Brooks Nader hits back at backlash over ‘Baywatch’ casting

Sports Illustrated model Brooks Nader is firing back at critics as she dives headfirst into the highly anticipated “Baywatch” reboot.

Nader brushed off backlash over influencer casting while making the case for a new era of Hollywood.

“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,” Nader told the Daily Mail. “And that’s the beauty of the culture that social media has created.”

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Sports Illustrated model Brooks Nader is defending influencer casting in the “Baywatch” reboot. (Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)

She made the comments after critics flooded social media with skepticism about the reboot’s casting choices, some calling it “influencer casting, not acting” and slamming the project as “a JOKE” with an “awful cast.” 

Brooks Nader shared a photo of herself wearing the iconic red swimsuit on her Instagram story, writing, “Still pinch myself when I suit up.” (Brooks Nader Instagram)

Others questioned Hollywood’s reliance on reboots altogether, while some fans wondered if anyone could truly step into the shadow of Pamela Anderson’s iconic red swimsuit era.

As debate swirls online over whether social media stars belong on screen, Nader refused to back down.

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Brooks Nader says landing a role in the “Baywatch” reboot is a full-circle moment after manifesting it during her red one-piece Sports Illustrated shoot. (Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin)

“We now have platforms,” she continued. “I think … during the ’90s, you didn’t have social media. You didn’t have Instagram or TikTok. 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.” 

Influencer Noah Beck is also a principal cast member, while Livvy Dunne will appear in a recurring role as a junior lifeguard for the “Baywatch” reboot.

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Despite the noise, Nader insisted the cast would deliver.

Shay Mitchell, Noah Beck, Hassie Harrison and Stephen Amell on the set of “Baywatch” on March 18, 2026 in Venice, California. (MEGA/GC Images)

“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,” she explained.

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Nader is cast alongside Stephen Amell and Shay Mitchell in the reboot, but her connection to the franchise, she said, started long before she landed the role.

The “Dancing with the Stars” alum additionally shared that she had “manifested” this role a while back.

Pamela Anderson starred in the original “Baywatch.” (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin)

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“When I shot my Sports Illustrated cover in the red one-piece, I picked that one off the rack because I was like, ‘This is so ‘Baywatch. I have to shoot in this,’” she previously told TV Insider.

“Lo and behold, it became the cover, which was amazing. It’s kind of a full-circle moment to see that that was in 2023. And we’re now in 2026, and that dream became a reality.

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“My superpowers are scaring me.”

Despite some negative reaction, other fans are already rallying behind Nader, calling her “Baywatch Barbie” and praising it as “meant for you,” while others said on social media, “The internet is not ready for this level of hotness on screen.”