Pamela Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model, and activist best known for her role as C.J. Parker on the hit TV series Baywatch. With a career spanning over three decades, she has become one of the most recognizable faces in the entertainment industry, admired not only for her beauty and charisma but also for her passionate activism in animal rights and environmental causes.
Quick Facts About Pamela Anderson
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Pamela Denise Anderson |
| Birthdate & Place | July 1, 1967, Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian-American |
| Profession | Actress, Model, Author, Activist |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Spouse & Children | Married multiple times, including Tommy Lee (1995–1998), Kid Rock (2006–2007), Rick Salomon (2007–2008, 2014–2015), Dan Hayhurst (2020–2022); Children: Brandon Thomas Lee, Dylan Jagger Lee |
| Parents | Barry Anderson, Carol Anderson |
| Education | Highland Secondary School, Comox, British Columbia |
| Career Start | 1989 |
| Breakthrough Role | C.J. Parker in Baywatch (1992–1997) |
| Major Works | Baywatch, V.I.P., Barb Wire, Scary Movie 3, Pamela: A Love Story |
| Awards | Star on Canada’s Walk of Fame (2006), multiple Playboy covers |
| Philanthropy | PETA, environmental and human rights causes |
| Social Media | @pamelaanderson (Millions of followers across Instagram & X) |
| Net Worth | Estimated $20 million |
| Residence | Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada |
| Upcoming Projects | Memoirs, environmental documentaries |
| Fun Fact | She was discovered at a football game when her image appeared on the stadium’s big screen. |
Early Life & Background
Pamela Denise Anderson was born on July 1, 1967, in Ladysmith, a small town on Vancouver Island, Canada. Her parents, Barry and Carol Anderson, raised her in a modest household. Growing up, Pamela enjoyed sports and outdoor activities, showing early confidence and charisma. She attended Highland Secondary School in Comox, British Columbia, where she excelled in athletics and fitness.
Career Beginnings & Rise to Fame
Pamela’s career began unexpectedly in 1989 when she attended a Canadian Football League game. A camera operator featured her on the stadium’s big screen wearing a Labatt’s beer T-shirt, leading to her becoming the brand’s spokesmodel. That same year, she appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine, which launched her modeling career.
Her big break in acting came in 1992 when she joined the cast of Baywatch as lifeguard C.J. Parker. The show became a global phenomenon, making her one of the most famous television personalities of the 1990s.
Major Achievements & Legacy
Over the years, Pamela starred in several TV series and films, including V.I.P., Barb Wire, and comedies like Scary Movie 3. She holds the record for the most Playboy covers of any model. Beyond entertainment, she has built a legacy as a passionate animal rights advocate, working closely with PETA and other humanitarian organizations.
Personal Life & Recent Work
Pamela’s personal life has often made headlines, from her high-profile marriages to her devotion as a mother to her two sons, Brandon and Dylan. In recent years, she stepped away from Hollywood’s spotlight, focusing on her home in Canada and her activism. In 2023, Netflix released Pamela: A Love Story, a documentary offering a candid look at her life. She is now working on her memoirs and several environmental projects.
Fun Facts & Trivia
Pamela was the first baby born in Canada on July 1, 1967, the country’s centennial year, earning her the unofficial title of “Centennial Baby.” She is also a skilled cook and has published vegan recipes to promote plant-based living.
Pamela Anderson’s journey from a small-town Canadian girl to an international icon is a story of resilience, reinvention, and passion. Whether on-screen in Baywatch, advocating for animal rights, or sharing her personal truths in documentaries, she continues to inspire fans around the world. With new projects on the horizon, Pamela remains a powerful and unique voice in both entertainment and activism.
Most Common Questions About
Anderson said that not wearing makeup has felt “freeing and fun, and a little rebellious too.” “Because I did notice that there were all these people doing big makeup looks, and it’s just like me to go against the grain and do the opposite of what everyone’s doing,” she told Elle in August 2023.
Pamela Anderson has been legally married five times, but she’s only had four husbands: Tommy Lee, Kid Rock, Rick Salomon and Dan Hayhurst.
Anderson has been vegetarian since her teens and vegan since her early 20s. She has also worked closely with the animal rights organization PETA for nearly three decades.
Pamela revealed in 2002 that she had contracted Hepatitis C by sharing a tattoo needle with ex-husband Tommy Lee. The model, whose barbed-wire tattoo rings her left arm, said in a statement she has been undergoing outpatient treatment for the disease at the University of California, Los Angles Medical Center.
She married her first husband, Tommy Lee, drummer of Mötley Crüe, on February 19, 1995, after knowing him for only four days.
Through her spate of Playboy covers (the most any woman has ever been given) and her role as CJ on Baywatch (at its peak the highest rated TV show in the world), she manifested into one of the most famous people in Hollywood at a moment when fame itself was more famous than ever.
The former Baywatch star and animal activist declared herself cured of the disease in the fall of 2015. Anderson was infected with the virus in the 1990s by rocker ex-husband Tommy Lee. Both are now cured of the virus. Up until 2013, hepatitis C was considered incurable.
In 2014, Anderson removed her iconic barbed wire tattoo from her left bicep, that she permanently got for her role in “Barb Wire.”
Lee continued, “You’ve always been there for me and your spirit and kindness is an inspiration to me,” he told Anderson. “Like I said 500 thousand times and on that damn sex tape, I f—— love you, baby.” Later that month, Lee told PEOPLE, “We’re crazy in love.
The real Rand Gauthier did break into Tommy’s vault and steal the tape in 1995 after being unceremoniously fired without pay for contracting work on Pam and Tommy’s house renovations. He was eventually caught but never faced jail time for his actions due to Internet crime being such a new concept.
In the decades since, Anderson has continued to do things her way, taking on select projects, like her critically acclaimed starring role in director Gia Coppola’s 2024 film The Last Showgirl and a comedy turn in 2025’s The Naked Gun, as well as leaning into one of her biggest passions, animal rights.
Born and raised in Ladysmith, Canada, Anderson was discovered while attending a Lions football game in Canada when she appeared on the jumbotron wearing a Labatt’s Beer t-shirt, a shirt she wore to obtain free game tickets. It led to an offer to appear in a Labatt’s commercial, and subsequently her career in Hollywood.
She got her biggest Hollywood break with The Naked Gun (2025), and suddenly her life turned around. She is also currently dating her co-star Liam Neeson, as per reports. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Pamela has an estimated net worth of $20 million.
Everybody read it; there was a ‘Pamela’ rage, and Pamela motifs appeared on teacups and fans, as Margaret Ann Doody reports in her introduction to a modern day edition. The novel was praised for its psychological veracity and its moral influence on the readers.
Pamela Anderson’s Dating History: Tommy Lee, Kid Rock, Liam Neeson.
Pamela gave birth to both of her children at home — Brandon, now 23, and Dylan, now 21 — and she seems happy with her decision, even though it was unexpected when it came to her family. “I had a wonderful midwife. I remember foolishly saying, ‘I can handle pain … I have tattoos!
The former Playboy Playmate and Baywatch star grabbed plenty of headlines during her up-and-down marriage to Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee. Anderson claims she came down with hepatitis C after sharing a tattoo needle with Lee.
According to police reports, the Mötley Crüe drummer assaulted Anderson while she was holding their 2-month-old son, Dylan, in their Malibu home. Lee was sentenced to six months in prison after pleading no contest to felony spousal battery.
Through her spate of Playboy covers (the most any woman has ever been given) and her role as CJ on Baywatch (at its peak the highest rated TV show in the world), she manifested into one of the most famous people in Hollywood at a moment when fame itself was more famous than ever.
In real life, Pamela Anderson did at one point lose a pregnancy while with Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, but that was in June 1995 — months before the sex tape was stolen, let alone distributed and wreaking havoc in the couple’s life.
