Apropos of a new series centering on her relationship (and sex tape) with Mötley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, cultural superstar and Baywatch actress Pamela Anderson is experiencing something of a return to the public eye. It's a great time, then, for Netflix to have just announced the newest documentary project for their ever-expanding streaming slate: a new film focusing on Anderson, which the streamer describes in a press release as "the definitive documentary about the pop culture icon".
Directed by Ryan White, whose previous credits include The Keepers and Ask Dr. Ruth, the film "has been in the making for several years," and "will feature exclusive access to [Anderson], as well as never before seen archive footage and personal journals". Anderson herself announced the documentary on her Instagram page, sharing a lipstick kiss marked note which reads:
"My life. A thousand imperfections. A million misperceptions. Wicked, wild & lost. Nothing to live up to. I can only surprise you. Not a victim, but a survivor. Alive to tell the real story."
As far as household names go, Anderson has been through a lot. She first rose to prominence as one of the preeminent models for Playboy, exploding into the public eye when she was selected as the Playmate of the Month in February 1990 — a much more notable accolade in the pre-internet days, not least for adult stars. She went on to hold the record for Playboy covers, holding more than any of her peers, or any star to come after her. Later, she went on to star in the ABC comedy series Home Improvement, further cementing her celebrity status for an entire demographic of Americans... less aware, let's say, of the Playboy Mansion.
She became the emblematic sex symbol in Baywatch, which she starred in alongside the hunky David Hasselhoff. Later, she starred in a number of different Hollywood films, including the likes of Superhero Movie, Barb Wire, and Blonde and Blonder. She has been a political activist on a series of fronts since 2005, when she became a spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics' MAC AIDS Fund, in support of those with HIV and AIDS across the globe. She raised money for the cause in cities across the planet.
Here's the official logline for the new documentary, which is yet to receive a title:
"An intimate portrait embedded in the life of Pamela Anderson as she looks back at her professional and personal path and prepares for the next steps on her journey."