Recently, Pamela Anderson, known for her roles on shows like Baywatch, discussed her decision to return to Canada during a challenging period in her life. In a September issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine, the 57-year-old actress revealed that she moved back to Vancouver Island, where she was born and raised, at the start of the pandemic in 2020. She was struggling with self-doubt and feeling overwhelmed by how others perceived her, both in her career and personal life.
A few years ago, Anderson considered quitting and felt it was time for a change. She realized she needed to escape the negative thoughts that were affecting her well-being. Reflecting on her past, she felt lost and burdened, believing she had made many mistakes and caused pain to her family, particularly her children.
“I was in a bad place when I moved back to Canada,” Anderson admitted. “I felt like I had really messed up my life and was hard on myself. I thought I had put my family through a lot.”
Returning to her parents’ home provided Anderson with a chance to be herself and escape the pressures of fame. It allowed her time to meditate, recover, and gradually confront her self-doubt.
“I don’t know what happened over the last few decades, but I feel now so far removed from the image of who I was,” she said. “I felt very sad and lonely. I didn’t just feel misunderstood; I felt like I had really screwed up.”
After divorcing Tommy Lee and raising their two sons, Brandon Thomas and Dylan Jagger, Anderson found solace in moving back to Canada. She also had a stint living in Marseille, France, and sold her Malibu mansion in 2021. Returning to her childhood home allowed her to rediscover her love for gardening, a hobby she inherited from her grandfather.
“I decided to move home, disappear, and get into my garden,” Anderson shared. She bought an old motel that had sentimental value because it was previously owned by her grandmother. This place, where her parents brought her home from the hospital when she was born, also introduced her to gardening.
“It took me a couple of years to transition and think things through,” she said. “I finally had time to sit with myself and write a lot.”
The renovation of the motel, which she describes as decayed and rotten, became a project of renewal and reflection. The experience inspired her 2023 memoir and Netflix documentary, Pamela, A Love Story. Gardening and writing became her ways of coping and finding meaning.
“I’m really excited about my heirloom tomatoes,” Anderson said. “I know it might seem strange to others, but it makes sense to me. I’m looking forward to getting home after filming ends.”
Anderson, who is also preparing to release a cookbook titled I Love You in October, has embraced a more peaceful and nature-focused lifestyle. She has even learned how to make rosehip oil, salt scrub, and candles. Her daughter Jemma has developed a passion for vegetable gardening, which Pamela’s mother, Carol Anderson, shares through photos.
For her 57th birthday, Anderson posted photos of herself gardening and baking, along with a heartfelt message: “I’m going to make life beautiful no matter what it takes.”
