NICOLE SOMMA
Updated
Livvy Dunne swaps gymnastics for the beach. The former LSU star appears in the official trailer for the Baywatch reboot, the series Fox will bring back in January 2027 with a new generation of lifeguards and several of the elements that made the original production famous.
The trailer brings back the slow-motion running, high-risk rescues, romances, and the unmistakable red swimsuits. Dunne plays Grace, an enthusiastic young lifeguard looking to earn a place on the team. The role will mark her acting debut and will be recurring, although she will not be the center of the story.
Livvy Dunne makes her acting debut in Baywatch
Dunne's addition had been announced months earlier, but the trailer offers a new glimpse of her involvement in the series. After retiring from competitive gymnastics, the American thus takes her first professional step into acting.
The plot will center on Hobie Buchannon, played by Stephen Amell. The son of Mitch Buchannon, the legendary lifeguard portrayed by David Hasselhoff in the original version, Hobie is now the captain of Baywatch. His routine changes with the arrival of Charlie Vale (Jessica Belkin), the daughter he never knew he had and who wants to follow in his footsteps as a lifeguard.
The cast combines experienced actors and popular social media personalities. Joining Dunne will be Shay Mitchell, Brooks Nader, Noah Beck, Hassie Harrison, and Thaddeus LaGrone, in a bid to connect with a new audience without giving up the series’ identity.
The return of the red swimsuits and the action on the beach
The trailer makes it clear that the reboot does not intend to stray too far from the original formula. The footage alternates the classic slow-motion runs with sea rescues, a plane crash, explosions, and new romantic storylines.
"Nostalgia will also have its place. David Chokachi will return as Cody Madison and Erika Eleniak will reprise her role as Shauni McClain as a special guest. Their appearances will connect the new production with the series that premiered in 1989 and ended up becoming one of the biggest television hits of its time.
The first season will have 12 episodes and will arrive on Fox in January 2027, some 25 years after the end of the original series. Dunne will not be the lead, but her acting debut and her appearance in one of television’s most recognizable outfits already place her among the names generating the most interest in this new chapter of Baywatch.