Pamela Anderson revealed the profound personal toll of her hepatitis C diagnosis during an emotional acceptance speech at the amfAR Gala in Venice on September 6. The The Last Showgirl star received the foundation’s Award of Courage, using the platform to detail a decades-long battle with the virus, the stigma surrounding it, and her path to healing through art.
A Diagnosis That ‘Turned My Life Inside Out’
Anderson was diagnosed in the late 1990s, a time when no cure existed. She publicly disclosed her status in 2002, stating she contracted the virus by sharing a needle with her then-husband, rock drummer Tommy Lee, though Lee has denied this claim. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral infection that primarily attacks the liver and often remains asymptomatic for 10 to 20 years before causing serious complications. According to Dr. William Carey, a senior hepatologist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, sharing needles or syringes is the most common cause of new infections. Globally, the virus affects an estimated 50 million people, many of whom remain unaware of their status.
Reflecting on the initial prognosis, Anderson shared the psychological weight she carried as a young mother.
“Back in the late ’90s, when I was diagnosed with hepatitis C, there was no cure,” Anderson said. “I’m sure that colored and corrupted my decisions. It was not fear of death but fear of what might happen to my young children. It turned my life inside out.”
The Cost of a Cure
Roughly a decade after her diagnosis, antiviral treatments became available. Anderson accessed early-stage therapy, but the financial and emotional costs were steep. She underwent a yearlong regimen involving interferon injections—a treatment she previously likened to a mild form of chemotherapy during an interview with Larry King on CNN, noting side effects including hair loss and flu-like symptoms.
“10 blurry years later, there was a cure. I was lucky,” she said, as she held the amfAR Award of Courage. “I was offered it in its early stages, and it took everything I had in my bank to pay for it. It wasn’t covered by insurance yet, and I felt tremendous guilt that others weren’t granted the same access.”
Anderson announced she was hepatitis C-free in 2015, yet the psychological scars persisted.
“I’m grateful to say now that I am hep C free,” Anderson said, as the audience applauded. “But my experience of shame and guilt was also still an unconscious journey. It stays with me. It haunts me.”
Confronting Stigma and Past Trauma
Despite becoming an advocate for testing and awareness—working with organizations to reduce stigma—Anderson described a disconnect between her public advocacy and private turmoil. She drew a parallel between the shame of her diagnosis and the childhood sexual abuse she has previously disclosed.
“My words did not match my feelings,” Anderson said. “I was angry. I was scared. I went into sabotage mode and just like the sexual abuse I endured as a child, it felt like it was carved into my forehead: Damaged goods. And I presented myself as such. I don’t think I’ve ever fully recovered from that news.”
Healing Through Creative Work
In recent years, Anderson has experienced a career resurgence, starring in the 2025 reboot of The Naked Gun alongside Liam Neeson and earning best actress nominations at the SAG Awards and Golden Globes for her performance in The Last Showgirl. She most recently appeared in the satirical dark comedy Rosebush Pruning with Callum Turner, Riley Keough, and Elle Fanning.
She credited her creative output with providing a pathway to recovery.
“My truth has come through my work, finding ways to express myself and heal through the arts,” Anderson said in the speech. “It gave me the ammunition I needed. A fertile life to use and play in.”
