Thousands of red swimsuit-wearing hopefuls turn up for ‘Baywatch’ casting call

Over 2,000 red swimsuit-clad hopefuls descended upon Marina del Rey’s Mothers Beach on Wednesday, all with one singular goal: to become a superstar TV lifeguard.

“Baywatch” is back, and a good old-fashioned open casting call was set up with the intention of finding the next Hollywood beach beauty. 

Among the day’s hopefuls was BridgeAnne d’Avignon, a crime prevention specialist for the Monterey County Sheriff’s office who drove five hours to LA for her shot at the spotlight. “Being able to be a part of that cultural moment and bring it to the new generation is incredible,” she told Page Six Hollywood.

“Everyone knows ‘Baywatch’ for that iconic little red swimsuit, but it’s so much more than that, because it’s the narrative of the story that has resonated with people through many, many years.”

Working with the sheriff’s office, d’Avignon has extensive experience working with first responders every day – something she hopes will help her stand out from the crowd. “We can represent the lifeguards and all those first responders who work so hard to make sure people are safe.”

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

The casting team is running 20 audition rooms simultaneously to get through the high volume of talent, asking actors to perform a scene written specifically for the day by showrunner Matt Nix. Slow-motion running isn’t part of the audition process, although many actors were spotted filming their own TikToks on the beach.

LA-based actor Shelby Armstrong says the “Baywatch” casting call was a rare opportunity to get facetime with casting directors in an era of self-tapes – and she’s got nothing to lose by showing up. “Why not? What the hell! Might as well just come see what’s happening,” she says. “‘Baywatch’ is an iconic show, and what else do I have to do on a Wednesday?”

“It’s a nod to the way it used to be done, and this IP lends itself to that: we’re reinventing and bringing back this iconic show,” Fox’s Senior VP of Talent & Casting Brittainy Roberts told Page Six Hollywood.

“Our business has certainly struggled since Covid and strikes and fires, and we’re so excited to be shooting in LA. Opening it up to people in the community of talent that’s here, but also anyone else from around the country that wants to come and be a part of this major event, it was just the perfect show to do it on.”

The original David Hasselhoff-led “Baywatch” first hit screens in 1989, becoming the most-watched show in the world and launching the careers of Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra, Jason Momoa and more. 

The reboot series, which is set to premiere during Fox’s 2026-27 season, aims to deliver the high-octane rescues, complicated relationships and beachside heroics that defined the original, with a contemporary slant. “Baywatch” will begin shooting this March on Venice Beach and on the Fox Studio Lot in Century City – which means that any actors selected from Wednesday’s auditions could be whisked into production in a matter of weeks, playing any role from a leading lifeguard to a drowning beachgoer.

“This is the dream that so many people have: being discovered, whether it’s in a mall by somebody or walking down the sidewalk,” Roberts says. “Somebody gets plucked out of obscurity, and put into this, this amazing, iconic show, and hopefully will be the next Fox TV star.”

So what exactly are casting directors looking for on this busy day? “It’s almost unquantifiable. It’s hard to explain, but it’s a watchability. It’s something that makes you want to watch that person: dare I say, a star quality to them,” Roberts says.