Baywatch Diary – Day 1
This morning, I left for Hawaii to shoot the Baywatch Reunion Movie. I am excited to see so much of the cast I worked with my 5 seasons on the show – Nicole Eggert (Summer), Gena Lee Nolin (Neely), Yasmine Bleeth (my sister, Caroline Holden), John Allen Nelson (Cort), Pamela Anderson (CJ), Jeremy Jackson (Hobie), and of course our fearless leader, David Hasselhoff (Mitch). As the show was on the air for a dozen years, there are cast members from all eras coming back: Billy Warlock (Eddie) from the first couple years; Carmen Electra (Lani) and Angelica Bridges (Taylor) who were on after I left the show; the folks from Baywatch Hawaii: Michael Bergin (JD), Brande Roderick (Leigh), Stacey Kamano (Kekoa) and Jason Momoa (Jason). Although I have mixed feelings about returning to a show that has been both a blessing and a curse to my career, I do know that we will have a wonderful shoot on the North Shore, as the entire cast are terrific people.
Gena, Billy, Nicole, Brande and I take the 8am flight this morning. The rest of the cast will come in tomorrow, and a couple on Saturday, in time for the script read-through. It is neat to see Gena and her 5 year old son, Spencer, and Nicole and her 7 year old daughter Dylan. I had never met Spencer, and when Nicole left the show in the mid 1990’s, she was only 21, and here she is, 9 years later, a confident mother. Wow! It has been ten years since I first ran my slow motion run for the Baywatch camera, and I, too, have grown up – I have been married for 2 years to the most wonderful man, and we have a loving, steady relationship.
We arrive in Oahu at 11am Hawaii time. The weather is perfect: warm and a bit humid, with sun and a gentle breeze. We arrive at our hotel in time for me to take an ocean swim and yoga out the plane trip, while Billy, Brande and Gena do wardrobe fittings. Mine is tomorrow morning. These aint your normal Baywatch wardrobe fittings: not as many red suits (or yellow ones, for that matter), and we actually have several clothes changes! But I am not a lifeguard on this show… I wish I could do some cool rescues, as I always loved playing the hero, and although it has been 6 years since I have worn a bathing suit on camera, and that brings up some insecurities (” I am the oldest woman on this show, how will I look?”) I prefer to just wear bathing suits it means no uncomfortable shoes and less fuss over makeup and hair. Plus it means we are playing around on the beach, and what could be better than that?
At 6:30pm we gathered at the pool bar to watch the sunset, and to see crew members that we know from the old Baywatch who are working on this show. There are over a dozen, which is very cool. I also meet Cary Tagawa, who is a special guest star, and with whom I have several scenes. Very nice guy who has done a ton of films.
I cant tell you much about the plot, as I signed a confidentiality agreement, but I will say I am not playing Lt.Stephanie Holden, as she died (heroically, of course) back in 1996. I do get to kiss David Hasselhoff, however, and punch Gena Lee Nolin.
I went to bed early because of the time change, and dreamt that I almost drowned in the sea at night. But I didnt, I survived. Like I have these past 20 years as an actress.
