“It sells a fantasy,” Matthew Felker said about why Baywatch continues to resonate with audiences around the world decades after it debuted. As the director and producer of ABC News’ After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, Felker was joined by a wide cast of Baywatch stars at a surprise panel at the TCA Summer Press Tour, moments after the documentary series was announced. “It was selling California. It was selling the California dream… It was escapism.”
(Disney/RICH POLK)
Nicole Eggert, known to Baywatch fans as Summer Quinn from Seasons 3 and 4, explained how the concept for the documentary came to life. “I had been shopping a show with some of the women prior, but it kept ending up being a reality thing. It just wasn’t a good fit,” she recalled. When Felker suggested turning it into a documentary, Eggert was all in, which is how she became a producer on the series. “My first call was to David Hasselhoff,” she said, indicating how his participation set the tone for the project.
Alexandra Paul (Stephanie Holden, Seasons 3–7) reflected on the empowering portrayal of women in Baywatch, noting, "The females on the show were dominating as much as the men in terms of performance and rescues." This strong representation of female lifeguards was a significant aspect of the show, showing women in active, heroic roles. Paul also highlighted the real-world impact of Baywatch, sharing that viewers often learned lifesaving skills from the show. “It was very common for us to get letters from people saying that they knew how to save a life because of watching the show,” she said, emphasizing how the series went beyond entertainment to provide practical, life-saving knowledge to its audience.
“It was considered an all-white show,” reflected Traci Bingham (Jordan Tate, Seasons 7-8), one of the few women of color on the original show who recalled beating out thousands of women who auditioned for the part. “It was a groundbreaking moment. The reality is that I am a person of color. I go to the beach, I swim, and I took excellent care of my hair and makeup. I wasn’t treated any differently. It was a good booking. It was a great job. It was a dream job, and it was truly something that was just memorable for me. I made a difference in the world, and it just made the show more realistic. I was told at one point that the NAACP would be coming down on Baywatch for not having anyone of color. Whether that was true or not, they sure did a great job in casting and at least it raised awareness for people of color.”
David Chokachi's real-life experience with swimming, sailing, and diving made him a natural fit for his role as Cody Madison (Seasons 6-9). "I was lucky enough to grow up on the East Coast, grew up sailing and teaching sailing, and swam on a swim team," he shared, highlighting how his background aligned perfectly with his character. "You can't fake looking like an Olympic swimmer," Chokachi noted, referring to his audition, where his genuine skills shone through. "I could drive boats, I could drive jet skis, I was a certified scuba diver, and all those things led to…okay, we can hire this guy. We don't need a stunt double, and we can write these complex action sequences that he can actually do.”
Billy Warlock's background as a competitive swimmer was a significant asset during his time on Baywatch, where he played the role of Eddie Kramer (Seasons 1-3). "That's what I did in high school. I was all-city L.A. city school’s top eight butterfly backstroke," Warlock recalled. His strong swimming skills not only helped him secure his role but also allowed him to perform many of his own stunts. "I did what I did best," Warlock noted, explaining how his ability to handle challenging aquatic scenes contributed to the authenticity and excitement of Baywatch.
Not all of the cast were excellent swimmers, though. “I was a terrible swimmer,” laughed Erica Eleniak (Shauni McClain, Seasons 1-3). “I did have to audition swimming, and they needed to see my level, my advancement, and how much they were going to need to stunt double me or not. I was not very confident in the water and completely shark-phobic. I remember one year I had it in my contract that I was only going to go in up to my knees and come out from my knees. Yeah, it was a bit of a struggle. We got through it, though.”
Carmen Electra (Lani McKenzie, Season 8) reflected on the challenges she faced as a newcomer to Baywatch, particularly when it came to performing her own stunts. “I was a part of this rookie school,” she explained, referring to the intense training the cast underwent to ensure they could handle the physical demands of the show. One of her most memorable moments was tandem surfing with David Chokachi, an experience she described as "mind-blowing" because it pushed her beyond what she thought she was capable of. Carmen admitted to feeling “green” when she joined the show, coming from a background with MTV and performing with Prince, and she had to adjust to the new environment.
Jeremy Jackson, who grew up on Baywatch playing Hobie Buchannon (Seasons 2-9), spoke about the lasting legacy of the show and its impact on generations of viewers. "Baywatch was kind of an anomaly, lightning in a bottle, so to speak,” he reflected. “Nothing like it has ever been done since." Jackson emphasized that the show's appeal lay not only in its iconic beach scenes and lifeguard drama but also in its ability to connect with audiences worldwide, offering them a blend of escapism and inspiration. "It created a mold that shaped an era," he remarked, underscoring how Baywatch became a defining part of 90s pop culture. Jackson believes that the documentary series After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun "breaks that mold" by offering a deeper look into the personal journeys of the cast, showing the human side behind the glamorous façade and connecting with viewers in a new, authentic way. “It tells the story behind the story. It's very relatable to right here, right now, and actually shatters a lot of perceptions, and gets into the connectivity and the relatability of the humanitarian aspect of people, and connects us all.”
All four episodes of After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun from ABC News are now streaming exclusively on Hulu (and Disney+ for bundle subscribers).