For more than three decades, Pamela Anderson<\/strong><\/a> has been the pinnacle of beauty and grace on television screens and magazine covers \u2014 but the story of how she got discovered is quite unique.<\/p>\n Anderson grew up in Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada. It wasn\u2019t until she appeared on the jumbotron at a BC Lions Canadian Football League game at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver that she shot to fame. She was wearing a cropped Labatt’s beer T-shirt at the time of the appearance.<\/p>\n The jumbotron moment led to her appearing in Playboy and later snagging the role of C.J. Parker on Baywatch<\/a>. She went on to appear in plenty of other projects over the years, including V.I.P., Stacked and Barb Wire.<\/p>\n After her unconventional rise to fame, Anderson looks back on her career fondly.<\/p>\n Pamela Anderson Through the Years: Photos of the \u2018Baywatch\u2019 Star\u2019s Transformation From Then to Now<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t change one thing about my life or I wouldn\u2019t be here,\u201d she told Deadline<\/a> in November 2024.<\/p>\n Scroll below for a look back at how Anderson became a household name.<\/p>\n Anderson recalled the viral jumbotron moment while appearing in Harper\u2019s Bazaar\u2019s All About Me series.<\/p>\n \u201cI got free tickets to a football game, and then the camera man found me in the audience and put me up on the jumbotron,\u201d she said during the January 2025 interview. \u201cIt\u2019s funny because I remember seeing myself up on the big screen and thinking, \u2018Oh, you look old,\u2019 and I must have been, like, 22 and then I didn’t think about it. Then I thought, \u2018Oh, my goodness,\u2019 that was my first reaction, and my second reaction was, \u2018Oh, I\u2019m on the TV screen.\u2019\u201d\u2060<\/p>\n Aeon\/GC Images<\/span><\/p>\n Anderson, who was 22 years old at the time, got the call to become a spokesmodel for Labatt. Shortly after, Anderson landed the cover of Playboy in October 1989.<\/p>\n She reflected on the experience while visiting The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon<\/a> in February 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople called, and Playboy called, and I came to L.A. It was my first plane ride,\u201d she shared.<\/p>\n \u201cI did not know that was the story,\u201d host Jimmy Fallon<\/strong> admitted. \u201cThey thought you were stunning on the jumbotron.\u201d<\/p>\n Pamela Anderson\u2019s Makeup-Free Photos From Her Red Carpet Outings and More Bare-Faced Appearances<\/a><\/p>\n Ultimately, she decided to move to Los Angeles for more opportunities after the Playboy spread.<\/p>\n She made her acting debut in a 1990 episode of Charles in Charge and snagged the role of Lisa in Home Improvement the following year. Anderson made her Baywatch debut in 1992. She left the show in 1997.<\/p>\n Baywatch is just one of the big-name projects on Anderson\u2019s resume. She has since gone on to star in The Last Showgirl, The Naked Gun<\/a> and Broadway\u2019s Chicago.<\/p>\n While Anderson has been on the Hollywood scene for more than 35 years, she considers 2024\u2019s The Last Showgirl to be a fresh start. In the film, Anderson portrayed Shelly Gardner, a showgirl with three decades of experience performing at a club in Las Vegas. The role earned her a nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture \u2013 Drama at the 2025 Golden Globes.<\/p>\nPamela Anderson Recalls Jumbotron Moment<\/h2>\n
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What Happened After the Jumbotron?<\/h2>\n
Pamela Anderson Says Her Career Has Only Just Begun<\/h2>\n