LOS ANGELES, May 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Pamela Anderson, a former Canadian who shot to fame when starring the "Baywatch" hit TV series, became an American citizen on Wednesday during a brief ceremony in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom.

    Anderson's lawyer Barbara Federman said the actress passed a brief immigration interview in downtown Los Angeles before the ceremony in a courtroom.

    "I felt it was important to become a US citizen in order to vote in the United States," Anderson said in a written statement.

    "US Citizenship will allow me, in the future, to petition to bring my children's grandparents down to the United States to carefor them once they become older. I have no intention of giving up my citizenship in Canada and am very proud to be a Canadian," she added.

    Anderson, who became famous as beautiful lifeguard C.J. Parker in "Baywatch," was approved for citizenship eight months after applying, Federman said.

    Anderson lends her voice to the Spike TV animated series "Stripperella" and had a small comic role in the 2003 film "Scary Movie 3."

    She was discovered when she attended a British Columbia Lions football game in a Labatt beer T-shirt and was shown on the stadium 's big screen, drawing a roar of approval from the crowd and the attention of Labatt, which signed her as a spokeswoman. Enditem