‘Not a victim, but a survivor’: Pamela Anderson is ready to ‘tell the real story’ in a new Netflix documentary

After refusing to give the recent Hulu series her blessing, Pamela Anderson is taking matters into her own hands and will tell her – very personal – story in her own way and on her own terms. 

Sharing a photo of a handwritten note she penned on Netflix letterhead, the actress announced that she had teamed up with the popular streaming site to finally tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. “My life. A thousand imperfections. A million misperceptions. Wicked, wild and lost. Nothing to live up to. I can only surprise you – not a victim, but a survivor and alive to tell the real story,” the message reads. 

According to reports, the as-yet-untitled documentary will be brought to life by director Ryan White, with Anderson’s son, Brandon Thomas Lee, also credited as a producer on the project. Giving viewers exclusive access to Pam and her personal journals, Netflix later confirmed that the film – which has already “been in the making for several years” – will see the pop culture icon set the record straight as she looks back on both her professional path and her personal journey. 

Anderson’s announcement comes just a few short weeks after Pam & Tommy, a new eight-part miniseries starring Lily James and Sebastian Stan, aired on Hulu and Disney+ last month. Centred on Anderson’s fall from grace after a sex tape she made with then-husband Tommy Lee was leaked to the public, many have denounced the series since learning that Pam never gave her permission for her story to be used. 

Declining offers to consult on the project, sources close to the actress claim that she has no intention of ever watching the series. However, series lead Lily James, wishes things had played out differently, previously telling Porter Magazine, that she was hopeful Pam would change her mind. “I was really hopeful that she [Pamela Anderson] would be involved,” she admitted. “My sole intention was to take care of the story and play Pamela authentically.” James even reached out to Anderson independently of production, but it was to no avail and the former Baywatch star never got back in touch. 

No one in Camp Anderson is happy that the project ever got the go-ahead though. Close friend Courtney Love described it as “so f*cking outrageous”, later condemning it for causing Pam more “complex trauma”. Several others have since echoed her sentiments, with the general consensus seeming to be that the series has merely re-exploited Pamela Anderson for entertainment value all over again.