Exclusive: Pamela Anderson on embracing her 50s and refusing to be pigeon-holed as former Baywatch babe

Her glamour, curves and turbulent love life once dominated the headlines, but Pamela Anderson is embracing a new chapter in her life.

Having ditched her red swimsuit long ago, along with her image as an international sex symbol, the former Baywatch babe has become better known as an animal rights activist, as well as a champion of jailed Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Now she has reinvented herself again – this time as a serious actress who is being tipped for an Oscar for her latest film role.

Embracing her age

Sitting down at the recent San Sebastian Film Festival, where her new movie The Last Showgirl received a standing ovation and rave reviews, the 57-year-old actress tells HELLO!: "I think being a woman in your 50s is inspirational. I've got off all the roller coaster of emotions over the last few decades. I barely even remember them, but here I am, and with all this experience," she says in a soft girlish voice which barely rises above a whisper.

When we meet Pamela in an elegant hotel, she is still processing the ecstatic reception to her film a day earlier where she had stood amid the crowds looking both triumphant and slightly bewildered dressed in a floor-length elegant pink gown.

Beneath severe black spectacles, her face is make-up free, and her long blonde hair scraped back, looking every inch like a woman who demands to now be taken seriously dressed in a crisp white blouse and long black skirt.

"You know, I'm 57 years old. A lot of my career was about physicality, and it's been a journey.

"But it's also been part of the reason why I've kind of done this experiment with myself; just to peel it all back, remember who I am, and not be defined by what people do to me, but defined by what I do, and just to have passion for the work and not become bitter or jaded, still finding joy in the process, in life and in this business," she explains.

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Her new film The Last Showgirl

Pamela's entire adult life became a series of headlines following her ill-fated marriage to rocker Tommy Lee, the father of her sons Brandon, 28, and Dylan Jagger, 27. There followed four more short-lived marriages - to Kid Rock, poker player Rick Salomon, hairdresser-turned-film-producer Jon Peters and bodyguard Dan Hayhurst.

She sees The Last Showgirl, in which she is cast opposite veterans like Jamie Lee Curtis and Dave Bautista, as an opportunity to turn a new page.

Hollywood is already paying attention with Karim Ainouz casting her in his upcoming arthouse thriller Rosebush Pruning opposite Elle Fanning, Riley Keough and Jamie Bell.

"This has just been a wonderful experience to do this film and be surrounded by women who genuinely and authentically care about one another, like meeting with Jamie Lee Curtis and having these kind of relationships. It's so very welcome."

Having learnt some hard life lessons, today she has found new resolve. "Even if people don't believe in you, you have to believe in you and push yourself because it's very easy to pigeonhole somebody - so you have to find reasons to keep blowing people's minds."

To read the full exclusive interview, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK on Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.