Pamela Anderson is embracing a new chapter—one rooted in peace, purpose, and creative reinvention. Speaking from her hometown of Ladysmith on Vancouver Island, the actress reflects on life at Arcady, the charming waterfront property once owned by her grandparents. Over the past few years, she’s lovingly restored the estate, breathing new life into its historic roadhouse, dock, and cottage, where her parents now reside, while cultivating an expansive wild rose garden that has become a true labor of love.
Known recently for her fresh-faced, makeup-free appearances, Anderson admits she’s ready to switch things up for one special occasion. “I’ve been embracing a very natural look for a while now, and it truly feels like me,” she says. “But it’s Vogue. Let’s have some fun with makeup.”
That playful spirit extends to her flourishing acting career. Following the acclaim of The Last Showgirl and her Broadway success, Anderson says she’s been overwhelmed by the opportunities coming her way, particularly in independent film.
“I’ve been incredibly fortunate that so many amazing directors have reached out,” she shares. Her upcoming slate includes Michael Cera’s directorial debut Love Is Not the Answer, Rosebush Pruning opposite Callum Turner, and the crime-romance Queen of the Falls, where she stars alongside Guy Pearce as lovers on the run.
“I feel so lucky,” Anderson says. “It’s been such an interesting journey from Broadway to The Last Showgirl. I never take for granted that I get to do this again.”
Even while promoting the successful 2025 reboot of The Naked Gun, which surpassed $100 million at the global box office, Anderson spent her weekends flying to Massachusetts to perform in the Williamstown Theatre Festival’s production of Camino Real.
Pamela Anderson wears a Dior coat; Pandora earrings.
“There was no way I could say no,” she says with a smile.
Long before this career renaissance, Anderson’s rise to fame began unexpectedly. At just 18 years old, she was spotted on the jumbotron during a Canadian football game wearing a Labatt’s Beer T-shirt. The moment quickly led to a commercial campaign and, soon after, an invitation from Playboy founder Hugh Hefner.
From there, the shy teenager landed the role that would define an era lifeguard C.J. Parker on Baywatch. Joining the hit series in its third season, Anderson became an international sensation as the show reached an estimated 1.1 billion viewers each week during its peak in the early 1990s.
Away from the spotlight, however, Anderson’s life looked very different. Her sons, Brandon and Dylan, knew her not as the global sex symbol but as a devoted mother who scheduled their baseball games into her contracts and cared for her beloved sourdough starter as though it were another member of the family.
It was Brandon who ultimately convinced her to tell her story in Netflix’s 2023 documentary, Pamela, A Love Story.
“He said, ‘Mom, no one knows you garden. No one knows you cook,'” Anderson recalls.
Initially hesitant, she wasn’t interested in revisiting her past or defending the choices she’d made. Instead, the documentary became an opportunity to reveal the woman behind the headlines one whose greatest joys are found in nature, family, and finally being seen on her own terms.
Pamela Anderson wears a Prada dress and tops; Pandora rings
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Vogue Australia’s August issue is on sale from August 3, 2026.
Photographed by Jamie Heath
Styled by Harriet Crawford
Hair by Sophie Roberts
Make-up by Victoria Baron
Manicure by Victoria Houllis
Production by Danica Osland
