Lily James feels that Pamela Anderson's role in the new Hulu series Pam & Tommy is one of the most challenging and transformative characters she has ever played.
In an interview with Net-A-Porter, she said:
"I have never worked so hard. I read the books Anderson had written, I read her poetry, I can parrot along to all her interviews."
The 32-year-old actress also mentioned how easily she could slip into the role:
"I love that about acting; you fit into a character and you realize you are not as different as you might have thought."
Pam & Tommy showcases the sex tape scandal which rocked Pamela Anderson and her then husband Tommy Lee during the course of their three-year marriage.
Wearing Pamela Anderson's famous red Baywatch swimsuit
Photos of Lily James made headlines as the actress was seen in the iconic red swimsuit sported by the latter on the hit TV show Baywatch.
It reportedly took around four hours every day to get the makeup and overall ensemble right. While the look was completed using a prosthetic body suit, Lily James had to go through a physical transformation as well. The team was able to find a balance that led to the striking resemblance.
Lily James said she experienced feelings of liberation and freedom while portraying Anderson. She felt courageous about being someone completely different from her own self.
When asked about her costume, Lily James mentioned how sorry she felt when she took it off at the end of the day:
"It was like being stripped of all these superpowers!"
The story behind the scandal
In 1995, the couple got married in Mexico after dating for just four days. After having two kids, Brandon and Dylan, Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee got divorced in 1998. In 2015, the Barb Wire star mentioned she had never watched the tape nor profited from it.
The tape was reportedly stolen by adult actor Rand Gauthier after Tommy Lee refused to pay him for work that he had done on their house. As a way of exacting revenge, Rand made the tape public.
Lily James told People magazine that she had tried reaching out to Anderson about getting involved in the show, but did not receive a response from the 54-year-old.