TORONTO -- The Toronto International Film Festival has played host to many comeback stories over the years. Brendan Fraser was cheered here two years ago for his performance in “The Whale.” This year's unlikely comeback story might be Pamela Anderson.

On Friday, Gia Coppola debuted her film “The Last Showgirl,” an independent drama starring Anderson as a veteran Las Vegas showgirl. Shelley (Anderson) is the longtime leading lady of a casino dance show featuring scantily clad, feather-adorned women that has seen better days. With dwindling attendance, the show's stage manager (Dave Bautista) announces their impending final performance, leaving Shelley — who genuinely believes in the show — pondering her future.

The film, which is available for purchase in Toronto, received mixed critical reception but warm applause for the 57-year-old Anderson.

“I’ve been preparing my whole life for this role,” Anderson told the audience at the Princess of Wales Theatre following the premiere.

For Anderson, whose most notable credits include “Baywatch” and “Borat," the festival recognition was a new experience. Even just receiving a script like “The Last Showgirl” was a novelty for her.

“This is the first good script I've ever read. I've never seen a script that made sense,” said Anderson. “I thought: I'm the only one who can do this. I've never felt so strongly about anything.”

“The Last Showgirl" continues a streak of good fortune for the former Playboy Playmate, which includes her 2023 memoir “Love, Pamela” and the Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary “Pamela, A Love Story." It also explores similar themes as another TIFF film, the body horror movie “The Substance." That film, starring Demi Moore, also deals with ageism faced by female entertainers.

Jamie Lee Curtis, who plays a deeply tanned casino waitress in “The Last Showgirl,” became emotional while talking about her character.

“I am just a product of the same reality,” said Curtis. “You all know who Annette is. Every single one of you knows an Annette. It's a movie about pursuing your dreams. But of course, dreams often turn into a harsh reality. And for women, it's a particularly harsh reality that men don't face as much.”

Curtis then added, with a grin, “And a spray tan helps.”