Pamela Anderson biography, kids, net worth, marriages, no makeup, young 2025

Pamela Anderson Biography

Pamela Anderson is a Canadian-American actress and model, the '90s sex symbol who brought back the bombshell blonde. She shot to fame with her role in the TV series "Baywatch." Throughout her career, Anderson has played up—with varying degrees of success—the image of a femme fatale and accessible blonde from Playboy's cover, becoming a symbol of deliberate sexuality in pop culture.

These days, she doesn't do much film work, but she's still a public figure and stays active in advocacy, particularly fighting for animal rights.

Childhood and Youth

Pamela Denise Anderson was born on July 1, 1967, in the small Canadian town of Ladysmith, to Barry, a furnace repairman, and Carol, a waitress.

Pamela's paternal great-grandfather, Juho Hyytiäinen, was a Finn who moved from the Grand Duchy of Finland (then part of the Russian Empire) to Canada in 1908 and changed his surname to Anderson. Pamela also has Russian roots on her mother's side—her Russian great-grandmother emigrated from Russia to the Netherlands, and from there to Canada.

Pamela first made headlines right after birth—the press dubbed baby Anderson the "Centennial Baby" because she was born on Canada's 100th birthday, the day marking the official founding of Canada and the creation of the Constitution Act of 1867.

As a child, Pamela was incredibly shy and reserved. The troubled family atmosphere probably didn't help, though her parents genuinely loved their daughter. Her father was an alcoholic who often went on benders, while her mom worked two jobs and was rarely home.

Years later, the actress revealed that for four years, from age six to ten, she endured abuse from her babysitter. When she was 12, she stopped by a friend's house, and the friend's 25-year-old older brother struck up a conversation, offered to teach her backgammon, then gave her a back massage, after which he assaulted her.

On top of that, at 14, Anderson was gang-raped by her future boyfriend Tyrone and six of his friends. Pamela kept it from her mom: "She worked so hard, she cried so much, I couldn't break her heart any more than it already was." The girl plastered on a forced smile that became her defense mechanism and turned to nature for comfort, vowing to protect animals and only animals, because they'd shown her more kindness than people ever had.

The dark events of her childhood and youth pushed the girl to move to Vancouver after graduating high school in 1985, where Pamela, who'd gotten into sports and volleyball in her upper years, landed a job as a fitness instructor.

First Steps to Success

In 1989, Anderson attended a football match in Vancouver wearing a Labatt beer logo t-shirt and found herself on the stadium's big screen. Scouts from the brewing company spotted the beauty and offered her a job as their spokesperson.

Soon after, the busty blonde graced the cover of Playboy's October issue and rode that wave of success straight to Los Angeles to pursue a modeling career. In early 1990, Anderson's photo spread appeared in the magazine as Playmate of the Month.

Playboy made me stronger. It saved my life. I constantly felt trapped and desperately wanted to break free. For me, it was a real breakthrough – I met so many artists, activists, and true gentlemen. It was a fun and wild life.

After moving to Los Angeles, Pamela landed a supporting role in the comedy series "Home Improvement." During the first two seasons, she appeared on screen as the assistant to the show's host of a home renovation program. Her role involved handing tools to her partner, which invariably ended in disaster. In 1997, already a global star, she made a guest appearance in one of the episodes.

Pamela Anderson in the TV series 'Home Improvement'

Baywatch

After two seasons on Home Improvement, Anderson left the show when she landed the lead female role in Baywatch, a series about lifeguards on California beaches.

Pamela Anderson in Baywatch

As Pamela later recalled, she didn't audition in the traditional sense. They just called and said: "Are you Pamela Anderson? We have a job for you." She said yes, and from that moment on, success followed her everywhere.

I felt amazing on set. I spent all day at the beach and got paid for it. So I never thought about whether I looked good or bad.

In the first season, Baywatch creators insisted that Pamela and her character C.J. Parker look natural and wear no makeup. But the actress had no intention of giving it up. She'd agree, then wake up at three in the morning and head to the makeup artist. On set, Pamela simply presented everyone with a done deal.

In 1994, Pamela had breast augmentation surgery, tripling her natural size.

Thanks to this series, Pamela became a true sex symbol not just in the U.S., but worldwide, and the show itself eventually made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the most-watched television series of its time.

Pamela appeared in five seasons of the series, which aired from 1992 to 1997. Meanwhile, Anderson continued shooting for Playboy, walking fashion shows, and appearing in music videos.

During this period, she also worked in feature films – the thriller Snapdragon (1993), the action film Raw Justice (1994), the fantasy action movie Barb Wire (1996), and the erotic thriller Naked Souls (1996).

Most directors exploited her figure one way or another – just look at those skin-tight outfits. But Pamela was happy to shed the red swimsuit that seemed to define her.

In 1998, Anderson landed the lead role in the action-comedy series V.I.P., playing the head of a professional bodyguard agency protecting the rich and famous. Pamela starred in the series until 2002.

In 2001, Baywatch ended after 245 episodes. The series reached approximately 1.1 billion viewers, earning it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most-watched TV show.

Later Career

After Baywatch wrapped, Pamela's career hit its peak. She landed roles in Hawaiian Wedding with Carmen Electra and Scary Movie 3 with Anna Faris and Charlie Sheen. On top of that, Pamela became the inspiration for the lead character in the animated series Stripperella (2003-2004).

But then her career started to cool down. After turning 30 and unable to shake her typecast image, she spent some time doing cameos in popular TV shows and playing her usual characters in forgettable comedies.

In 2004, Pamela published Star, a book about a teenager trying to make it big. Her second book, The Sequel Star Struck, released in 2005, offered a thinly veiled look at her life with Tommy Lee.

In April 2005, Anderson landed a role in the sitcom Stacked, playing party girl Skyler Dayton, the new employee at a bookstore. The show was canceled after two seasons.

In spring 2006, Anderson was announced to receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. That same year, Pamela appeared as herself in Larry Charles's mockumentary comedy Borat, starring British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. In 2007-2008, the actress showed up in the less-than-successful films Blonde and Blonder and Superhero Movie.

Pamela Anderson on Dancing with the Stars

After that came small roles in TV series and films, many where Pamela played herself. In 2010, Anderson competed in season 10 of the American show Dancing with the Stars, paired with professional dancer Damian Whitewood (the pair was eliminated in week 7).

That same year, following the trend back toward natural beauty, the actress removed the breast implants she'd gotten 15 years earlier. A few years later, this experiment came back to haunt her with sagging skin issues in her chest area.

In 2013, the actress tried her hand at season 8 of the British reality show Dancing on Ice, partnered with American figure skater Matt Evers.

In 2015, Anderson appeared in the Russian-Armenian director Sarik Andreasyan's film What Men Do! 2, playing the dream girl of the main character (Tair Mamedov).

In 2017, the actress appeared in a supporting role in Seth Gordon's American comedy "Baywatch," where most characters share names with the iconic '90s series. The action-comedy starred Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, and Alexandra Daddario. That September, Alex Israel's film "SPF-18" hit theaters, featuring Pamela alongside Keanu Reeves.

In 2018, Pamela became an executive producer on the documentary "The Game Changers," which introduces viewers to renowned athletes, scientists, and public figures working to change how we think about living and eating. The film featured Arnold Schwarzenegger, German strongman of Armenian descent Patrik Baboumian, Australian Olympian Morgan Mitchell, and "Eat & Run" bestselling author Scott Jurek.

That same year, Anderson confirmed her involvement in Werner Herzog's "Vernon God Little," about a school shooting. Former boxer Mike Tyson was set to play one of the roles. The film came out in 2020.

Activism

Pamela is a member of PETA, which fights for animal rights. The actress has participated in several campaigns against real fur, the KFC restaurant chain, seal hunting in Canada, and more.

In March 2005, Anderson became a spokesperson for the MAC AIDS Fund in the fight against AIDS. In 2009, Pamela wrote an open letter to U.S. President Barack Obama, urging him to legalize cannabis in the country.

Pamela Anderson fighting for animal rights

Anderson is a vegan. According to the actress, she gave up meat at a young age after watching her father dress animal carcasses following hunting trips.

Pamela Anderson's Personal Life

Pamela Anderson's personal life has been filled with romances and high-profile divorces. In the early '90s, Pamela dated actor Scott Baio and "Baywatch" star David Charvet. In 1994, Pamela's boyfriend was American singer and Poison frontman Bret Michaels.

Tommy Lee

In February 1995, Anderson married Tommy Lee, drummer for American glam metal band Mötley Crüe, after knowing him just four days. The lovebirds tied the knot on the beach – Anderson walked down the aisle in a bikini. The actress's mother found out about her daughter's wedding from People magazine. After the ceremony, Pamela took her husband's last name, which she used professionally for several years.

In 1995, a honeymoon video was stolen from the couple's home and leaked online, creating a massive frenzy among users of Internet Entertainment Group, the first adult video website. Pamela and Tommy sued the company but reached a settlement. The video stayed on the site, and the company paid them a percentage for its use.

This happened when Pamela was seven months into her second pregnancy. The actress didn't want the stressful situation to harm her unborn child. The marriage produced two sons: Brandon Thomas (born 1996) and Dylan Jagger (born 1997).

Pamela and Tommy's married life was anything but peaceful – the young couple fought constantly, and things often turned physical.

At first it was chaos: we'd run around in latex outfits, he'd burn my dress with his cigarette, and then suddenly I'm pregnant and have a baby, and he's not paying attention to me. It drove me crazy.

After Lee was sentenced to six months for assaulting his wife in 1998, the couple divorced. Years later, she admitted in a Playboy interview that she still considered Tommy the love of her life, but... "we had too wild, too crazy a start to end up anywhere good for either of us."

Pamela Anderson's sons are already adults

Despite her public image being all about shock value, Pamela was a devoted mom. After having her sons back-to-back, she significantly scaled back her professional work, which largely contributed to her declining popularity.

My most important job was taking care of the kids and being there for them. I never hired nannies – I wanted to be with them as much as possible, to share my attention and care.

More Romances

Shortly after her divorce, Anderson got engaged to Swedish model Marcus Schenkenberg, but their relationship ended after three years.

In 2001, Pamela was diagnosed with hepatitis C. She believes she contracted it when she and her husband shared a tattoo needle. Her doctor said this type of hepatitis was incurable, but 20 years later, Pamela announced she'd made a full recovery.

During this time, Pamela got engaged to singer and musician Kid Rock, but the couple split in 2003. In summer 2006, Anderson finally married Rock – the wedding took place in France. "I feel free at last... I'm in love," the actress said. That November, Pamela had a miscarriage, and just 17 days later, she filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

In October 2007, Anderson married film producer and professional poker player Rick Salomon, known for his romances with Charmed star Shannen Doherty and socialite Paris Hilton. The small wedding ceremony took place in Las Vegas.

The couple split in December, and in February 2008, Anderson went to court to annul the marriage, citing "fraud" – the star claimed Salomon had repeatedly deceived her. In January 2014, the actress announced she'd remarried Salomon, but by early 2015, they were divorced again.

Pamela Anderson and her boyfriend Adil Rami

After the divorce, she was linked to Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder. The star insisted they were just friends and visited the controversial figure in his London prison.

In mid-2017, Pamela Anderson started dating French footballer of Moroccan descent Adil Rami, who's 18 years her junior. They split in 2019.

Dan Hayhurst

In fall 2020, journalists spotted the actress with a new man. Pamela's heart was won by Dan Hayhurst, a security guard who'd been protecting her for years—and who happened to be 13 years younger. The couple spent the pandemic together at her Vancouver Island home.

On December 24, 2020, they tied the knot. The ceremony at her Canadian home was intimate: just the newlyweds, a wedding photographer, and the baker who made their cake. The bride's bouquet featured pine branches from her property, an olive branch (symbolizing peace), roses (romance), exotic orchids (passionate love), and baby's breath, representing new beginnings.

Shortly after the wedding, Dan's ex, Carey, publicly accused the star of breaking up their family. Turns out Hayhurst had three kids from his previous marriage.

In January 2022, just 13 months after saying "I do," Anderson filed for divorce. She later called the marriage a "disaster," noting she'd covered all the bills while doing all the cooking and cleaning for both of them.

Going Makeup-Free

In 2023, Pamela made the decision to stop wearing makeup—a pivotal shift in her public image.

The choice was tied to the death of her makeup artist Alexis Vogel, who passed away from breast cancer in 2019. "She was the best. Since then, I just felt like without Alexis, I'm better off without makeup," Pamela explained.

Pamela Anderson, collage of two photos, both showing portrait of the actress without makeup — Pamela Anderson ditched makeup and champions natural beauty

The actress maintained this approach not just in daily life but at major events too—including the 2023 Fashion Awards in London, Paris Fashion Week, and the 2025 Golden Globes. Initially, the bare-faced looks sparked mixed reactions, but public opinion gradually shifted to support Pamela's bold move.

Anderson noted that ditching makeup saved her tons of time: "My kids used to say I spent half my life in a makeup chair."

Documentary Project and Memoir

In the final days of January 2023, Netflix premiered the documentary "Pamela, a Love Story," with Anderson herself as the central figure.

Director Ryan White was granted full access to the actress's archives and diaries. In the film, Anderson shared memories of painful childhood episodes and her first negative intimate experience. The creators also included archival materials that chronologically traced the development of the romance between the actress and Tommy Lee.

Close-up of Pamela Anderson's face without makeup — Pamela Anderson in the documentary "Pamela, a Love Story"

Alongside the documentary, her autobiography "Love, Pamela" was published, debuting at number two on The New York Times bestseller list in its first week.

The decision to participate in this documentary was driven by several factors. First and foremost, the star needed to reexamine her own life. It's also important to mention Anderson's negative reaction to the series "Pam & Tommy," whose storyline centered around the scandalous tape with her ex-husband.

The star sharply criticized Hulu's "Pam & Tommy," calling its creators "assholes" and demanding a public apology. Anderson emphasized that no one contacted her about the project. The series was based on a 2014 Rolling Stone article and was created without her involvement, permission, or consent.

Two women in red swimsuits posing on the beach: on the left—an actress in character, on the right—the original Pamela Anderson from "Baywatch" — Lily James as Pamela on the set of "Baywatch" and the real Pamela Anderson

She compared the project to "salt in the wound" and stated she refused to watch it, despite the series receiving excellent reviews and 10 Emmy nominations. The actress also noted that seeing billboards of Lily James in prosthetics made her feel like her colleague was wearing a "Halloween costume."

Pamela Anderson Now

The 2020s gave Pamela Anderson a chance to prove herself as a talented dramatic actress.

From April 12 to June 5, 2022, she played Roxie Hart in the Broadway musical "Chicago" at the Ambassador Theatre. It was her Broadway debut, and it earned rave reviews – on opening night, Pamela received a standing ovation.

Pamela Anderson with a short retro-style haircut smiles on stage, holding a bouquet of red roses, while another woman applauds nearby — Pamela Anderson in the musical "Chicago"

The offer to appear in the show came 11 years earlier from director Rob Marshall, who met her on a beach in Malibu. At the time, Anderson put off the opportunity because she needed to be there for her kids.

After news broke about Pamela Anderson joining the cast, ticket sales jumped almost 9%.

In 2024, the world premiere of Gia Coppola's drama "The Last Showgirl" took place at the Toronto Film Festival.

Pamela Anderson in a sparkling show costume with feathers and embellishments sits at a dressing room mirror, thoughtfully resting her head on her hand — Pamela Anderson in the film "The Last Showgirl"

The film tells the story of an aging Las Vegas showgirl. The show she's performed in for three decades is closing down. Now her future's up in the air.

The director envisioned the actress in the lead role after watching the documentary "Pamela, a Love Story." When Anderson's agent turned down the offer, Coppola sent the script to the actress's son Brandon, who passed it along to his mother.

Anderson, who had announced she was done with acting, was intrigued by the script and later said:

This is the first good script I've ever read. Nobody's offered me scripts like this... This is the role I've been waiting for my entire career.

Critics praised Pamela's performance, highlighting her natural presence on camera, lack of overacting, and willingness to openly show her age.

The film scored 83% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Anderson earned nominations for a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress.

In 2025, news broke about Pamela's involvement in the new action-comedy "The Naked Gun." After the passing of Nielsen, who played the central character Lieutenant Frank Drebin in the three previous films, the filmmakers cast Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr. Anderson played a character named Beth. Her character turns to the detective for help investigating her brother's murder.

Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson in the film "The Naked Gun", still from the film — Still from the new "The Naked Gun"

Beyond major projects, the actress continued her activism, and in 2025 became the host of the plant-based cooking show "Pamela's Cooking with Love" on Flavour Network.

Pamela Anderson: latest news and articles

Dorothy Ramos

I remember, I remember this series about the rescuers of Malibu. Pamela Anderson is of course a sex bomb!

2021-05-13 12:24:06
Hunter Dylan Price

Interestingly, Pamela Anderson has Russian and Finnish roots. And in general, look at any celebrity, and they have so much mixed in their blood :))

2021-04-12 17:59:47
Shirley Holt

I never expected a woman like Anderson to deal with animal problems. Very commendable.

2021-03-10 11:34:57
Ruby Peterson

Pamela was once an idol for many. So the fashion for blondes really went, even I repainted from my light brown one day :)

2021-03-09 14:34:02
Dean Klein

I honestly don`t understand why everyone admired her? Much better to be natural than fake breasts and lips. Looks cheap.

2021-02-26 10:03:03

Pamela Anderson

Photos: Pamela Anderson