What is Pamela Anderson’s net worth?
With a net worth of $20 million, Pamela Anderson, a Canadian-American actress, glamour model, producer, author, and animal rights activist, has made a significant mark in the entertainment industry. Initially gaining fame as a Playboy model, she ascended to international stardom through her iconic role in the series “Baywatch.” Beyond her notable media appearances, Pamela’s off-screen life has also attracted considerable attention, particularly her turbulent marriages with figures such as Tommy Lee, a drummer for Motley Crüe, music artist Kid Rock, and film producer Jon Peters, among others.
Interestingly, Pamela Anderson’s journey to global recognition commenced rather unexpectedly. While attending a BC Lions Canadian Football League game in Vancouver, Canada, where she resided and worked, a moment caught on the massive stadium screen showcased her in a tight Labatt’s beer t-shirt, igniting wild cheers from the crowd. The enthusiastic response led her onto the field to tremendous applause, and from that moment, she landed her first Playboy cover, beginning a long and fruitful relationship with the magazine that spanned decades. Pamela holds the record for appearing on more Playboy covers than any other model and has been featured in its pages for over four decades.
Upon moving to Los Angeles, she embarked on a relatively successful acting career that helped broaden her audience. Her notable performances include recurring or leading roles in shows like “Home Improvement,” “Baywatch,” “The Nanny,” and “V.I.P.,” along with appearances in films such as “Raw Justice” and “Barb Wire.” Pamela also participated in the reality series “Pam: Girl on the Loose” on E!, and competed in various reality shows like “VIP Brother,” a Bulgarian version of “Big Brother,” as well as “Dancing with the Stars” and “Dancing on Ice.”
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Financial Problems
Following their brief 12-day marriage in 2020, film producer Jon Peters hinted in an interview that one reason for their breakup was Pamela’s financial struggles. He mentioned having to clear $200,000 in debts on her behalf. In a January 2023 interview, Peters revealed that he had allocated $10 million for Pamela in his will.
Notably, despite being one of the world’s most recognized figures for over a decade starting in the mid-1990s, Pamela was not compensated well relative to her success. During the first season of “Baywatch,” she earned merely $1,500 per episode. It wasn’t until later seasons that her salary significantly increased, where even earning $300,000 per episode amounted to around $6.6 million before taxes.
In 2009, Pamela made California’s Top 500 Delinquent Tax Payers list due to a $1.7 million lien for unpaid taxes. By 2012, she faced two additional tax liens related to unpaid taxes from 2011, with the IRS stating she owed $260,000, while California claimed $112,000 in taxes owed.
In 2013, to regain financial stability, Pamela attempted to sell her Malibu mansion for approximately $8 million, but no buyers came forward. This situation ultimately proved to be beneficial.
she sold the home for just under $12 million in August 2021.
Early Life
Born on July 1, 1967, in Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada, Pamela Denise Anderson’s birth coincided with the 100th anniversary of Canada’s official founding, earning her the title of “Centennial Baby.” Her father, Barry, worked as a furnace repairman while her mother, Carol, was a waitress. Anderson experienced trauma during her childhood, having been sexually abused by a female babysitter from the age of six until ten. At 12, she was raped by a 25-year-old man; later, she was gang-raped at 14 by her boyfriend and six of his friends.
In high school, she participated in volleyball and graduated in 1985. She briefly moved to Vancouver in 1998 to become a fitness instructor while also pursuing modeling. Her first paid modeling job was with Labatt Beer, a Canadian company, in 1989. At this time, she also started exploring the idea of becoming a Playboy Playmate, which would eventually launch her fame and career.
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Career
In the October 1989 issue of Playboy, Pamela Anderson featured on the cover. She became Playmate of the Month in February 1990, also appearing in that issue’s centerfold layout. At the time of this writing, Anderson holds the record for the most Playboy covers and has had a career with the magazine lasting over three decades.
During the early 1990s,
Anderson secured several guest-starring roles on sitcoms before taking on the role of Lisa, the Tool Time Girl, on “Home Improvement” from 1991 to 1993. Nevertheless, it was her portrayal of Los Angeles lifeguard C.J. Parker on “Baywatch,” which began in 1992, that propelled her into stardom and made her a household name. Spanning from 1992 to 1997, “Baywatch” aired a total of 76 episodes. In 1996, Anderson starred in the title role of the film “Barb Wire,” for which she won a Razzie Award for Worst New Star. Additionally, she hosted “Saturday Night Live” in April 1997.
From 1998 to 2002, she starred in the TV series “V.I.P.” Following that, she appeared in “Stacked” from 2005 to 2006. In 2006, Anderson also made an appearance as herself in Sacha Baron Cohen’s mockumentary “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” where Borat attempts to abduct her at a book signing towards the film’s conclusion.
In 2017, Anderson was featured in the mini-series “Sur-Vie” and the “Baywatch” movie remake. She collaborated with Netflix in 2023 on a documentary titled “Pamela, a Love Story,” detailing her life.
Moreover, Anderson has authored four autobiographical books and two novels. “Star: A Novel” was published in 2004, followed by “Star Struck: A Novel” in 2005, and “Patches of Life,” a poetry collection, that same year. In 2011, she contributed to “Paul Ricoeur: Honoring and Continuing the Work.” Co-written with John Pierre, “Connect and Transform: Simple Everyday Changes for Spectacular Health” was released in 2015, alongside “Raw,” while “Lust for Love: Rekindling Intimacy and Passion in Your Relationship” followed in 2018. Her most recent work, “Love, Pamela,” was released in 2023.
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Reality TV Appearances
In 2010, Anderson featured on the Indian version of “Big Brother” (“Bigg Boss”) during its fourth season, reportedly receiving $550,000 for her three-day stay in the house. Over the following years, she appeared in the U.K., Bulgarian, and German iterations of “Big Brother” in 2011, 2012, and 2013.
Her journey extended to various iterations of “Dancing with the Stars,” which began with the 10th season of the American show in 2010. Partnered with Damian Whitewood, they were eliminated after seven weeks. Subsequently, she participated in the All-Star edition in 2012 but was eliminated in the first week. Anderson also appeared in the Argentinian and French versions of the show, as well as the U.K.’s “Dancing on Ice.”
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Breast Size
Pamela Anderson underwent breast implant surgery in 1990, raising her bust size to 34D. Several years later, she opted for another increase to 34DD. In April 1999, she decided to have her breast implants removed.
Personal Life
On February 19, 1995, Anderson married Tommy Lee, the drummer for Motley Crue, shortly after meeting him for just four days. Her mother found out about the marriage through People magazine. During her marriage, she was professionally recognized as Pamela Anderson Lee. An infamous sex tape was made during this period. Together, they have two sons: Brandon Thomas, born on June 5, 1996, and Dylan Jagger, born on December 29, 1997. Tensions arose in their marriage, leading to Lee’s arrest for assaulting Anderson, for which he received a six-month sentence in the Los Angeles County Jail for spousal abuse. They divorced in 1998.
Following her separation from Tommy Lee, Anderson became engaged to model Marcus Schenkenberg, but they ended their engagement in 2001.
She then got engaged to Kid Rock, but they parted ways in 2003. They married later that July on a yacht near Saint-Tropez, France, only for Anderson to file for divorce later that year in November.
In February 2007, it was revealed by Anderson that she and her ex-husband, Tommy Lee, still had a sexual relationship post-divorce. In June 2008, Lee mentioned that they were attempting to rekindle their relationship.
On October 6, 2007, Anderson wed film producer Rick Salomon, but the couple separated just two months later. By February 22, 2008, Anderson sought an annulment through the courts. In early 2014, she surprised many by announcing that she had remarried Salomon, only to file for divorce again a year later. In March 2015, Rick asserted that their case should be processed in Nevada due to his residence there. In a shocking twist, Pamela claimed Rick’s claim to Nevada residency was false and that he primarily stayed at her Malibu home, even instructing assistants to use his credit cards in Nevada to fabricate residency. Moreover, she alleged that Rick won $40 million from a single poker game, which motivated his desire to claim Nevada residency to evade California state income tax.
She had a connection with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
In 2017, Anderson began a relationship with French soccer player Adil Rami, but announced their split on Instagram in late June 2019. A former teammate of Rami revealed in the summer of 2020 that he and Anderson had intimate relations 12 times in one night.
On January 20, 2020, Anderson wed Hollywood producer Jon Peters, but they were separated by February 1 of the same year, just 12 days later. In May 2020, she asserted that they had not officially married. In a January 2023 interview, Jon Peters disclosed that he had earmarked $10 million in his will for Pamela. Then, in December 2020, she married her bodyguard Dan Hayhurst, but they split in January 2021.
She remains an active supporter of PETA (People for…
“`the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and follows a vegetarian diet.
Baywatch Salary
During the inaugural season of Baywatch, Pamela Anderson received only $1,500 for each episode. With a total of 22 episodes in that season, her overall earnings amounted to $33,000. At the height of the show’s popularity, Pamela was earning $300,000 per episode, translating to around $6.6 million each season.
Real Estate
Pam and Tommy’s first connection occurred on New Year’s Eve in 1994, and they were married just six weeks later. Specifically, from mid-February onward, Tommy acquired a mansion in a remote mountainous region of Malibu for $837,000. The estate spanned 2.3 acres and the mansion, built freshly in 1991, was renovated multiple times by the couple, which incurred what many described as an “obscene” expense. This was the location where Rand Gautier, a disgruntled former carpenter, infamous for stealing a safe containing their notorious sex tape. They resided in this mansion throughout their marriage. In 2005, Tommy sold this property for $2.5 million. Tragically, in November 2019, the well-known mansion was entirely destroyed by fire. Below is an aerial view of their mansion from 1995:
(Photo by Jason Kirk/Getty Images)
In 2000, Pamela invested $1.8 million in her Malibu property. She demolished the existing structure and spent an additional $8 million building a new modern residence. Pamela Anderson’s Malibu home boasts an open-plan living area, a cutting-edge kitchen, a private cinema, and a sauna. The exterior features a rooftop sun deck, a small courtyard with an olive grove, and a stone entrance gate. In March 2013, she put the home on the market for $7.75 million. After failing to attract buyers, she opted to rent it out at rates reaching $50,000 per month during peak seasons. On March 4, 2021, she relisted the property for $14.9 million. Prior to selling, she had a longstanding tenant who paid $40,000 each month. Ultimately, in August 2021, she sold the house for $11.8 million.
Below is a video tour from when the property was previously available for sale:
Previously, she owned another home right on the beach in Malibu. Unfortunately, one day she returned to find a female fan had wandered in from the beach straight into her bedroom. When Pamela arrived home, she discovered the woman in her bedroom, dressed in one of her iconic Baywatch swimsuits taken from her closet.
Apart from her Los Angeles properties, she has owned a six-acre waterfront estate on Vancouver Island in Canada for several decades. This property was originally purchased from her grandmother, who operated a general store there for many years. Before Pamela’s conception, her mother and father lived in a cabin located on the site, and they eventually married on that property. In recent years, Pam has made significant renovations to the structures on the estate, reportedly investing $1 million. In November 2020, she converted one of the barns into an animal sanctuary. She officially moved back to Canada permanently in 2021.
Pamela Anderson Foundation/Activism
As one of the most well-known and passionate advocates for animal rights among celebrities, Pamela has consistently embraced a vegan lifestyle. Back in the late 1990s, she posed nude for a PETA advertisement and took a position on the board of PETA. Furthermore, she has served as the chair of The International Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s board of directors and has testified on Capitol Hill regarding animal welfare issues.
For nearly thirty years, the Pamela Anderson Foundation has been in operation, with a mission to “stand on the front lines in the protection of human, animal, and environmental rights.” The foundation’s achievements include receiving the Sam Simon Award, the Linda McCartney Award, and a Spirit Award. Pamela has mentioned that once she covers her basic life expenses, any additional income is directed to the foundation.