The Star+ exclusive series that tells the story behind the leak of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee’s intimate video presents its season finale episode this Wednesday, March 9. But to anticipate its end, we tell you 6 reasons why you have to see this miniseries starring Lily James and Sebastian Stan. 1. The series reveals the true, if incredible, story of how the video was made public.
“Pam & Tommy” is based on the 2014 Rolling Stone article, in which journalist Amanda Chicago Lewis recounts the curious, but true story behind the theft of the sex video. For the article, Lewis managed to track down and interview Rand Gauthier (played by Seth Rogen), the man who stole the tape and years later shared the unusual story that the audience will see recreated in the Star+.2 series. James and Stan’s transformations into Anderson and Lee are shocking
To bring Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee to life, Lily James and Sebastian Stan underwent extraordinary physical transformations. On the one hand, the achievement is merit of the great work done by the hair, makeup and costume teams. Before starting each day of filming, James experienced three hours of preparation in the hair and makeup chair. Stan, on the other hand, had to lose weight significantly and weekly had to lend his body to ink drawing sessions to recreate Lee’s characteristic tattoos.On the other hand, the shocking transformations are also the product of the extensive and deep research work that the actors did on their characters. Both Stan and James envisioned dozens of interviews with Anderson and Lee to adopt their ways of moving and speaking. James also watched episode after episode of “Baywatch,” the iconic ’90s series that brought Anderson to fame. Stan, for his part, devoted hours to drum practice and mastering Lee’s signature move with the chopstick.3. The team behind the series produced other content about resonant cases from the ’90s.
“Pam & Tommy” is co-directed by Craig Gillespie, director of “I, Tonya,” the 2017 film about the ’90s scandal surrounding ice skater Tonya Harding in her rise within the U.S. skating championship rankings. With that project under her belt, Gillespie brought experience exploring how the media distorted the public perception of a slandered female public figure in the ’90s, something Anderson also fell victim to following the viralization of her video. The new series is also executive produced by D.V. DeVicentis, who is responsible for the episodes of the 2016 series “American Crime Story” dedicated to the resounding murder trial of O.J. Simpson in the 90s. That project addressed themes similar to those of “Pam & Tommy,” so DeVicentis’ contributions were also especially valuable to the team.4. The series is a real journey into the heart of the 90s.
Through a striking period recreation, the series embarks audiences on an exquisite journey into the heart of the 90s. On the one hand, the fashion and hairstyles of that time are great protagonists of the series. On the other hand, the soundtrack features emblematic songs and bands from those years such as Fatboy Slim, The Cardigans, New Radicals and 4 Non Blondes, among others.5. The story opens the debate about the boundary between the public and the private, the exploitation of celebrity privacy and the use of technology for that purpose.
The case of the sexual video of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee was the kick of a debate that is present to this day and gains strength with the series. In the age of the Internet, how are the boundaries between the public and the private established? Is it possible to establish controls and apply sanctions to those who reveal private celebrity content there? The questions are many, and the series is a new trigger for reflection and answers.6. It invites us to rethink the case in terms of sexism.
In a recent interview for Variety magazine, the team behind “Pam & Tommy” agreed that the series serves a special mission: to reward Anderson, judged harshly at the time by the media, the court system and the public. It’s an important story, I think, to be able to understand what the impact of that media tornado really was. For them as a couple, but particularly for her as a woman,” says Sebastian Stan.DeVicentis, meanwhile, adds: “As for Pamela Anderson, I always think again that she and Lee were doing exactly the same thing.. They filmed themselves doing the exact same thing together. She was branded a prostitute, expelled from the industry and turned into an unserious person. He was given a new act and turned into a ‘god’ of sex. And the only difference between these two people was their gender.”
