Pamela Anderson has graced our screens and magazine covers for over thirty years. Her journey to stardom is truly one for the books, starting with a moment that was completely unexpected. It all unfolded at a football game, proving that sometimes, fame finds you when you least expect it.
Growing up in Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada, Anderson was just a regular face in the crowd. That changed during a BC Lions Canadian Football League match at Vancouver’s BC Place stadium. The cameras found her wearing a Labatt’s beer crop top, and suddenly, her face was huge on the stadium’s jumbotron.
That quick moment on the big screen quickly opened doors. First, it led to a photoshoot for Playboy. Not long after, she landed her famous role as C.J. Parker on the hit TV show ‘Baywatch’. From there, her career took off, including shows like ‘V.I.P.’, ‘Stacked’, and the movie ‘Barb Wire’.
Looking back at her unusual rise to fame, Anderson holds no regrets. “I wouldn’t change anything about my life or I wouldn’t be here,” she told Deadline in November 2024. She’s happy with how everything played out.
Pamela Anderson’s Big Screen Surprise
Anderson recently looked back at that now-famous jumbotron moment. She shared her memories during an episode of Harper’s Bazaar’s ‘All About Me’ series in January 2025. “I got free tickets to a football game, and then the cameraman found me in the crowd,” she explained. “He put me right up on the big screen.”
She laughed remembering her first thoughts. “It’s funny because I saw myself and thought, ‘Oh, you look old,’ and I was only about 22. Then I didn’t think much of it. My first reaction was, ‘Oh my God,’ and then, ‘Oh, I’m on TV!'” It was a mix of shock and mild embarrassment.
The Road from Jumbotron to Hollywood
Anderson was still only 22 when the phone calls started ringing. She soon became a spokesperson for Labatt. By October 1989, she was gracing the cover of Playboy magazine.
She shared more about this pivotal time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in February 2025. “People called, Playboy called, and I came to Los Angeles,” she said. “It was my very first time on a plane.” Host Jimmy Fallon was surprised by the story. “I didn’t know that was how it happened!” he admitted. “They just thought you looked amazing on the jumbotron.”
After her Playboy appearance, Anderson decided to move to Los Angeles for more career chances. Her acting journey started with an episode of ‘Charles in Charge’ in 1990. The next year, she got the role of Lisa on ‘Home Improvement’. Then, in 1992, ‘Baywatch’ came calling, where she stayed until 1997. Her list of projects also includes ‘The Last Showgirl’, ‘The Naked Gun’, and a run in ‘Chicago’ on Broadway.
Pamela Anderson’s New Chapter
Even after more than 35 years in Hollywood, Pamela Anderson sees her 2024 film, ‘The Last Showgirl’, as a fresh start. In the movie, she played Shelly Gardner, a showgirl who had been performing in a Las Vegas club for thirty years. This role earned her a nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Film at the 2025 Golden Globes.
“This is the beginning of my career,” she told Us Weekly at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in October 2024. “I still have so much more to do.” She added, “I wish I had started my career a little earlier – maybe gotten some film roles sooner. But it was all worth the wait.”