‘Men are my downfall – and I’ve tried all kinds’
Pamela Anderson talks about her candid documentary, taking back control and finding her purpose in life
She was the original 90s pin-up, famed for saving lives in her red swimsuit on US TV show Baywatch. But Pamela Anderson’s life away from the cameras was arguably more dramatic than her character CJ Parker’s.
Her life story was told in her documentary Pamela: A Love Story,
which went straight into the Top 10 most viewed list on Netflix after its release in January, and it has continued to receive rave reviews from critics and fans, with many commenting they have a newfound respect for the star.
The film charts the life of Pamela, from her childhood in small-town Canada to becoming a Playboy Bunny and a TV star, to marrying Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, having two sons with him – Brandon, 26, and Dylan, 25 – and her subsequent four failed marriages.
It also covers how Pamela, 55, and Tommy, 60, handled the impact of a leaked sex tape in 1995 while the actress was pregnant with Brandon.
Pamela claims the tape was stolen from the pair’s Malibu home, edited and sold online against their will.
The couple filed charges against Penthouse after the magazine published images from the tape. They also filed injunctions against anyone holding copies of the tape, however those proved unsuccessful.
Talking about the ordeal in her documentary, Pamela denies making a sex tape with Tommy, adding,“We just filmed each other, always, and lived a sexy, passionate life – sweet newlyweds. Just two crazy naked people in love.”
The film also covers why Pamela and Tommy turned down $5 million for the tape despite others making money from it for years.
Speaking about the revelation that she and Tommy refused the lucrative offer, Pamela says,“I don’t think anyone wanted to believe it. Plus, we just let it go after the depositions and all this craziness. I was pregnant with Dylan. We didn’t want to put any more stress on the baby. I just left it, and we really tried to just leave it in the past. We didn’t think about giving it to a press tour talking about money we didn’t get. That would be dirty money. Didn’t want it. And we ended up OK.”
Pamela has described the documentary as her chance “to take back the narrative” after TV channel Hulu released the drama series Pam & Tommy in 2022.
Speaking about Hulu’s production at the time, Pamela said,“It was already hurtful enough the first time. It’s like one of those things where you’re going, ‘Really? People are still capitalising off that thing?’”
On her decision to appear in her own documentary – which is coproduced by her eldest son, Brandon – Pamela adds,“I just knew this was going to become a family legacy. Our artistic project. And I just wanted to do one of those things that I really love to do and have 100% faith.
“I wanted to throw myself into it, and see what someone’s going to try to make of all this mess I made.”
Through personal videos and diaries, Pamela admits,“I’m not the damsel in distress. I put myself in crazy situations and survived them. Men are my downfall. And I’ve tried all kinds.”
Pamela felt it was important to be authentic in the show. She says, “I just think, ‘Why not?’ Everyone’s different. Let’s try and dig into those feelings that nobody else has, not on purpose. And if we can find unique ideas, that’s where the interest in this stuff is.”
“I always say that. I want to push myself to the limit. I don’t know what my purpose is, but I know I’m having a lot of fun doing it and getting through other things. I think it’s survival just to try and have a good time. Things are hard.”
During the film, viewers see the star cleverly turn the controversial attention she was getting for the tape into positive action, such as her work with animal rights non-profit organisation PETA. In 1997, Pamela – who has been a vegetarian since a young age – made her debut with PETA, with the Give Fur The Cold Shoulder billboard in Times Square. Since then, she has become an honorary director of PETA and has been involved in numerous campaigns for animals.
She says,“When I first started getting a lot of attention, I thought, ‘I have to share this attention with something meaningful. So
I used it to my advantage.
“I would go and speak to world leaders. They wanted a kiss on the cheek and an autograph. I wanted laws to be changed. And we both got what we wanted.”
Brandon said he wants people to see through the documentary how his mother has “remained positive” after what she’s been through.
Fiercely defending his mum, he says,“The way this woman was treated was unacceptable. I think we should all be ashamed of ourselves for being a part of that. Things have changed and we would never, ever treat a woman the same way today.
“I want people to understand from the film the way she was treated and to see how [turning to Pamela] you’ve remained positive, and a light for so many people, and you’re truly an inspiration to so many.”
‘I wanted to see what someone’s going to make of this mess I made’