Pamela Anderson is embracing her renewed presence in Hollywood with a sense of gratitude and purpose.

During a Vogue Australia cover interview, the actor described feeling fortunate that respected directors from independent cinema are seeking her out for new projects.

"I just feel so lucky, because it has been an interesting trajectory from Broadway and 'The Last Showgirl.' I don't take for granted that I get to do this again," Anderson, 59, said.

Following her 2022 Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in "Chicago," which brought her a Playbill Award, Anderson earned a Golden Globe nomination in 2025 for her role in Gia Coppola's "The Last Showgirl."

She explained that she is selective about projects but aims to fully capitalize on the ones she chooses to pursue.

"I mean, who knows, it could end tomorrow," she said.

This latest phase has allowed her to explore the kind of artistic roles she has always desired.

"It's a shame I just didn't feel like I realized my potential," she said.

Anderson first gained widespread attention in the early 1990s after being spotted at a Canadian football game and cast on "Baywatch."

Her high-profile marriage to Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee and the subsequent leak of their private tape kept her in the tabloid spotlight for years.

"I thought, 'I have so much more to give but I've pigeonholed myself,'" she recalled of her early career. "Then, of course, media and different things really steer your life and, you know, things happen in your life. It really can rip a career out of your hands."

After years of intense public attention, Anderson said she now finds peace in a simpler approach to life.

"I went through it all and I came out the other end. I've done big make-up looks, I've done big clothing looks, hair, big fuzzy hats, corsets, rock stars. I don't know. I feel like I've had the big romantic life. I've had a lot of wildness. And I've found that, right now, for me, just being in nature and being myself is a wild move," she said.

Anderson is not alone among stars discussing unexpected career revivals in Hollywood.

In a 2023 Backstage interview, Ke Huy Quan described returning to acting after limited roles because he wanted to avoid future regret.

"What drove me to give voice to this dream, to step in front of the camera again not knowing what the outcome was going to be, was that fear of regret," he said. "I don't want to live my life with regrets."

Before "The Substance" revived her profile, Demi Moore also questioned her place in the industry.

"I really did hit a point where I started to wonder, not like, 'Is this over?' But, 'Is this actually complete? Have I done what I was supposed to do in this?'" Moore said in a 2024 Hollywood Reporter podcast appearance.