Pamela Anderson will receive the Stella della Mole Award at Italy’s Torino Film Festival, where she’ll also introduce a special screening of The Last Showgirl and take part in an onstage conversation.
The festival runs from November 24 to December 2, and previous recipients of the lifetime achievement honor include Spike Lee, Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas.
The recognition follows Anderson’s performance as veteran showgirl Shelly Gardner in Gia Coppola’s 2024 film, which earned her a 2025 Golden Globe nomination. At 59, she’s being honored for a career that includes playing C.J. Parker on Baywatch from 1992 to 1997 and a growing slate of film roles.
Festival artistic director Giulio Base pointed to the performance as a reason to reconsider an actress audiences had known for decades: “We thought we knew everything about her, but in this film every gesture of hers revealed a sensitivity as a performer that is both moving and surprising.”
Anderson was already looking toward more demanding work when she appeared on The Graham Norton Show in early 2025. “I want challenging roles, I want to transform and see what I am made of. I feel like I have only just scratched the surface.”
She’s also described a personal connection to Shelly, whose work gives her a sense of purpose that’s being taken away. Writing about acting, Anderson said, “Being an artist is solitary, lonely and full of secrets.” She added: “I’ve been there. I’ve been objectified at times, and written off. I’ve made mistakes, reinvented myself time and again.”
Her film work since The Last Showgirl includes The Naked Gun, Rosebush Pruning and Place To Be. Alma, Love Is Not The Answer and Somedays are also in postproduction.