Pamela Anderson Reveals Why Challenging the ‘Idea of Beauty’ Was an Immediate Game-Changer for Her

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Pamela Anderson’s comeback might be one of the most celebrated Hollywood returns because she’s presenting her true authentic self. She never really was the Playboy Playmate stereotype at heart, the all-natural glow fans are seeing on the red carpet is the real 57-year-old star.

She’s been challenging the “idea of beauty and this mask we put on” over the last few years and it’s brought her worldwide attention. She shared with Better Homes & Gardens why she decided to just be herself moving forward. Anderson recalled, “It just happened to be this silly thing of being at Paris Fashion Week and me saying, ‘I’m not going to sit in a makeup chair for three hours. I’m going to the Louvre.'” She realized that she was not in competition with anyone, she was there to enjoy and wear “these glamorous clothes.”

Anderson pointed out that it was “such a refreshing way to see everything, and I didn’t think anyone would even notice.” Well, we noticed all right! Her inner beauty continues to shine through, and she’s given other women the courage to ditch the makeup if they want to. It had become armor to her and Anderson admitted that the moment she “took the mask off, the whole world opened up.” Her next project, The Last Showgirl, is headed to the Toronto Film Festival in September and it’s already drawing Oscar buzz. The woman who was trapped by the runaway media narrative of her sex tape with ex-husband Tommy Lee for decades now has everyone in Hollywood calling her.

Even by bucking ageism and the societal ideals of beauty, Anderson revealed to i-d magazine that it can be “challenging” to grow older. “And you just have to understand that you are good enough and that you are beautiful. I like to say the word life-ing instead of aging. Chasing youth is just futile,” she said. But “life-ing” is going well for her. In addition to her award-worthy film, she’s currently in production with Liam Neeson on the set of the Naked Gun reboot, and her I Love You: Recipes from the Heart cookbook will be out Oct. 15. 

Anderson has been an icon her entire career, but the mood has shifted a bit and people are now relating to her on levels they never have before. “I have people stop me on the street now and say, “You know, I never liked you before, but I do now.” And then I think, Hmm, I know there’s a compliment in there somewhere,” she laughed to Better Homes & Gardens. Anderson’s diehard fans know she’s always been a queen — it just took longer for some people to catch up.  

Before you go, click here to see all of Pamela Anderson’s confirmed relationships below: