"They really wanted me to tell my story"- When Pamela Anderson opened up about how her sons helped her 

Pamela Anderson was a major star in the 90s, known for Baywatch and Playboy. But her personal life stayed private until she opened up in a February 1, 2023, interview with Ronan Farrow for Interview Magazine.

The conversation revealed a side of Pamela Anderson many had never seen: candid, self-reflective, and deeply personal. She spoke openly about the struggles of fame, the traumas of her childhood, and the powerful role her two sons played in encouraging her to reclaim her narrative. She stated,

"They really wanted me to tell my story. And they didn’t even know all the gritty details."

Anderson shared that it was her sons, Brandon and Dylan, who urged her to reclaim her story and let the world see who she truly was. The interview, conducted from her Vancouver Island home, added new layers to her legacy and reminded the world that her journey was far from superficial.

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"Mom, no one knows you, and they think they do" - Pamela Anderson's sons pushed her to share her truth

For Pamela Anderson, honesty was never optional, it was survival. During her interview with Ronan Farrow published on Interview Magazine dated February 1, 2023, she shared how her sons, Brandon and Dylan, became key forces in her decision to publish her memoir and participate in the documentary Pamela, A Love Story.

According to Anderson, they pushed her to share her real self with the world, emphasising that most people only knew a fraction of her truth. They told her,

"Mom, no one knows you, and they think they do."

This sentiment struck deeply, prompting Anderson to reflect on decades of public misperception. The process wasn’t easy. Anderson admitted that revisiting past traumas, including experiences of s*xual assault and domestic violence, made her physically ill at times. Still, the desire to stop cycles of silence and inspire others pushed her forward. She said,

"I needed to look at my life from beginning to end. The one fortunate thing about being in the public eye is that I’m able to tell my story, and hopefully it’s inspirational to people."

Although publishers initially suggested hiring a collaborator, Pamela Anderson wrote the memoir herself. She likened her natural style to poetry, often scribbling freely before shaping her thoughts into coherent narratives.

Motherhood also shaped her resilience. Anderson spoke about raising her sons without nannies, hiring security discreetly, and eventually sending them to boarding school in Canada. This decision, driven by safety and a desire for them to develop roots away from Hollywood, proved pivotal. She reflected,

"Even though it was very difficult at the time, they agree now and they’ve said that they’ll send their kids to the same schools. It gave them independence, it showed them this hierarchy between boys and men and good examples and consistency."

For Anderson, keeping her children grounded and secure was the ultimate priority, especially after dealing with fame’s darker sides. Looking back on her career, Anderson acknowledged that while she created the "cartoon" version of herself that became a global image, she never viewed herself as a victim. She admitted humurously,

"I created a character, and it fed the monster. So I don’t feel like a victim. I feel fortunate."

Her sons' involvement, both in urging her to open up and participating in the documentary, helped Pamela Anderson reconnect with her true self. Sharing her story was not about seeking sympathy or revisiting old wounds. She told Farrow,

"you have to be brave to speak your truth. I think everyone needs to try to live that way."

Underscoring that vulnerability, not fame, was her most powerful statement. As of 2025, Pamela Anderson is living on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Her acclaimed role in The Last Showgirl earned her Golden Globe and SAG nominations.