In “The Last Showgirl,” Pamela Anderson plays Shelly, the longest-running cast member in the longest-running retro spectacle in town. In her baubles, bangles and bright, shiny beads this workhorse has made a living in the (fictional) show,

Anderson plays an aging Vegas showgirl in the new movie from Gia Coppola. For so many reasons, it's a role only she could meaningfully deliver.

"It happened and now I'm here," Anderson said. "I'm being seen and recognized for my work and not these tawdry moments."