‘Dancing With the Stars’ Alum Defends ‘Baywatch’ Reboot Casting Amid Backlash

Brooks Nader is defending her role in Fox’s Baywatch reboot amid backlash surrounding the model’s casting.

The Dancing With the Stars Season 33 alum, 29, addressed criticism surrounding her career pivot in a new interview with the Daily Mail, saying that she’s “excited to show people what I can do” as she makes her acting debut.

“I think that the times are different and everyone is so multi-hyphenate now, and you can be both an actor and an influencer and have influence,” said the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model. “And that’s the beauty of the culture that social media has created.”

Nader, who also stars in her family’s Hulu reality show, Love Thy Nader, said that while there wasn’t social media during the original Baywatch run, “We now have platforms. …and so people could use their voice now, and I think as long as they’re using it for good… I think that it’ll bring a vibe to the show.”

She continued, “I think that there’s so many amazing platforms and voices that are on the show, in the cast, and I think it’ll only help the series.”

Nader has been cast as Selene, the sharp-tongued captain of the Zuma Beach lifeguards, who clashes with Baywatch Captain Hobie Buchannon (Stephen Amell) over their very different approaches to their jobs.

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Nader called her casting “the biggest pinch me moment of my career,” telling the Daily Mail, “I feel like this is my first big acting gig, and so I’m excited to show people what I can do and obviously big shoes to fill.”

Other cast members on Fox’s Baywatch reboot include Shay Mitchell, Hassie Harrison, Noah Beck, Jessica Belkin, Thaddeus LaGrone, Livvy Dunne and David Chokachi, who will reprise his role from the original series as Cody Madison.

“In its first run, Baywatch defined an entire era of beach life and elevated lifeguards to an iconic status. Now, with our partners at Fremantle, this television juggernaut is set for a modern-day comeback,” Michael Thorn, President of FOX Television Network, said in a September 2025 press release statement. “Together, FOX and Fremantle, along with Matt Nix and original co-creator Greg Bonann, will bring the California dream to a whole new generation of fans with fresh stories, rising stars and all the spectacle that makes the Baywatch franchise a global sensation.”