There’s no doubt that Pamela Anderson is a cultural icon, but she was never really considered by a lot of audiences as a ‘serious’ actress; rather she gained her fame with her sex symbol status and signature curves and blonde hair.
Anderson has recently been going through an interesting transition in her career, going public about not wearing makeup, and now people are buzzing about her upcoming role in the movie The Last Showgirl.
Pamela Anderson in The Last Showgirl
The Last Showgirl is directed by Gia Coppola, niece of director Sofia Coppola, and the granddaughter of Francis Ford Copoola. Here’s the trailer for the film:
The synopsis for the movie reads:
“The Last Showgirl, a poignant film of resilience, rhinestones and feathers, stars Pamela Anderson as Shelley, a glamorous showgirl who must plan for her future when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year run.”
Just looking at the trailer, you can tell that the film is on a very different level as compared to Anderson’s previous projects. While she was the figure known for doing sexy comedy back in the early 2000s, Anderson has recently had some projects where she looks back at her career, and The Last Showgirl feels like a part that was made for her—what with all of her history on the big screen.
A Star-Studded Cast
Besides Anderson as the lead, the movie has also managed to bring together a lot of great talent. Jamie Lee Curtis is also part of the cast, and she seems like the perfect person to pair with Anderson, seeing as she was also heavily sexualized during the height of her fame. Dave Bautista is also in the movie breaking his usual mould of muscle-bound characters.
With the character of Shelley also being surrounded by younger showgirls, the cast has brought in some famous child actors like Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and Brenda Song (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody), furthering the meta casting in that these younger showgirls are part of a dying art form—and the actresses are played by shows that were once big, but no longer ongoing.
Jason Schwartzman has also been cast in the film, but so far there isn't a glimpse of him in the trailer.
The Role of a Lifetime
So far, early reviews for the film have been praising the performance of Anderson, who looks to be going through new public reevaluation when it comes to her career and image. Some are even saying that her performance is too good for this movie.
With a third-generation Coppola at the helm, The Last Showgirl is still said to have a lot of style when it comes to its visuals, but there have been criticisms of the story being a tad lackluster.
Despite what the film lacks, a lot of people are hoping that this marks a new era in Anderson's career where she will actually be encouraged to act in more serious films moving forward.
No doubt audiences will decide once the movie comes out in theaters and on digital soon enough. Catch The Last Showgirl when it comes to cinemas on Dec. 13.