Baywatch became a global phenomenon after premiering in 1989, with over a billion people tuning in to watch everyone's favorite lifeguards navigate the ups and downs of beach life.
Synonymous with red swimsuits, slow-motion beach runs and beautiful people, the show catapulted its stars to fame and continues to have an incredible cultural impact to this day.
The series earned itself multiple spin offs during its time, as well as a reboot movie in 2017 starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. Fox have been tapped to head the TV reboot, which will follow a group of gorgeous lifeguards in LA.
The show's description says, "Daring ocean rescues, pristine beaches, and iconic red bathing suits are back, along with a whole new generation of Baywatch lifeguards, who navigate complicated, messy personal lives in this action-packed reboot that demonstrates there's the family you're born into and the family you find."
Join HELLO! as we delve into what the Baywatch cast has achieved since the show premiered 35 years ago.
David Hasselhoff as Mitch Buchannon
© GettyDavid is a household name thanks to the iconic show, which he also produced and helped to become an unprecedented success. He played the wise captain of the lifeguards, Mitch Buchannon, in Baywatch and its spinoffs, Baywatch: Hawaii and Baywatch Nights.
The 72-year-old explained to People in 2017 why the show became such a smash hit: "I told them it was heart, humor and action," he said.
"You've got to have heart. You've got to have a story. You've got to have humor. And you've got to have action."
David's career has not slowed down since his Baywatch days. He has released a whopping 15 studio albums since 1983, which strangely became big hits in German-speaking countries.
He also completed a stint as a judge on America's Got Talent, had a reality show with his two daughters that ran for two seasons, and lit up both Broadway and the West End with his talent, performing in Chicago, Jekyll & Hyde, and 9 to 5, to name a few.
The father of two frequently poked fun by playing himself in films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004).
He has been married three times: to actress Catherine Hickland from 1984-1989; to actress Pamela Bach from 1989 to 2006; and to Haley Roberts, whom he married in 2018. He shares daughters Taylor and Haley with Pamela.
Pamela Anderson as C.J. Parker
© GettyBaywatch also made a household name of Pamela Anderson, who joined the cast in season three as the sweet C.J Parker and became one of the highest-paid actresses on TV at the time.
Post-Baywatch, Pamela has led a tumultuous life thanks to her five marriages, in particular to Mötley Crüe rocker Tommy Lee. She was the victim of scandal when their sex tape was leaked in 1997, which spawned the Hulu show Pam & Tommy about the fallout.
After the show's release, Pamela opened up about her past in her memoir, Love, Pamela, and headed a documentary about her experience.
The Playboy alum delighted fans when she made her Broadway debut in Chicago in 2022, and she has also appeared on Dancing with the Stars multiple times throughout her career.
Her most recent film credit is for The Last Showgirl, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and co-stars Jamie Lee Curtis.
She is a fierce animal activist and has made headlines in the past few years for choosing to go makeup-free for Hollywood events like the Met Gala and Paris Fashion Week. Pamela shares two sons, Brandon and Dylan, with ex-husband Tommy Lee.
Nicole Eggert as Summer Quinn
© GettyA child star in her own right, Nicole joined the cast of Baywatch in season three as Summer Quinn.
Since wrapping the show, she stayed on the TV track with roles in Married…with Children, Gilmore Girls and Boy Meets World, as well as a stint on reality TV shows The Real Gilligan's Island in 2004 and diving show Splash in 2013.
She revealed to People in 2024 why she left the series: "I quit Baywatch…[but] running away from things does not make them disappear. As a young person, I sort of ran from it," she said.
"But I also don't have any regrets at the same time. I don't believe in them."
The actress was diagnosed with breast cancer last year but thankfully responded to chemotherapy and is recovering from her illness. She has two daughters, Diyln and Keegan.
Donna D’Errico as Donna Marco
© GettyThe actress nabbed the starring role of Donna Marco on the series after landing a centerfold shoot with Playboy, much like her co-star Pamela.
She went on to roles in smaller films like The Making of Plus One with Andie MacDowell and Inconceivable. She has steadily worked in TV since wrapping the show, including stints on Brooklyn Nine-Nine and 9-1-1.
Donna got hitched to Nikki Sixx, the Mötley Crüe bassist, in 1996, and the pair welcomed their daughter, Frankie, in 2001.
She also has a son, Rhyan, from a previous relationship, who is a talented composer and has worked on shows like Veep and Miracle Workers. Like Pamela, she is also a fierce animal activist.
Jeremy Jackson as Hobie Buchannon
© GettyJeremy played Mitch's son, Hobie, from season two onwards after replacing actor Brandon Call in the part. After appearing in 159 episodes of the show, he began a music career and released two albums, even opening for his on-screen dad during his European tour in 1993.
Sadly, the trials and tribulations of fame were too much for Jeremy; after Baywatch, he was arrested for drug possession and later admitted to being high while filming the show. He also released a sex tape, went to rehab, and was evicted from Celebrity Big Brother in 2015 for sexual harassment.
To top it all off, Jeremy was arrested for a stabbing and spent time in jail; he is now sober. He was married to Loni Willison from 2012 to 2014 before experiencing homelessness.
Carmen Electra as Lani McKenzie
© GettyBaywatch launched its stars into the Hollywood stratosphere, and Carmen Electra was no exception.
After joining the cast in season eight as an aspiring dancer-turned-lifeguard, she shot to fame and appeared in films like Starsky and Hutch in 2004 and Cheaper by the Dozen 2 in 2005. She also acted in several parody films, including Scary Movie, Date Movie, and Epic Movie.
She married NBA superstar and Chicago Bulls player Dennis Rodman in a Vegas ceremony in 1998, before their divorce in 1999 following a domestic violence charge against each of them, which was ultimately dropped.
She then married guitarist Dave Navarro, with whom she starred in the reality show 'Til Death Do Us Part; the pair divorced in 2006 after three years together. Like her co-stars, she is a Playboy alum and a proud activist.
Alexandra Paul as Stephanie Holden
© GettyAlexandra Paul starred as Lieutenant Stephanie Holden on the hit show and appeared in over 90 episodes, but the actress had already made a name for herself with film roles like Christine in 1983 and 8 Million Ways to Die in 1986.
Since wrapping Baywatch, she has worked tirelessly in TV, including roles on Man Men, Melrose Place and Chicken Soup for the Soul.
She is an award-winning documentarian who has combined her love of television with her fierce advocacy for animal welfare and LGBTQIA+ rights.
Alexandra married triathlon coach Ian Murray in 2000, the same year she competed in the Boston Marathon. She is also an avid swimmer, revealing on her podcast Switch4Good that she got the part of Stephanie because "the producer swam at the same pool I did".
