Pamela Anderson has defended her friendship with WikiLeaks creator Julian Assange, calling him a “truth seeker” and “brave”.
The 55-year-old actress met Assange in 2014 through fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, who recently passed away at the age of 81.
In her bombastic memoir, Love, Pamela, released today, she admitted to spending “wild nights” with Assange while he was holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy. She also regularly visited him at the London embassy, where Assange had sought political asylum to avoid extradition to the United States.
Assange faces 175 years in prison on espionage charges in the US after releasing thousands of classified documents involving the US military between 2010 and 2011.
When asked by Interview Magazine if she was thinking of Assange as a reporter, she replied: “I think he’s a journalist. So do the people who are close to me – Srećko Horvat, [Slavoj] Žižek, Yanis Varoufakis, Noam Chomsky.”
“I felt like my connection to Julian was the human one,” she continued. “We had a close connection and he even said I was the only person he ever trusted.
Pamela Anderson has defended her friendship with WikiLeaks creator Julian Assange, calling him a “truth seeker” and “brave”. She said: “I felt my connection to Julian was the human one. We had a close connection and he even said I was the only person he ever trusted.
Assange faces 175 years in prison on espionage charges in the US after releasing thousands of classified documents involving the US military between 2010 and 2011
“I think it’s proven that he didn’t put anyone in danger. It was his job to publish whatever came to his mind with an open mind. His intention was to reveal all of this information so everyone could make a choice, rather than just watching CNN or Fox News.
In her earlier book Raw, she included a poem with Assange’s name – although the two hadn’t met at the time. She said she added his name because he is a “radical thinker, a truth seeker, and an authentic and brave person.”
“So his name just popped up,” she told the magazine.
The Baywatch star is now focusing on freedom of the press as she recalls “getting a lot of exposure to very superficial things” in her career.
“I was like, ‘What can I share to make this awareness more relevant?’ That’s where it started, my career as an activist,” she told the magazine. “I learned about animal testing, so I helped create animal welfare laws where there weren’t any. Suddenly I was speaking to world leaders. I’ve spoken to people that most people didn’t have access to.
She opens up about their friendship in her new memoir, Love, Pamela, which was released today
“I also had Hugh Hefner. He was a great supporter of freedom of speech, freedom of the press and human rights. It just all changed together.
In August 2014, Westwood introduced the couple when Pamela asked him for advice on her nascent animal charity.
Speaking to the Mail On Sunday shortly after the meeting, the fashion designer explained the disagreement.
“I was supposed to take Pamela Anderson to see Julian at the embassy but she got the date wrong so she went on her own the day after me.
“She later told me that they got along very well.
“Julian was just brilliant … Pamela is trying to help people with their newfound confidence and he gave her some ideas on how to do that.”
The pair became close friends, leading to speculation that they might be in a romantic relationship.
However, in 2018, she dispelled rumors that they were romantically involved.
The bombshell also recalled Assange’s mother telling her to stop posting “sexy pictures” to “be taken more seriously as an activist”.
Pamela was introduced to the WikiLeaks creator in August 2014 when she reached out to him for advice on her budding animal rights organization
She also said she considers Assange a “journalist” and said: “I think it’s proven that he didn’t put anyone in danger. It was his job to publish whatever came to his mind with an open mind.
“And I thought, ‘What were we fighting for?’ Why can’t we be sexy and smart?’ she told Interview Magazine. ‘Why can’t I be a nun and a showgirl?’
The mother-of-two also spoke openly about being judged for her sexy performance in the carpool line at her kids’ school, saying: “I really wanted to be a mom and be there for them. As I was taking the kids to school, I caught my reflection and said, “Oh my god, I’ve got glitter and mascara on my cheeks and people are judging me.” But I’m judging their cars with peanut butter sandwiches laying on the floor adhere. We were all a mess.’
Now the Canadian has retired to her home country, shedding the makeup and glamor for a “little ranch with my dogs.”
“I don’t wear makeup. I just wake up and put on a pair of panties and my rain boots and walk across the field and into the sea. I feel like I just went back to the little girl who lived here before,” she said.
“Sometimes I say I regret it and sometimes I don’t. I’m just glad my kids turned out great and like I said, I’m not looking for respect or to be taken seriously. I just hope to inspire people who have been through traumatic times to make lemonade out of lemons. That’s a great expression.”