The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has long been the stage for many remarkable comeback stories. This year, Pamela Anderson, the one-time star of Baywatch, might just be the festival’s most unexpected comeback.
On Friday, filmmaker Gia Coppola premiered her indie drama, “The Last Showgirl,” featuring Anderson as an aging Las Vegas showgirl. The movie paints a poignant picture of Shelley, portrayed with raw emotion by Anderson, who is the long-reigning star of a casino dance show that is clearly past its prime. Shelley, along with her fellow scantily clad and feather-adorned dancers, faces dwindling audiences. The blow comes when the show’s stage manager, played by Dave Bautista, announces that they will soon perform their final show. This news leaves Shelley, who has devoted her life to the performance, grappling with the imminent closure and pondering her future.
“The Last Showgirl,” which is seeking distribution deals at TIFF, opened to mixed critical reviews. However, the audience rewarded the 57-year-old Anderson with warm applause at the Princess of Wales Theatre premiere.
“A role like this has been a lifetime in the making for me,” Anderson expressed to the crowd post-screening. For someone whose career highlights once included Baywatch and comedic appearances in Borat, the accolades from TIFF felt refreshingly novel. The opportunity to embody Shelley was a unique experience for Anderson, made even more special by the quality of the script.
“I’ve never received a script that was so coherent before,” she said. “Reading it, I felt like I was the only one who could truly bring Shelley to life. I had never felt so strongly about a character.”
“The Last Showgirl” continues a string of recent successes for Anderson. Earlier in 2023, she released her memoir “Love, Pamela,” and was the focus of the Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary, “Pamela, A Love Story.” Anderson’s recent venture into substantial storytelling echoes the themes explored in another TIFF contender, “The Substance,” a body horror film starring Demi Moore that also touches upon issues of ageism in the entertainment industry.
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Jamie Lee Curtis, another silver screen veteran, co-stars in “The Last Showgirl” as Annette, a heavily bronzed casino waitress who offers a heartfelt anecdote about her character.
Curtis, visibly emotional, said, “Annette is a product of the same reality that so many women live. Each one of you knows an Annette. This film is about dreams and the harsh reality that often comes with them. For women, especially, that reality can be particularly brutal.”
Smiling, Curtis added, “And let’s not underestimate the power of a good spray tan.”
The audience responded warmly not only to Anderson but also to Curtis, who has had her own string of recent accolades, including an Academy Award.
One of the film’s most poignant discussions revolves around the perception and depiction of aging. Coppola’s decision to cast Anderson in such a role is telling. Anderson has lived a life in the public eye, often scrutinized for her looks and personal decisions. “The Last Showgirl” draws parallels between the character’s and Anderson’s real-life journeys, spotlighting the often-painful decline of youthful glamour and the struggle to find purpose beyond the spotlight.
Many festival-goers pointed out the significance of such a narrative in today’s society, where discussions of ageism and representation are gaining much-needed traction. The success of “The Last Showgirl” at TIFF aligns with a broader cultural movement towards appreciating and acknowledging the complexities of aging, particularly for women in Hollywood.
In an industry notorious for its focus on youth, Anderson’s performance as Shelley offers a rare and refreshing counter-narrative. The character’s defiance against becoming irrelevant mirrors Anderson’s own resolve, thus resonating deeply with both audiences and critics alike.
The reception at TIFF could pave the way for more diverse roles for Anderson and her peers, proving that experience and maturity are assets rather than liabilities in the realm of film and storytelling.
As TIFF continues to celebrate cinema from around the globe, “The Last Showgirl” stands out not only for its poignant storytelling but also for its testament to resilience and reinvention. Pamela Anderson’s unexpected yet delightful return to the silver screen serves as a powerful reminder that talent and dedication can transcend time and trends.
