Entertainment Awards Shows and Events Toronto Film Festival Pamela Anderson Was ‘Getting Ready My Whole Life’ for Last Showgirl Role: ‘I Have Nothing to Lose’ After reading Kate Gersten's script, Anderson told the Toronto International Film Festival crowd she knew she was the "only one who could do this" By Nigel Smith Nigel Smith Nigel Smith is the Senior Movies News Editor for PEOPLE. He is an experienced culture editor and writer with a 12-year history of working in the online and print industries. People Editorial Guidelines and Daniel S. Levine Daniel S. Levine Daniel Levine is a Staff Editor at PEOPLE. He joined PEOPLE in 2022. His work previously appeared at PopCulture.com, Heavy, and TheCelebrityCafe.com. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 6, 2024 06:53PM EDT Comments Pamela Anderson. Photo: Kayla Oaddams/Getty Pamela Anderson has a role of a lifetime in her new film The Last Showgirl. "I think I've been getting ready my whole life for this role," Anderson said during a post-screening Q&A session following its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, Sept. 6. She jokingly said it was the first time she'd ever been given a script that was "coherent" and she realized she was the "only one who could do this." "I've never felt that strongly about something," Anderson continued. "So after that, I thought, 'You know what, I have nothing to lose. I'm just gonna do it, just be it.' " The film, from director Gia Coppola, marks Anderson's first movie role since 2022, and also stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Bautista, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka and Billie Lourd. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Last Showgirl follows a seasoned showgirl in her fifties whose show abruptly closes after a 30-year run. She begins to struggle with what her future holds, all while she attempts to repair her relationship with her daughter. “I’ve always wanted to make a movie in Vegas,” Coppola, 37, previously told Deadline. “I’m so proud of our cast and crew, especially Pamela. I can’t wait to share her daring and heartfelt performance!” Jamie Lee Curtis 'Deeply' Respects Pamela Anderson for ‘Walking Through the B.S. of Show Business’ (Exclusive) Pamela Anderson. Kayla Oaddams/Getty “I think she is a transcendent creature,” Curtis, 65, told PEOPLE exclusively at the premiere of her costar. “I think she is so smart and deeply spiritual and soulful. And beautiful!” “I love the way she is walking through the B.S. of show business and saying, ‘I do not need to play your game,’” added Curtis. “And I respect her for it so deeply.” Jamie Lee Curtis 'Deeply' Respects Pamela Anderson for ‘Walking Through the B.S. of Show Business’ (Exclusive) Anderson, 57, recently served as the subject of her producer son Brandon Lee’s 2023 documentary, Pamela, A Love Story. The Netflix documentary was nominated for two Emmy Awards, including best documentary or nonfiction special and best documentary music composition. She also appeared on Broadway in 2023 in the long-running Chicago musical. After The Last Showgirl, Anderson is expected to appear in the next Naked Gun movie, which reboots the franchise with Liam Neeson in the lead role. Close