At the San Sebastian Festival for Gia Coppola’s ‘The Last Showgirl,’ Pamela Anderson talked about her return to the big screen and what was reportedly her meatiest role in a long time.
In Coppola’s Vegas-set drama, Anderson plays Shelley, a veteran showgirl who faces an uncertain future after being told her show will close for good after a 30-year run.
The Canadian star, who became a cultural icon in her red ‘Baywatch’ swimsuit, is enjoying a major career revival. Following the success of her Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary “Pamela, A Love Story” and her best-selling memoir “Love, Pamela,” she now reveals another facet of herself in “The Last Showgirl.”
At the press conference Friday, Anderson and Coppola (“Palo Alto”) answered questions from a room full of journalists. Naturally, Anderson was asked about parallels with her life. “I was really drawn to the script and clearly felt a kinship. And when I read the script, I was blown away. I had never been offered a film role like this before, so I was very excited,” she replied.
Coppola also said: “There are so many parallels with just being a woman and how society limits you and how you deal with being a mother and having a career. And I always wanted to tell a mother-daughter story,” she said.
When asked about the fractured voice she used throughout the film, and how she developed it, Anderson talked about how she drew from her personal experiences and tried to find ways to truly encapsulate an entire life.
“It’s almost impossible to put into words what I’ve been through, from Playboy to ‘Baywatch’ and all these different things, and try to navigate through it. And I really related to the script and I discovered that even Shelley had a lisp. The voice became the character and it just happened,” she said.
“And we worked very hard and very fast,” she added, referring to the only 18-day shoot in Vegas, where Coppola insisted on filming. “There was no time to think about it,” Anderson noted.
“Vegas feels so good as a metaphor for the American dream. And that all that glitters is not gold. At what point do you let go of your dreams and just accept the harsh reality of retirement plans, low incomes and not being able to make a living,” Coppola mused.
Both reflected on the close bond they formed with fellow crew and cast members Jamie Lee Curtis, Kiernan Shipka of “Mad Men,” Dave Bautista, Brenda Song and Billie Lourd who plays Shelley’s estranged daughter.
“It was a labor of love,” they agreed.
Indeed, Coppola’s drama offers a new perspective on the former Playboy model and tabloid sensation, going beyond her oft-objectified image that was exacerbated by the salacious Hulu miniseries “Pam & Tommy.” Last year was crucial for Anderson, as directors like Coppola look to her. She recently signed with CAA, which began representing “The Last Showgirl” at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere.