Swimsuit

Lauren Chan Shares Sweet Moment With Pamela Anderson on Makeup-Free Movement

The 2025 SI Swimsuit cover model recently interviewed both Anderson and Liam Neeson.

Bailey Colon

Lauren Chan was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda.
Lauren Chan was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson’s newest film, The Naked Gun, released on Aug. 1, and 2025 SI Swimsuit cover model Lauren Chan sat down with the film’s leads to discuss their newest collaboration with Etalk. The model shared a reel of her conversation to Instagram, where we couldn’t help but gush over Chan’s admiration for the 58-year-old actress.

“You are one of my idols," the three-time SI Swimsuit model told Anderson. “Specifically [for] your recent work to challenge the beauty ideal.” She then disclosed to the blonde beauty, “Today is my first time on camera not wearing makeup, so thank you for that.”

For their discussion, Chan sported a pair of glasses with an olive green mini dress and a cropped jacket, while Anderson donned a mint green long-sleeved dress during her interview with the Canadian outlet. She was all smiles while Chan shared her sincere sentiment and provided some insight into her makeup-free mindset.

On how the movement translates into the film industry, the actress explained, “You can fall into the trappings of these habits that take up so much of your time, and I just started thinking, ’Why am I doing that? Like, what do I have to prove?’”

The actress told Chan that her decision—which catapulted into the spotlight during Paris Fashion Week in 2023—stemmed from a journey of self-exploration in an attempt to “stop playing characters in [her] personal life.” Continuing, she added, “I wanted to see who I was and see what I really loved to do.”

In doing so, Anderson has spearheaded a movement beloved by celebrities and fans alike. But, creating a massive wave was not her original intention.

“I didn’t realize that it was going to resonate with so many people,” she said on The TODAY Show. “It’s just really interesting to see the ripple effect it’s had [...] But I did it for myself. I did it for myself just to say I’m good enough as I am, and I don’t need to chase this impossible dream.”

Anderson’s unwavering authenticity is a stepping stone for admirers like Chan, leading them to self-acceptance. In fact, the SI Swimsuit model said that the actress inspired her own partnership with J.Crew back in Feb. 2024, writing, “I’m trying to be more myself online, so I pulled a [Pamela Anderson] and went makeup-free to shoot this classic [J.Crew] look.”

This is a duo we didn’t know we needed, and we are already manifesting a reunion between the pair of trailblazers soon.

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Bailey Colon
BAILEY COLON

Bailey Colón is a writer on the Breaking and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit, Colón worked at the National Basketball Association where she served as a founding member of the ‘Starting 5’ newsletter and led editorial operations for the NBA App and dotcom. Colón is particularly passionate about the impact of athletics on popular culture, fashion and media. The New England native has a bachelor’s degree from Marist College in journalism and political science.

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