sportingnews
Livvy Dunne has swapped her gymnastics attire for the famous red swimsuit of 'Baywatch.' The former LSU gymnastics standout, who is also known as the girlfriend of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, is set to make her acting debut in Fox's forthcoming reboot of the iconic series.
The original 'Baywatch,' which featured stars like Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra, David Hasselhoff, and Jason Momoa, first aired in 1989 and enjoyed an 11-season run.
Here's a closer look at Dunne's first foray into scripted television.
What role does Livvy Dunne play in the new 'Baywatch'?
Dunne, 24, has been increasingly drawn to the camera since retiring from gymnastics in April 2025. She disclosed earlier this year that she had been taking acting classes and even auditioned for a part in 'The White Lotus' before securing her role on 'Baywatch.' In the upcoming series, she will portray Grace, a 'highly enthusiastic junior lifeguard,' in a recurring capacity.
The former LSU gymnast has given fans glimpses behind the scenes, including photos of herself in a red bikini reading a script. In a March 13 Instagram post, she quipped, 'I'm not a lifeguard, but I play one on TV.'
Why Livvy Dunne delayed her acting dreams
Dunne has acknowledged that her interest in acting didn't emerge overnight after her gymnastics career ended. 'It's something I've been passionate about for quite some time,' she told 'People.' 'I was interested in doing that at LSU, but sports are your top priority when you're a student-athlete at school. School and sports, but gymnastics was really my main focus,' the MLB WAG added.
Now that her academic and athletic commitments are behind her, the former gymnast says she has 'more time to lean into the active stuff and the creative side of things.'
When does the new 'Baywatch' series premiere?
The 'Baywatch' reboot will usher in a new generation of lifeguards while reviving the beach rescues and drama that made the original a global phenomenon. Dunne joins a cast that includes Brooks Nader, Noah Bech, Stephen Amell, and Shay Mitchell.
Filmed in Venice Beach, California, and on the Fox Studio lot in Century City, the show aims to honor the franchise's enduring legacy. In a press release, Fox promised: 'Fans can expect all the adrenaline-fueled rescues, tangled relationships, complicated chemistry and beachside heroics that defined the original – now with an entirely new cast, contemporary trappings, tensions and challenges, and a renewed mission to protect Southern California's shoreline.'
'We're excited to reinvent Baywatch for a new generation, honoring the original while introducing a new wave of heroes on the beach,' added showrunner and executive producer Matt Nix. The integration felt like a natural fit for the world of the show and felt especially authentic.
The original series was once the most-watched show in the world, airing in over 200 countries and reaching more than a billion viewers weekly at its peak, according to the network. The new 12-episode series will premiere in January 2027.
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Originally reported by sportingnews.