SimplyAbuDhabi XLVII

Our 3 Questions for Pamela Anderson Simply Abu Dhabi: Many congratulations on your incredible performance in The Last Showgirl , for which you received incredible acclaim, including Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations. Did you expect it to get the reception it did? I was just trying to get it done [laughs]. But, I mean, this reception is a bonus, because it’s nice that people feel what you’re feeling when you’re filming it. It’s exciting. I think playing Roxy in Chicago on Broadway was the warm-up. It taught me a lot about the culture backstage, about performers, and the lives of the people that have been doing these roles for 20 years. Speaking of Roxy, how did that role come about for you? I was back in the place I grew up, working in my garden – I was just trying to remember who I was. I wanted to be defined by what I do and not what has been done to me. And as soon as I did that, things just started percolating. Barry Weissler called me and said, ‘I know you’re capable. I want you to come do Roxy in Chicago . So I did Broadway for eight weeks. And I didn’t know if I could sing or dance or act on stage - but I could do all of it at the same time! It’s an incredible career trajectory. How did it come about? Being a part of pop culture is a blessing, but it’s a little bit of a curse if you want to convince people that you can do other things. I think you have to believe in yourself before others do. You have to respect yourself so others can. I didn’t want to be that character I’d been walking around like. So I really thought about what I’m presenting to the world, what did I want my legacy to be? I just did the best I could and I’m glad it’s been well received. But we worked really hard on it. Simply Abu Dhabi | 87