After agreeing to take on the role of Pamela Anderson in Hulu’s “Pam and Tommy” sex tape saga/limited series, Lily James extensively prepared before shooting began, thoroughly diving into her character, an actual person of whom she was a longtime fan. “I’ve always felt there was this boldness to Pamela, this unashamed kind of authenticity,” James, a veteran viewer of Anderson’s “Baywatch,” told Variety.
The first thing James did to get into the Anderson mindset: She watched a lot of interviews with the actor as well as plenty of “Baywatch. “I binged hard,” she said, noting and absorbing the actress’ physical gestures, behavioral patterns, and recurring vocal patterns. “She talks really fast, and I would watch her interviews over and over again and annotate them, learn them, and parrot along with her,” James explained. “I wanted to get that energy and that impulsiveness.”
Nevertheless, James felt that she’d maybe gone too far, so overwhelmed in her prep work that she almost quit “Pam and Tommy” before the cameras rolled. “I really wanted to pull out of this a week before,” James said. “It just felt too frightening. But I think that’s a good place to work from because it keeps you growing and getting better.”
