Playboy knew and loved her before she conquered the world. Pamela Anderson remains our most coveted and reigning queen cover girl, having appeared on our cover 14 times—more than any other woman in Playboy history. She was a blonde with a whole lot of ambition. “Hollywood people are dreamers, always grabbing for something big,” The Ladysmith Canada native told Playboy back in 1990 about her adoptive home of California at the start of her career rise. “I’m a dreamer too so I guess I belong here.” 

Anderson didn’t just dream big, her self-vision was colossal. After being discovered on a Jumbotron at a British Columbia’s Lions football game, Pamela went from starring in a commercial campaign to the pages of Playboy to TV and film as an actress, producer and director to a media mogul to entrepreneur superstar. Anderson is author of four books and has created both fragrance and lingerie lines. She’s also a devoted momma bear to two adult sons by Lee, Brandon Thomas and Dylan Jagger.

Pamela even dared to tamper with the very thing that made people notice in the first place—her appearance. First, she vamped up her girl next door beauty to high voltage sex goddess; with long platinum blond locks, smoky eyes, pale lips, tweezer thin brows and breast implants. Then, she deconstructed that image by chopping off her locks into a pixie cut, opting for natural barely there makeup—and removing her implants. She remained still Pamela, still breathtakingly beautiful.

But it’s Pamela, the philanthropist and activist who really takes our breath away. A longtime advocate for animal rights, environmental and human welfare, Anderson worked with a variety of organizations including PETA, American Liver Foundation, National Domestic Violence and J/P Haitian Relief Organization. Anderson was also the face for MAC Cosmetics’ Viva Glam V Campaigns that raised money for people living with HIV and AIDS. For Pamela, simply looking good was never enough. Her life’s purpose and work constantly answers the question: what good can you share and do for others? Her creation of the Pamela Anderson Foundation which contributes to animal, environmental and human rights causes, continues that quest.

In 2018, as her personal life continued to draw interest and delicious gossipy hot steam; Pamela was rumored to be juggling a pair of paramours— soccer star Adil Rami and Russian billionaire Evgeny Lebedev, it was announced audiences would be treated to an Anderson throwback retro return. The original Baywatch series is being remastered for a whole new generation. Audiences will get to rediscover the campy fun magic that was C.J. Parker in all her red swimsuit iconic splendor in high definition backed by an updated soundtrack. But, don’t dare call it a comeback. Pamela Anderson’s been here for years and she's definitely here to stay.