How Pamela Anderson Feels About Hulu's Pam & Tommy Miniseries

There was a time in the 1990s when Pamela Anderson was one of the most famous people on the face of the planet. Thanks to her breakout role on "Baywatch" and her brief but memorable time on the hit sitcom "Home Improvement," Anderson shot to fame like a rocket, even reaching true global superstardom levels when she married rock drummer Tommy Lee of Motley Crue fame. That whole saga, and the infamous leaked sex tape that followed, was previously documented in the 2022 Hulu miniseries "Pam & Tommy," which was met with a great deal of acclaim. So, what does Anderson think of the show?

In a recent "Andy Cohen Live" interview to promote her role in the "Naked Gun" reboot, Anderson touched on the series. Put simply, she wasn't a fan. "I didn't have any involvement. No one called me." Anderson explained, adding that it was "hurtful." When Cohen asked if doing such a thing without the real-life person's permission is illegal, Anderson got honest about her feelings. Here's what she had to say about it:

"I think, ethically, it's illegal. But, I mean, it's kind of fair game. I remember people telling me a long time ago that you are basically public property, and you have no right to privacy."

"I don't dwell on it, but it was kind of strange to pick a very terrible time in my life and make [entertainment]," Anderson added. She also seems to hold no ill-will against Lily James, of "Cinderella" and "Baby Driver" fame, who was transformed into Anderson for the miniseries. "It's not the actor's fault. I'm sure she's a great actress," Anderson clarified. Notably, Sebastian Stan ("Captain America: The Winter Soldier," "I, Tonya") underwent a similar transformation to play Lee.

This is not the first time that Anderson has talked about the miniseries, which was created by Robert Siegel and based on the book "Pam and Tommy: The Untold Story of the World's Most Infamous Sex Tape" by Amanda Chicago Lewis. In a January 2023 interview with Variety, Anderson also talked about the show, saying, "It didn't make me happy. No. A**holes [laughs]. No, not a**holes but just salt on the wound. Not necessary, but anyway, it happened."

"It just looked like another Halloween costume to me," Anderson added at the time, reflecting on the fact that lots of people used to dress up as her and Lee for Halloween. Though she's seemingly never seen the series, it's clear she doesn't care for what Hulu, Siegel, and the rest of the creatives involved with making the show came up with.

That said, it's not as though Anderson is dwelling on the series. "The Naked Gun" has ambitions of reviving theatrical comedy and is the most high-profile movie she's been a part of in years. She also re-claimed some fame, as well as her public identity, with the 2023 documentary "Pamela, a Love Story" on Netflix, on top of earning acclaim for her lead role in 2024's "The Last Showgirl." Circling back to the Cohen interview, Anderson explained that her recent work is a form of payback for her:

"This is the best payback. I'm being seen and recognized for my work and not these tawdry moments."

Indeed, the media focused heavily on those "tawdry" moments for many, many years. "Pam & Tommy" even highlighted how terrible the media was to women in the '90s. Whether or not Anderson is a fan of the show, it did try to highlight that element of this period in pop culture, which only looks all the worse with the benefit of hindsight. Now, in spite of the series, Anderson is reclaiming the spotlight on her own terms for reasons she's more proud of.

"Pam & Tommy" is streaming on Hulu. "The Naked Gun" opens in theaters on August 1, 2025.