I hope everyone’s been practicing their slow-motion running, because the Baywatch reboot is coming together nicely for what will hopefully be a premiere on the 2026 TV schedule this fall. The casting process has been interesting to watch, from the open casting calls to the hiring of influencers to don the iconic red swimsuits. Now, Brooks Nader is responding to the backlash that she’s “not necessarily an actor.”
The new Baywatch series will essentially be Brooks Nader’s first acting gig, and her lack of experience has led some haters to speak out against the casting decision online. The Sports Illustrated swimsuit model didn’t seem too bothered by it, though, as she told The Daily Mail:
I think that the times are different and everyone is so multi-hyphenate now, and you can be both an actor and an influencer and have influence. And that's the beauty of the culture that social media has created.
Brooks Nader makes a good point that today’s celebrities rarely fit into just one box. She definitely seems up to the challenge of adding “actor” to her resume — which, come on, we should have seen coming as soon as she rocked that red swimwear. Besides, as she pointed out, she wasn’t a dancer, either when she went on Dancing with the Stars (and had that hot showmance with pro Gleb Savchenko). She continued:
We now have platforms. I think, during the 90s, you didn't have social media, you didn't have Instagram or TikTok, and so people could use their voice now, and I think as long as they're using it for good... I think that it'll bring a vibe to the show.
It’s also worth noting that some of the biggest Baywatch cast members, like Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra and Jason Momoa, were relatively unknown when they joined the original show. Brooks Nader said she loves the variety of talents who will be featured in the reboot, saying:
I think that there's so many amazing platforms and voices that are on the show, in the cast, and I think it'll only help the series.
Brooks Nader isn’t the only social media influencer we’ll see taking the lifeguard stand. Former gymnast Livvy Dunne is ready for slo-mo running, while TikToker Noah Beck surely hopes that some of his 33 million followers will tune in to check out his life-saving skills.
Stephen Amell will lead the cast as Hobie Buchannon, son of David Hasselhoff’s Mitch Buchannon, with David Chokachi set to reprise his role as Cody Madison. Shay Mitchell of Pretty Little Liars fame has signed on, and we’ll also see some newcomers like Hanna Balicki from those open casting calls.
I think Brooks Nader hit the nail on the head, saying the new Baywatch cast will feature an amazing variety of talents, and I can’t wait to see if some familiar faces might pop up as well (I mean, Carmen Electra’s over here just waiting for the call). Fox has ordered 12 episodes of the reboot, so stay tuned as details continue to come out.
