Pamela Anderson Reflects on Hollywood Image and Motherhood in Candid Interview

Pamela Anderson is opening up about the challenges she faced balancing her career as a Hollywood star with her role as a mother. In a recent interview with Variety’s "Actors on Actors" series, Anderson, 57, shared how difficult it was to navigate the pressures of fame while raising her children in the spotlight.

"I didn’t realize how difficult it was being a working mom in this entertainment world and having your mom be sexualized in some way," Anderson revealed. The actress, best known for her iconic roles in Baywatch, Barb Wire, and as a Playboy cover model, rose to fame in the 1990s, solidifying her status as a sex symbol. Her personal life, including her marriage to Tommy Lee and the infamous stolen sex tape, added to the media attention and controversy surrounding her.

However, now that her sons, Brandon, 28, and Dylan, 26, are adults, Anderson says she feels a newfound sense of freedom. "My kids are grown. I’m free. Now I can play again," she shared, adding that she doesn’t let her past define her future.

Looking back on her career, Anderson reflected on how she often found herself creating characters and embracing various personas. "I feel like I’ve created a few Halloween costumes," she joked, acknowledging that she didn’t fully understand the impact her public image had on her sons at the time. Still, she’s at peace with the choices she made. "I’m not ashamed of the choices I made, even though maybe in hindsight I would’ve done things differently," she said. "You need life experience to know that you would’ve done that differently."

With her sons now understanding the bigger picture, Anderson feels she can focus more on herself and her career. In an earlier interview with Better Homes & Gardens, she shared that her sons have always supported her, encouraging her to continue embracing her true self. "They look at me and say, ‘Mom, this is your time,’" Anderson revealed. "We’re going to try and find ways for you to keep doing what you love but also sharing it with people in a way where it benefits you too."

Brandon, who is now an actor-turned-producer, spoke out about how the public’s perception of his mother has shifted in recent years, especially following the release of her 2023 memoir Love, Pamela and Netflix documentary Pamela, a Love Story. "The category she was in before, she was just very objectified... her whole career was just positioned towards the male gaze," Brandon explained. "And for us to see the shift after we laid all the cards out on the table was shocking to me."

According to Brandon, the release of the memoir and documentary allowed people to see his mother in a new light. "She wasn’t this sex symbol anymore. She was a human being," he said. "It feels like everyone’s rooting for her now."

Anderson’s journey continues as she gears up for the release of her new film The Last Showgirl, which hits theaters on January 10.

In the interview, she expressed that she is embracing the future with a renewed sense of freedom and determination. "Now I can just be me," she said, ready to continue building a life that is truly her own.