Pamela Anderson recently opened up about her desire to change her name in memory of her Finnish grandfather. Although born in Canada, Anderson has deep Finnish roots. In a recent interview, the Canadian-American actress expressed that changing her name could allow her to enter a new phase of her life.
Pamela Anderson explains why she wants a new name
The Baywatch star reflected on her close relationship with her grandfather, Herman Hyytiäinen, and her desire to adopt his last name. “He was the closest person to me in my life,” she told Vogue. “Sometimes I don’t want to be Pamela Anderson. I want to be Pamela Hyytiäinen. I would like to change my name, but they won’t let me.”
Herman was a logger, a poet, and someone deeply passionate about folklore — an interest that the two bonded over. Despite their family’s move to Canada, Anderson’s grandfather taught her their local language and told her about Finnish folklore. Their time didn’t last long, as he passed away when she was just 11 years old. Since there was no one left in her life who shared similar interests, the actress said she grew apart from his teachings. “It kind of left with him,” she admitted.
Now, at 58, Anderson sees that changing a name could be an opportunity to reconnect with her heritage and maybe something new in her life. “My imagination has run wild with me over the years,” she continued. “I’ve been trying different people on for size. You have to peel it all back, many times, and start over and over again.”
Anderson also spoke about one of her upcoming projects, Love Is Not the Answer. Directed and written by Michael Cera, she described the movie as “a wonderful portrait of a woman who is interesting and layered.” The movie will also feature Liam Neeson, Shirley Henderson, and Jamie Dornan, among others. A release date for the movie is yet to be confirmed.
Originally reported by Harsha Panduranga on ComingSoon.
