Pamela Anderson gets candid about struggles of being ‘pop culture’ icon

Pamela Anderson got candid about her struggles with mental health, which caused her decade-long hiatus from the spotlight.

The Baywatch alum, who was attending the Zurich Film Festival to promote her upcoming film, opened up about how she believes that she was suffering from depression.

“I look at it now and it feels like I went from Baywatch to Broadway," the 57-year-old actress and model told Variety. "I don’t know what happened in between, it’s all a big blur. I am just happy to be here, in this moment, because I think I have had depression for a couple of decades.” 

At the festival, apart from promoting her new film, The Last Showgirl, produced by Gia Coppola the granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola, the Barb Wire star also took home the Zurich’s Golden Eye Award.

Expressing her surprise over receiving the the honour, she shared, “I never thought I would on stage receiving an award like that.” 

She continued, “I just want to keep working. I am excited to do more."

Anderson further discussed her joy over returning to limelight following the release of her documentary, Pamela, A Love Story, which was released in 2023 on Netflix.

The model went on to share how it took a long time to shed her iconic Baywatch persona, all the while knowing she was capable for more.

“Ryan [White] made that doc and that’s how Gia saw me,” she explained. “I always knew I was capable of more. It’s great to be a part of pop culture, but it’s a blessing and a curse.”

She surmised, “People fall in love with you because of a bathing suit. It has taken a long time, but I am here.”