Old Vegas shows inspire new Pamela Anderson film
Pamela Anderson once co-starred in a show on the Strip. She was magician Hans Klok’s sidekick in Klok’s short-lived “Beauty of Magic’ production at Planet Hollywood for six months in 2007. Anderson was the “Beauty” in this one.
The veteran actress is now portraying a Vegas performer theatrically, in Gia Coppola’s “The Last Showgirl.” Anderson plays a dancer in her 50s who is coming to terms with her future, seeking to repair her fractured relationship with her daughter.
Anderson’s pivotal moment is forced by the closing of her showgirl spectacular after a 30-year run. If you see a similarity with “Jubilee” or “Folies Bergere,” you would not be alone.
Some scenes for the film were reportedly shot at the Las Vegas residence of burlesque figure Gypsy Wood. Word around the scene is Vegas entertainment professional Jose Rodrigo headed up the film’s costume team. Rodrigo also helps maintain the old “Jubilee” costume’s in Dita Von Teese’s “Dita Las Vegas” show at Horseshoe Las Vegas. It’s life imitating art, in a way.
Thursday, Coppola shared the first public image of Anderson in costume for the film on her Instagram page. The Bellagio is in shown in the background.
The movie does not have a U.S. distributor or a release date. The film is to be shopped at Cannes Film Festival, which runs May 14-May 25. The Paris sales and production company Goodfellas and U.S. distributor and sales company Utopia are partnering for the first time to sell a title.
It is Anderson’s first feature since 2022’s “Alone at Night.” Anderson also co-starred in the 1996 action-sci fi thriller “Barb Wire.” She of course was a prominent cast member on the original “Baywatch” series in the late-1980s and into the ’90s. Fans of “Friends” were probably fans of “Baywatch,” too, for an obscure reference.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
