Pamela Anderson facts for kids
Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is a Canadian-American actress, model, and writer. She became famous for playing C.J. Parker on the action drama show Baywatch from 1992 to 1997.
Pamela also appeared in movies like Scary Movie 3 (2003) and Borat (2006). She starred in her own reality show, Pam: Girl on the Loose (2008). She also competed on Dancing with the Stars several times. In recent years, Pamela has had a career comeback. She performed on Broadway in the musical Chicago in 2022. A Netflix documentary about her life, Pamela, a Love Story, came out in 2023. This happened at the same time as her autobiography, Love, Pamela, was released. In 2024, she starred in the movie The Last Showgirl, which earned her nominations for top acting awards.
Pamela Anderson is also well-known for her activism. She supports many charities and causes, especially animal rights. She works closely with PETA. She also promotes plant-based eating. She wrote a cookbook called I Love You: Recipes from the Heart (2024). She will host a cooking show, Pamela's Cooking with Love, in 2025.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Pamela Anderson was born in Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada. Her father, Barry Anderson, fixed furnaces, and her mother, Carol, was a waitress. Pamela has some interesting family history. Her great-grandfather came from Finland in 1908 and changed his name to Anderson. Her grandmother, who was German, came from Russia in 1901.
Pamela was born on July 1, 1967. This was a special day because it was Canada's 100th birthday! Because of this, she was called a "Centennial Baby" and even got some news coverage. She has a younger brother named Gerry, who was born in 1971.
Pamela went to Highland Secondary School in Comox, British Columbia. She played on the volleyball team there. She finished high school in 1985. In 1988, Pamela moved to Vancouver and worked as a fitness instructor.
Pamela's Career Journey
Early Modeling and Acting
In 1989, Pamela was at a BC Lions football game in Vancouver. She was wearing a T-shirt for Labatt's Beer. Her image was shown on the big screen, called the jumbotron. The brewing company noticed her and hired her as a spokesmodel for a short time. Her boyfriend at the time, Dan Ilicic, made a poster of her called Blue Zone Girl.
Pamela then went to Los Angeles for a photo shoot. She decided to move to LA to continue her modeling career. After moving, she got a small role as Lisa, the first "Tool Time Girl," on the TV show Home Improvement.
Her biggest role was playing C.J. Parker on Baywatch. She was on the show for five seasons, from 1992 to 1997. This made her one of the longest-serving cast members. This role made her very popular around the world. She also appeared in a Baywatch reunion movie in 2003.
In 1996, she starred in the movie Barb Wire. In 1997, she was a guest host on Saturday Night Live. From 1998 to 2002, Pamela starred as Vallery Irons in the action-comedy show V.I.P..
Becoming a Media Star
In 2001, a building in Australia called Sam Newman House was built with a large image of Pamela's face on it. Sam Newman, who owned the house, got Pamela's permission to use her image. The building became a famous local landmark.
Pamela appeared on the covers of many fashion magazines, including W and Elle.
In 2004, she released her first book, Star, which was about a teenager who wanted to be famous. Her second book, Star Struck, came out in 2005. It shared a bit about her life as a celebrity. In 2005, Pamela starred in the TV comedy Stacked as Skyler Dayton. The show ran for two seasons. In 2006, Comedy Central held a special show called the Roast of Pamela Anderson, where comedians made jokes about her.
In March 2006, Pamela received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. In April 2006, she hosted Canada's Juno Awards, which celebrate music. She was the first non-singer or model to host the event. She also appeared in the 2006 movie Borat, playing herself.
In December 2009, Pamela performed in a play called Aladdin in London. She played the Genie of the Lamp.
Reality TV and Recent Success
In 2010, Pamela appeared on Bigg Boss, the Indian version of Big Brother. She stayed in the house for three days as a guest. She also appeared on the UK and Bulgarian versions of Big Brother.
Pamela was a contestant on the American show Dancing with the Stars in 2010. She was eliminated after seven weeks. She also returned for an all-star season in 2012 but was eliminated in the first week. She competed on the French version of Dancing with the Stars in 2018.
In 2022, Pamela made her Broadway debut. She played Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago for eight weeks. In 2023, Netflix released Pamela, a Love Story, a documentary about her life. Her son, Brandon Thomas Lee, helped produce it. The documentary came out at the same time as her autobiography, Love, Pamela, which became a best-seller.
After seeing the documentary, director Gia Coppola wanted Pamela to star in her film The Last Showgirl. Pamela accepted the role, saying it was "the role I have been waiting for my entire career." Critics praised her performance, calling it "a revelation" and "transformative." She received nominations for a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her role.
Pamela will also appear in upcoming movies like The Naked Gun and Rosebush Pruning.
Activism and Causes
Animal Rights Advocacy

Pamela Anderson is a strong supporter of animal rights. She is an active member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
She once posed for a PETA ad wearing a bikini. The ad showed lines on her body like a diagram of meat cuts. The message was "All Animals Have the Same Parts." This ad was banned in Montreal, Canada, because some people thought it was sexist.
In 2015, Pamela wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin to ask him to help save whales. She also met with Russian officials to discuss animal welfare and conservation. In December 2015, she joined the board of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. This group works to stop the hunting of whales.
Supporting Julian Assange
Pamela has also publicly supported WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. In 2016, she called him a "hero." In 2019, she visited him in prison and said she believed he was innocent. She said, "He is a good man, he is an incredible person. I love him."
In October 2019, Pamela planned to visit Australia to ask the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, to help Assange. She wrote a letter to Morrison, but he replied that his government would respect Britain's legal process. In a speech she planned to give, Pamela said Assange was suffering "psychological torture" in jail. In 2021, she appeared on a TV show to ask President Donald Trump to pardon Assange.
Other Activism
In 2005, Pamela became a spokesperson for the MAC AIDS Fund. This fund helps people affected by AIDS and HIV. She helped raise money for the cause in different cities around the world. She also became a celebrity spokesperson for the American Liver Foundation.
In 2016 and 2018, Pamela starred in public service announcements. These videos aimed to raise awareness about safety in the private transportation industry. In the 2019 Canadian federal election, she supported the Green Party of Canada.
Plant-Based Cooking and Lifestyle
Pamela became a vegetarian when she was a teenager. She made this choice after her father brought home a deer he had hunted. Later, in her twenties, she became a vegan. She actively promotes the benefits of a plant-based diet. She was an executive producer for the 2018 documentary The Game Changers, which is about plant-based eating.
In 2024, Pamela published her own plant-based cookbook, I Love You: Recipes From the Heart. This cookbook has received positive reviews. VegNews called it one of "The Best Vegan Cookbooks of 2024." Martha Stewart, a famous chef, praised the book. She said Pamela used French cuisine "in the most simple, beautiful way." Drew Barrymore, an actress and talk show host, called it "the most beautiful cookbook I've ever seen."
Pamela will host a plant-based cooking show called Pamela's Cooking with Love. It will air on Flavour Network in 2025.
Personal Life and Family
Pamela Anderson has two sons with her first husband, Tommy Lee. Their sons are Brandon Thomas (born in 1996) and Dylan Jagger (born in 1997).
In 2004, Pamela became a naturalized citizen of the United States. She kept her Canadian citizenship as well. She felt it was important to become an American citizen so she could vote and eventually help her parents move to the U.S.
Pamela used to own a beach home in Malibu, California. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she moved back to her childhood home in Canada. She sold her Malibu home. As of 2024, she lives with her dogs in Ladysmith on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. She also has a vegetable farm there called Arcady.
Marriages
Pamela has been married several times. She married her first husband, Tommy Lee, who is the drummer for the band Mötley Crüe. They got married on a beach in 1995, after knowing each other for only four days. They divorced in 1998. They shared custody of their sons.

Later, Pamela married musician Kid Rock. They divorced in 2007.
In 2007, Pamela married Rick Salomon. They had a small wedding ceremony in Las Vegas. They separated in December 2007, and Pamela asked for the marriage to be annulled in 2008. In 2014, she announced that she had remarried Salomon. However, they divorced again in 2015.
From 2017 to 2019, she was in a relationship with Adil Rami.
On December 24, 2020, Pamela married Dan Hayhurst, who was her bodyguard. In January 2022, Pamela announced that they had filed for divorce.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | The Taking of Beverly Hills | Cheerleader | |
1993 | Snapdragon | Felicity | |
1994 | Raw Justice | Sarah | |
1995 | Baywatch the Movie: Forbidden Paradise | Casey Jean "C.J." Parker | Direct-to-video |
1996 | Barb Wire | Barbara "Barb Wire" Kopetski | |
Naked Souls | Britt | ||
2002 | Scooby-Doo | Herself | |
2003 | Scary Movie 3 | Becca | |
Pauly Shore Is Dead | Herself | ||
2005 | No Rules | ||
2006 | Borat | ||
2008 | Blonde and Blonder | Dee Twiddle | |
Superhero Movie | Invisible Girl | ||
2010 | Costa Rican Summer | Herself | |
Hollywood & Wine | Jennifer Mary | Direct-to-video | |
The Commuter Julia | Female Guest in Hotel | Short film | |
2013 | Jackhammer | Groupie | |
2015 | What Are Men Doing! 2 | Herself | |
Connected | Jackie | Short film | |
2016 | The People Garden | Signe | |
Don't Be a Derk | Jackie | Short film | |
2017 | Baywatch | Casey Jean "C.J." Parker | |
The Institute | Ann Williams | ||
SPF-18 | Herself | ||
2018 | Nicky Larson et le parfum de Cupidon | Jessica Fox | |
2022 | Alone at Night | Sheriff Rodgers | |
2024 | The Last Showgirl | Shelly | |
2025 | The Naked Gun | TBA | |
TBA | Rosebush Pruning | TBA |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | Family Feud | Herself/Celebrity Contestant | Recurring guest |
Charles in Charge | Chris | Episode: "Teacher's Pest" | |
1990, 1991 | Married... with Children | Yvette/Cashew | Episodes: "Al... with Kelly" & "Route 666: Part 2" |
1991 | Married People | Terri | Episode: "The Nanny" |
Top of the Heap | Romona | Episode: "Behind the Eight Ball" | |
1991–1997 | Home Improvement | Lisa | Recurring cast: Season 1-2, guest: Season 6 |
1992 | Home Again with Bob Vila | Herself | Episode: "Final House Tour - Malibu, CA Beach House" |
Days of Our Lives | Cindy | Episodes: "Episode #1.6687" & "#1.6692" | |
1992–1997 | Baywatch | Casey Jean "C.J." Parker | Main cast: Season 3-7 |
1993 | What's Up Doc? | Herself | 1 episode |
1994 | This Is Your Life | Episode: "David Hasselhoff" | |
Come Die with Me: A Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer Mystery |
Velda | TV movie | |
1997 | The Nanny | Heather Biblow-Imperiali | Recurring cast: Season 4 |
Saturday Night Live | Herself/Host | Episode: "Pamela Lee/Rollins Band" | |
1998–2002 | V.I.P. | Vallery Irons | Main cast |
1999 | Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.21" |
Andi Meets... | Episode: "Britney Spears" | ||
Ruby | Episode: "Pamela Anderson Lee" | ||
Futurama | Herself/Dixie | Voice; episodes: "A Fishful of Dollars" & "Fry and the Slurm Factory" | |
1999–2003 | Hollywood Squares | Herself | Recurring guest |
2001 | Bravo Profiles | Episode: "RuPaul" | |
The Test | Herself/Panelist | Episode: "The Bedroom Etiquette Test" | |
Top Ten | Herself | 1 episode | |
Just Shoot Me! | Episode: "Mayas and Tigers and Deans, Oh My" | ||
2gether | Episode: "Jillie" | ||
2001–2009 | E! True Hollywood Story | Recurring guest | |
2002 | King of the Hill | Cyndi | Voice; episode: "The Fat and the Furious" |
2003 | Punk'd | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.1" |
CMT Music Awards | Herself/Co-Host | Main co-host | |
High Chaparall | Herself | Episode: "Pamela Anderson" | |
Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding | Casey Jean "C.J." Parker | TV movie | |
Less than Perfect | Vicki Devorski | Episode: "All About Claude" | |
2005 | Biography | Herself | Episode: "David Hasselhoff: Driven" |
HeatMeter | Episode: "Kid Rock vs. Eminem" | ||
Mad TV | Episode: "Episode #11.8" | ||
Class of... | Episode: "1989: Life After Baywatch" | ||
8 Simple Rules | Cheryl | Episodes: "C.J.'s Temptation" & "Torn Between Two Lovers" | |
2005, 2010 | Comedy Central Roast | Herself | Episodes: "Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson" |
2005–2006 | Stacked | Skyler Dayton | Main cast |
2006 | Juno Awards of 2006 | Herself/Host | Main host |
2007–2008 | The Girls Next Door | Herself | Episodes: "My Bare Lady" & "Hot Chocolate" |
2008 | The Sunday Night Project | Herself/Guest Host | Episode: "Episode #1.2" |
Big Brother Australia | Herself/House Guest | House guest: Season 8 | |
The Dark Side of Fame with Piers Morgan | Herself | Episode: "Pamela Anderson" | |
E!'s Pam: Girl on the Loose! | Main cast | ||
Battleground Earth | Episode: "Something's Fishy" | ||
Undercover TV | Episode: "Episode #1.9" | ||
Kath & Kim | Episode: "Friends" | ||
2009 | Whatever Happened To? | Episode: "Buxom Beauties" | |
2010 | Paramount Studios New Year's Eve Concert | Herself/Host | Main host |
Magic Numbers | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.6" | |
Gylne tider | Episode: "Episode #4.2" | ||
Bigg Boss | Herself/House Guest | House guest: Season 4 | |
Chris Moyles' Quiz Night | Herself | Episode: "Chris Moyles' Christmas Quiz Night" | |
Comedy Central Roast | Herself | Episode: "Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff" | |
2010, 2012 | Dancing with the Stars | Herself/Contestant | Contestant: Season 10 & Season 15 |
2011 | Bailando por un Sueño | Herself | Contestant: Season 7 |
Big Brother | Episode: "The Final" | ||
Ushi & The Family | Episode: "Episode #1.1" | ||
Les Anges | Episodes: "Episode #2.1" & "#2.2" | ||
2011–2017 | Celebrity Juice | Recurring guest | |
2012 | I Get That a Lot | Episode: "Episode #1.4" | |
RuPaul's Drag Race | Herself/Guest Judge | Episode: "Frenemies" | |
VIP Brother | Herself/House Guest | House guest: Season 4 | |
Yalan Dünya | Herself | Episode: "9. Bölüm" | |
2013 | Dancing on Ice | Herself/Contestant | Contestant: Season 8 |
Promi Big Brother | Herself/House Guest | House guest: Season 1 | |
Package Deal | Dr. Sydney Forbes | Recurring cast: Season 1 | |
2014 | 2014 World Music Awards | Herself/Co-Host | Main co-host |
2015 | Big Brother Germany | Herself/House Guest | Episode: "Episode #12.25" |
Love Advent | Herself | Episode: "Pamela Anderson" | |
2016 | Gotham Comedy Live | Herself/Host | Episode: "Pamela Anderson" |
Jorden runt på 6 steg | Herself | 1 episode | |
2017 | Through the Keyhole | Episode: "Episode #4.2" | |
8 Out of 10 Cats | Episode: "Episode #20.6" | ||
Sur-Vie | Raquel Rose | Main cast | |
2018 | Piers Morgan's Life Stories | Herself | Episode: "Pamela Anderson" |
Heathrow: Britain's Busiest Airport | Episode: "Episode #4.6" | ||
Danse avec les stars | Herself/Contestant | Contestant: Season 9 | |
2018–2019 | Match Game | Herself/Celebrity Panelist | Episodes: "Episode #3.18" & "#4.3" |
2019 | The Hills: New Beginnings | Herself | Episodes: "Episode #1.1" & "#1.8" |
2022 | Durch die Nacht mit ... | Episode: "Pamela Anderson und Srecko Horvat" | |
2022–2023 | Pamela's Garden of Eden | Herself/Host | Main host |
2025 | Pamela's Cooking with Love |
Theater
Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Chicago | Roxie Hart (replacement) | Ambassador Theater, Broadway |
Music videos
Year | Title | Artist(s) |
---|---|---|
1990 | "Shelter Me" | Cinderella |
1991 | ”Stranded” | Tangier |
1993 | "Can't Have Your Cake (and eat it too)" | Vince Neil |
1994 | "Blind Man" | Aerosmith |
1999 | "David Duchovny" | Bree Sharp |
"Get Naked" | Methods of Mayhem | |
2000 | "Miserable" | Lit |
"Hey Papi" | Jay-Z | |
2006 | "Touch the Sky" | Kanye West |
"God's Gonna Cut You Down" | Johnny Cash | |
2012 | "Glamazon" | RuPaul |
2014 | "Earth Is the Loneliest Planet" | Morrissey |
2016 | "Le lac" | Julien Doré |
Documentary (selected)
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2007 | I Am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA | |
See You in Vegas | ||
2013 | The Carrier | |
2015 | Unity | Narrator |
2018 | The Game Changers | Executive Producer |
2018 | Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist | Herself |
2023 | Pamela, a Love Story | Herself |
2024 | Criterion Closet (November 12), | Herself |
Honors and Awards
Organizations | Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | 2025 | Best Actress | The Last Showgirl | Pending | |
Austin Film Critics Association | 2025 | Best Actress | The Last Showgirl | Nominated | |
Canadian Business | 2005 | Most Powerful Canadian in Hollywood | N/A | Won | |
Canada's Walk of Fame | 2006 | N/A | N/A | Won | |
Glamour Awards | 2024 | Woman of the Year | N/A | Won | |
Golden Globe Awards | 2025 | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | The Last Showgirl | Nominated | |
Gotham Awards | 2024 | Outstanding Lead Performance | The Last Showgirl | Nominated | |
Greater Western New York Film Critics Association | 2025 | Lead Actress | The Last Showgirl | Nominated | |
Winter IndieWire Honors | 2024 | Performance Award | The Last Showgirl | Won | |
Miami Film Festival | 2024 | Art of Light Acting Award | The Last Showgirl | Won | |
North Texas Film Critics Association | 2024 | Best Actress | The Last Showgirl | Nominated | |
San Sebastián International Film Festival | 2024 | Special Jury Prize | The Last Showgirl | Won | |
SCAD Savannah Film Festival | 2024 | Marquee Award | The Last Showgirl | Won | |
Screen Actors Guild Awards | 2025 | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role | The Last Showgirl | Pending | |
St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards | 2024 | Best Actress | The Last Showgirl | Nominated | |
Sun Valley Film Festival | 2024 | Pioneer Award | The Last Showgirl | Won | |
Zurich Film Festival | 2024 | Golden Eye Award | The Last Showgirl | Won |
See also
In Spanish: Pamela Anderson para niños
- List of vegan and plant-based media