Pamela Anderson Tells IndieWire Honors Crowd That ‘The Last Showgirl’ Is ‘Only the Beginning’

Taking the stage at Citizen News in Hollywood on Thursday, December 5 for IndieWire Honors 2024, Pamela Anderson had the aura of a classic movie star — and her recent turn in Gia Coppola’s “The Last Showgirl” may make her just that. Anderson is being lauded with awards buzz and, to kick off the season, host Simon Rex presented her with the Performance Award to celebrate a moment in Anderson’s career she’s been waiting a long, long time for.

“Thank you IndieWire for this prestigious honor and for giving me a stage to count my blessings and give thanks where credit is due. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude that you would choose to celebrate my humble performance. I just hope it’s only the beginning,” Anderson said. “I share his honor with my ‘The Last Showgirl’ family, Gia Coppola, Kate Gersten, Jamie Lee Curtis, Billie Lourd, Kiernan Shipka, Brenda Song, and Dave Bautista, and with my beautiful sons, Brandon and Dylan. I’ve only ever wanted to make you proud. I want to thank my mom and dad, my brother Jerry for putting up with me, my unique journey, and what came with that. And that was a lot.”

Anderson went on to thank the support network around her, including her acting teacher and assistant, as well as her new agents at CAA, having parted ways with her old one after they turned down the script for “The Last Showgirl.” After closing with appreciation for her publicists and the film’s distributor, Roadside Attractions, the actress turned her attention to all those out there still trying to make their dreams come true.

“Here’s to independent filmmakers and to the talented, hard-working actors, going to acting class, collecting skills and life experience, preparing for their moment to shine, doing their best against the odds. Don’t give up. It’s never too late,” Anderson told the audience at Citizen News. “Movies, like people, can carry big dreams with small budgets, time, and resources. You only have to be a little more creative and resilient and keep that fire burning however small, however hidden. I wish you so much luck and love. I feel the love and I feel rooted for and you know, I’m rooting for you, too.”

Watch Anderson’s full speech above, and check out all of our IndieWire Honors coverage right here.

Roadside Attractions releases “The Last Showgirl” in select theaters on Friday, December 13.