From Miss Colorado to the Iconic ‘Foxy Brown’: Actress Pam Grier, 76, 37 Years After Surviving Stage 4 Cancer, She’s ‘Confident, Beautiful and Proud’

“We’re confident, beautiful, and proud, and we don’t have to be validated by anybody,” she told “Yahoo Entertainment” while reflecting on her career, her femininity, and the label of sex symbol, a title she’s long worn on her own terms.

Grier’s boldness is what helped her dominate the Blaxploitation era of the 1970s, becoming one of the first Black actresses to lead major action films at a time when Hollywood rarely handed those roles to women of color. However, just as she was cementing her place in film history, life blindsided her with an unexpected health crisis.

In the late 1980s, Grier, who had been known for her disciplined, health‑focused lifestyle, went in for a routine Pap smear. The next day, her doctor delivered a crushing diagnosis: advanced cervical cancer and a worrying prediction of “18 months to live,” she once told “The Guardian.”

“They could operate or start treatment for another six weeks, as I’d already had surgery and my body had gone through so much trauma,” she recalled.

“I was told to start preparing for treatment and to organize my will. I coped from minute to minute. I went home to ponder this two‑inch‑thick folder they give you.”

As brutal as chemotherapy was for the actress, the stigma associated with battling cancer was worse for her.

“In 1988, the C‑word meant: ‘Oh my God, you’re going to die. There is no hope,’” she said. “You learn who your friends are when you have cancer.”

However, Grier chose to fight and rewrite the script she’d been handed. She fought back, reached remission, and rebuilt her life both personally and professionally with the same grit that defined her on screen.

Today, she’s reflective, joyful, and still rewriting the narrative around aging and survivorship.

Recently, she shared a throwback moment from the late 1960s when she was runner‑up for Miss Colorado, a reminder of the long arc of her legacy.

A young Pam Grier as Miss Colorado Universe runner-up, 1967. pic.twitter.com/MJDDqr4RL1

— Historyland (@HistorylandHQ) March 21, 2026

Compliment Magazine writer Lashaunta Moore summed it up perfectly, calling Grier an “‘IT Girl’ before the term was even coined, praising her legendary 1970s run in films like “Scream Blacula Scream,” where she played the successor to a Voodoo queen, and “The Arena,” where she embodied a fierce female gladiator.

Even now, Grier continues to evolve as she continues teaching a college course, embraces her femininity and sexuality, and aging. During a recent appearance on “The View,” Grier explained, “When you’re young, you can have like three, four orgasms in an hour. But now, today, when you have one, it lasts for three days,” she said as the show’s co-hosts hang on her every word.

“I’m not kidding. It’s something about our hormones. It’s something to look forward to [as you age] I just want to tell you,” Grier added.

Last year, she told fans she had also found love and felt “lucky to have it.”

Her message resonated deeply with women who are older, who have faced cancer, or who simply need the reminder that life can open into a second or third act whenever you’re ready to step into it.

Navigating a Cervical Cancer Diagnosis

Cervical cancer forms in the cells of the cervix, the lower, narrow end of the uterus (womb), which connects the uterus to the vagina, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

“Cervical cancer usually develops slowly over time. Before cancer appears in the cervix, the cells of the cervix go through changes known as dysplasia, in which abnormal cells begin to appear in the cervical tissue,” the NCI explains.

“Over time, if not destroyed or removed, the abnormal cells may become cancer cells and start to grow and spread more deeply into the cervix and surrounding areas.”

While symptoms tend to be difficult to detect during cervical cancer’s early stages, some signs can still indicate something is amiss and needs a closer look.

The NCI explains that symptoms of early-stage cervical cancer may include:

• vaginal bleeding after sex
• vaginal bleeding after menopause
• vaginal bleeding between periods or periods that are heavier or longer than normal
• vaginal discharge that is watery and has a strong odor or that contains blood
• pelvic pain or pain during sex

Tools to Help Cervical Cancer Prevention

As noted, a pap smear is an option to detect cervical cancer early. During the test, a doctor will collect a sample of cells from your cervix (using a small brush or spatula). The cells are then examined under a microscope for abnormalities, including cancer and changes that could indicate pre-cancer.

The added value of pap smears is that symptoms of cervical cancer might show up until the disease is at stage 3 or 4, and more challenging to treat. This critical procedure helps doctors catch signs of the disease early. Furthermore, pap smears can lead to broader and more effective treatment options.

One of the leading causes of cervical cancer is the human papillomavirus (HPV).

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is “a group of more than 200 related viruses, some of which are spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex,” the National Cancer Institute says. HPV infection is linked to multiple cancers, and the majority of sexually active people will get the disease at some point in their lives.

A study presented during last year’s American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2023 annual meeting found that public awareness of the link between HPV and cervical cancer was on the decline.

“The important thing to know about HPV is that there are many different strains, and only a couple of them tend to be more cancer-inducing,” Dr. Allen Ho, a head and neck surgeon at Cedars-Sinai, told SurvivorNet.

“Probably less than 1% of the population who get infected happen to have the cancer-causing virus that somehow their immune system fails to clear, and over 15 to 20 years [it] develops from a viral infection into a tumor, and cancer,” Dr. Ho added.

Protecting Against HPV

The HPV vaccine is recommended to protect against HPV and, therefore, HPV-related cancers.

Gardasil 9 is an HPV vaccine that offers protection against “nine HPV types: the two low-risk HPV types that cause most genital warts, plus seven high-risk HPV types that cause most HPV-related cancer,” according to the National Cancer Institute.

The vaccine creates an immune response to HPV 16, the primary cause of 92% of head and neck cancers. Once children are vaccinated, they cannot be infected with that strain. For parents, the HPV vaccine enables them to protect their children from developing cancer in the future.

“The key with the vaccine is that you receive it before you have sexual encounters,” says Dr. Geiger. “So that’s why these vaccines are approved for young children … ages 9, 10, 11 years old, up to age 26.”

The HPV vaccine is recommended for all male and female preteens 11 to 12 years old in two doses given between six and 12 months, according to the CDC.

The series of shots can also start as young as nine.

The CDC also notes that teens and young adults through age 26 who didn’t start or finish the HPV vaccine series also need the vaccine.

Additionally, people with weakened immune systems or teens and young adults between 15 and 26 who started the series should get three doses instead of two.

Although adults up to 45 can still receive the vaccine, it’s not recommended for everyone older than 26. Still, a person older than 26 could choose to get vaccinated after talking to their doctor about possible benefits, even though it is less effective in this age range, as more people have already been exposed to HPV by this point.

WATCH: Should children get the HPV Vaccine?

Vaccine hesitancy can impede people from getting the vaccine. The concern may come from parents who may feel the vaccine paves the way for early sexual activity. For this reason, some health practitioners educate the public differently about the vaccine.

“I think rebranding the vaccine as a cancer vaccine, rather than an STD vaccine, is critically important,” says Dr. Ted Teknos, a head and neck cancer surgeon and scientific director of University Hospital’s Seidman Cancer Center.

Dr. Teknos believes concerted efforts to “change the mindset around the vaccine” can make a difference.

WATCH: A New Wave of Cancer Patients Using SurvivorNet’s My Health AI Tools For Support

Questions For Your Doctor

If you or someone you love is facing a cervical cancer diagnosis, here are some questions to help you get added clarity from your care team about your treatment journey. SurvivorNet’s proprietary AI tool “My Health Questions” offers patients and their caregivers added value in navigating a diagnosis.

• What treatments do you recommend for my specific type of cervical cancer, and what is the goal of each one?
• What side effects should I expect from the recommended treatment, and what support is available to help manage them?
• How might treatment affect my fertility, sexual health, or overall quality of life?
• How will we monitor my progress during and after treatment, and what does follow‑up care look like?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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