and annulments along the way. Her first marriage was to rocker Tommy Lee, lasting from 1995 to 1998, with the couple having two sons, Brandon and Dylan. Anderson then married her on-off beau Kid Rock in July 2006 before filing for divorce a few months later.
In October 2007, Anderson married Paris Hilton's ex-boyfriend Rick Salomon; however, they were granted an annulment in March 2008. The couple would wed again in January 2014 before she filed for divorce a few months later in July. In 2020, news broke that Anderson married Hollywood producer Jon Peters but that their wedding was annulled a few weeks later; however, Anderson denied they were ever legally married to begin with. Then, in December 2020, Anderson married bodyguard Dan Hayhurst, but the pair split up in 2022.
She appeared in smaller films
Even though her star dwindled in the 2000s, Pamela Anderson was still able to secure roles in notable films such as 2002's "Scooby-Doo," 2003's "Scary Movie 3," and 2006's "Borat." However, the 2010s weren't quite as kind, as the productions shrunk not only in magnitude but also in budget. She made an appearance as herself in two 2010 comedies: "Hollywood and Wine" and "Costa Rican Summer." Then she traded in the laughs for more serious features in the form of the 2016 drama "The People Garden" and the horror-thrillers "The Institute" and "Alone at Night."
The only mainstream release that Anderson appeared in during this period was the 2017 film adaptation of "Baywatch," where she shows up briefly as Captain Casey Jean Parker in a nice tip of the hat to her character from the television show.
While her film career slowed down, she remained active on the television front; however, it was mostly in the reality TV domain. She guested on everything from "Dancing on Ice" to "Dancing with the Stars" and "Big Brother Germany." During this period, she showed the world that Pamela Anderson loves to dance — a lot.
Pamela Anderson became an animal rights activist
One of the causes close to Pamela Anderson's heart is animal rights. She became a vegetarian when she was young and eventually transitioned to becoming a vegan. For years, she has been involved in a variety of endeavors to bring attention to the injustices that animals experience and demand change from world leaders. In fact, she made headlines when her almost-naked ad for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) was banned for being too provocative.
In 2009, Anderson wrote to then-Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin for his help in stopping the killing of baby seals. It wouldn't be the only time that she would engage with Putin about animal rights either, as she wrote to him again in 2015 for help in blocking the passage of a boat carrying whale meat. On behalf of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Anderson also traveled to Russia to speak to Putin and the Kremlin about a number of animal conservation topics in 2016.
She fought against adult entertainment
While Pamela Anderson feels comfortable stripping down for magazines and on screen, she is vehemently against adult entertainment — specifically of the online variety. In 2016, Anderson and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach wrote an article for the Wall Street Journal where they highlighted the dangers and addictiveness of this kind of entertainment. This wouldn't be the only time the pair would team up for the cause, as they hosted a lecture at Oxford University and wrote a 2018 book called "Lust for Love," urging couples to dedicate themselves to each other and not fall into the perils of adult entertainment.
Speaking to the New York Post, Rabbi Boteach praised Anderson's value system. "She revels in her parents' marriage," he said. "Marriage is the model for her, and she's very proud of her parents for having one romantic partner and making it work. The fact that she was committed to traditional notions — marriage, fidelity and how she romanticized love — was particularly inspiring."
She tried to get Julian Assange pardoned
Throughout Pamela Anderson's career, she built friendships and relationships with other notable celebrities and well-known world figures. However, one of her most unexpected friendships was with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Anderson met with Assange at Ecuador's London embassy a few times as she showed her support for him and urged for his release. She continued to fight for his freedom over the years, especially after he was imprisoned in 2019.
Anderson tried different avenues, such as writing to former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison to see if his country would intervene; however, Morrison didn't. In January 2021, before former U.S. president Donald Trump concluded his term, Anderson appeared on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" and asked Trump to consider pardoning Assange before departing office. "The entire world wants, or most want him to pardon Julian Assange," she said. "This is his time to shine and really make an impression on the world. If this goes to trial, that's the end of the First Amendment." Trump didn't pardon Assange in the end.
Pamela Anderson headed to Broadway
Considering Pamela Anderson appeared in the likes of "Baywatch" and "Barb Wire," few people would think she's a perfect fit for Broadway. However, this is another classic case of don't be too quick to make preconceived judgements about other people.
In 2022, Anderson stepped into Roxie Hart's dancing shoes for the Broadway production of "Chicago." Speaking to Vogue, the actor said: "I think I've been rehearsing my whole life for this. The story and my life are so parallel. I always say ... 30 years of therapy or just one Broadway show, then I'll be fine." Ultimately, Anderson proved her naysayers wrong, as both critics and fans showered praise on the actor's performance as the iconic character on stage and commitment to the part.
Anderson also revealed an interesting detail to Vogue about how Rob Marshall, who directed the 2002 "Chicago" film adaptation, actually approached her about playing the role of Roxie in the past. At the time, though, the actor declined the chance since she was too busy raising her boys to fully dedicate herself to the part.
She revealed all in a Netflix biography
Having been in the limelight for over three decades, Pamela Anderson decided it was time to open up and tell her side of the story in the 2023 documentary "Pamela, A Love Story." Through interviews with Anderson, her family, and associates, as well as private journal entries and archival footage, the Netflix film looks at the trials and tribulations of her personal and professional life. From her early years to the current day, Anderson discusses the highs and lows she experienced, while also not shying away from diving into the moments in which she believes she was exploited or mistreated by others.
"Pamela, A Love Story" received overwhelmingly positive reviews from both critics and fans, as the majority praised Anderson's vulnerability and honesty in addressing issues head on. Unlike many documentaries in which the subject takes part, this one didn't gloss over the lowlights of her life as Anderson discussed the failed marriages, her career dip, and other personal tragedies. Ultimately, the Ryan White-directed documentary received two Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Special and Outstanding Music Composition For A Documentary Series Or Special.
Pamela Anderson has her own cooking show
From model to actor to activist, Pamela Anderson hasn't been afraid to step outside of her comfort zone to follow her passions. Now she's added cooking show host to her resume as well. After the success of her reality show, "Pamela's Garden of Eden," where she restored her grandmother's property on Vancouver Island, she received the opportunity to star in "Pamela's Cooking with Love." Also set on Vancouver Island, the show sees Anderson step into her home kitchen to prepare vegan-inspired dishes for the various guests who appear at the end of each episode.
As it turns out, hosting her own cooking series has been something that she has wanted to do for a long time, as she revealed to Food Network. Anderson explained how she pitched a vegan cooking show decades back, but there was a lack of interest then. However, she credited her son Brandon Lee for helping to make it a reality and pushing her to show more of her homemaker side to the world. "This has always been my dream to have a cooking show," Anderson said. "Always, always, always. Brandon came to me and said, 'Mom, your dream is going to come true.'"