In an interview with Collider’sPerri Nemiroffat theToronto International Film Festival, the iconicPamela Andersonsat down to discuss her festival-premiering dramaThe Last Showgirl, directed byGia Coppola. After many years outside the major awards conversation, Anderson had prepared to let that dream drift until the unexpected success of both her documentary,Pamela, A Love Story, and her best-selling memoirLove Pamela. Anderson noted just how thrilled she was to be given the chance to take the role inThe Last Showgirl, saying:
“Well, I think timing is everything. I thought I was never gonna get the chance to do anything like this. I kind of thought, “Oh, well, that’s what people think of me. I’m just gonna go back to my farm, make jam, and that’s it. I’ll figure out another way to make my life beautiful.” But the documentary came out, the book came out, and Gia saw the documentary. She must be some kind of master or prophet or something, but she was so wonderful to send the script to me, and I read it and I was like, ‘Oh god, this is that thing.This is that thing when people read a script and they really realize they’re the only ones that can do it.They have to do it. It’s life and death.” And I felt that way, and I get chills even thinking about it.I knew I had to do it.And so I’m just so grateful."
The Last Showgirlmarks adeserved renaissance in the career of Anderson, who made her film debut in the 1991 action flick,The Taking of Beverly Hills. After time out of the leading lady spotlight over recent years,Anderson’s return has been well-earned, with the time away coming with its own fresh perspective. Speaking with Nemiroff, Anderson noted, “The whole company was so supportive and so wonderful that I just felt like, ‘I have nothing to lose. I’m gonna throw every single ounce of what I’m capable of —I don’t even know what I’m capable of yet. I haven’t even scratched the surface.I’ve been getting away with murder in a bikini for way too long. I need to do something really good!’ And so that’s why I did it, and I’m glad it happened the way it did.”
Anderson’s Performance Has Captured the Hearts of TIFF Attendees
The tale ofThe Last Showgirlis a touching one, resonating with intrinsic human feelings that have captured the hearts and minds of everyone at TIFF. Also featuring the likes ofDave Bautista,Jamie Lee Curtis, Billie Lourd, Brenda Song, and many others, the film has been widely praised thus far for Anderson’s starring performance, withCollider’s Shaina Weatherhead saying in her review:
“In the titular role,Pamela Anderson gives a tour de force performance asThe Last Showgirl. Even when she’s not onstage, Shelley shines, with traces of glitter catching light on her cheeks and a childlike whimsy coursing through her. She’s the wholly lovable, if stubborn and frustrating lens through which we’re told this story, and Anderson pours her heart into this multi-faceted character. Along with her buoyant highs, she plays Shelley’s lows with heart-wrenching conviction, drowning out soft-spoken sweetness with guttural rage.”
The Last Showgirl
A veteran Las Vegas showgirl reassesses her life and relationships after her long-running show abruptly ends. This drama explores themes of resilience, family dynamics, and the pursuit of new beginnings amidst personal and professional upheavals.
