Bad A** Pam Grier Photos

Source: Ronald Siemoneit / Getty

Pam Grier is the ultimate gemini — sexy, alluring and magnetizing. The iconic actress turned 72-years-old today and #BlackTwitter is going up for the original bad a** Black sex symbol who is recognized as the first woman action-star.

With an iconic acting career spanning over 50 years, Pam Grier made her debut in the 70s in a series of classic Blaxploitation films. With titles like — Coffy, Foxy Brown and Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown — under her belt, this queen deserves all the praise for being a pioneer in Hollywood.

Grier also had a successful TV career with her Emmy award winning voice role on the animated Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child and popular roles on Showtimes’ Linc’s and The L Word followed by Bless This Mess. 

True to her fierce characters on the big screen, Grier battled her own personal journey with ferocity. In 1988, she was diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer and told she only had 18 months to live. So today, we celebrate the gun-slinging hottie on her 72nd birthday with #BlackTwitter.

1. Pam Grier In The 80s

Pam Grier strikes a fierce pose in a portrait session showing off her natural beauty. 

2. Pam Grier Rocks Her Fro

In an interview with The New Yorker, Pam Grier described what it was like wearing her short tight fro, plaid shirt and Timberland boots to vet film school. “That’s not the appearance most people were accustomed to seeing. I said, “I’m here trying to get into film school.” And they said, “Well, why don’t you join us, see if you like it?” They were so inclusive. I wasn’t “black.”

3. Peter Brown and Pam Grier in Foxy Brown

Pam was discovered by director Jack Hill who put her in his women-in-prison films The Big Doll House (1971) and The Big Bird Cage. Roger Ebert described her as a woman with a “beautiful face and astonishing form.” 

4. Actress Pam Grier at 44 W. 44th St.

UNITED STATES – DECEMBER 10: Actress Pam Grier at 44 W. 44th St. (Photo by Robert Rosamilio/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) vertical,people,one person,arts culture and entertainment,usa,actress,females,1990-1999,pam grier,manhattan – new york city

5. Pam Grier

Director Quentin Tarantino wrote the role of Jackie Brown with Pam in mind. He told the Guardian, “to one degree or another, it was like casting John Wayne in a film… Pam is an icon and it became a Pam Grier movie.”

6. Pam Grier

Letting her hair down, Pam showed off her natural hair in a different style that proves she was a pioneer in the natural hair movement as well.

7. Pam Grier

While Pam was a hardcore action hero, she had a sensual side that made her a sex symbol. She could switch it up at any time or embody strength and beauty at the same time, which is one of her most beautiful attributes.

8. Iconic Pam Grier Photo

In this iconic Pam Grier photo, she is showing off her signature fro and curves.

9. Pam Grier In 'Hit Man'

n 1972, Pam Grier starred in  George Armitage’ ‘Hit Man,’ where she played the role of Gozelda. Here she is posing on set in calf boots and a long black dress with thigh high split.

10. Pam Grier

Pam Grier points a gun in a still from the movie Scream, Blacula, Scream.