Baywatch was a 90s classic and many of its stars were catapulted to fame thanks to the skimpy swimwear, hot bods and the iconic theme tune. But what are the cast members up to now?
Baywatch, the iconic nineties television show, is remembered for its skimpy swimsuits, slamming physiques and catchy theme tune.
The show, which launched in 1990, catapulted some of the decade’s biggest A-list stars to fame, including Pamela Anderson and David Hasselhoff.
Even if you haven’t seen the series, you’re bound to have heard of it due to its legendary red swimsuits. The show’s popularity led to a spinoff series – Baywatch Nights – and a blockbuster film in 2017, a staggering 17 years after the show ended.
If you’ve ever wondered what your favourite Los Angeles lifeguards are up to now, then read on.
Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson was an instant hit with viewers – blonde, beautiful and Baywatch’s resident babe, Anderson had it all.
Her role as CJ Parker ran from 1992 to 1997, making her one of the longest serving cast members. She was reportedly paid just $1,500 (£1.2k) per episode.
However, by the end of her five season run, she was reportedly earning over $300,000 (£248k) per episode, making her one of the highest paid actresses of the time. From then on, Pamela’s career soared with a long string of acting roles in movies such as Borat, Barb Wire, Scooby Doo and Scary Movie 3, reports the Daily Star.
Pamela’s fame skyrocketed when she started her notorious relationship with Motley Crüe’s Tommy Lee. Their turbulent love life was widely reported, but it was their explicit sex tape leaked by a construction worker in 1996 that really caught the media’s attention.
Despite their efforts to erase the private video from the media, they were unsuccessful. The couple has since split, and Pamela spent many years out of the spotlight until her recent comeback.
The miniseries “Pam and Tommy” was released in 2022, and Pamela has since taken control of her narrative. She published “Pamela, A Love Story” and “Love, Pamela” earlier this year to set the record straight.
The stunning model remains an icon and continues to thrive, 35 years after being propelled into the limelight. Nowadays, the star opts for a more natural look and has been attending swanky showbiz events as a bare-faced beauty.
Donna D’Errico
Donna D’Errico, a former Playboy Playmate, secured the role of Donna Marco after being named Playmate of the Month in September 1995. Fans will recognise the blonde beauty from Baywatch and her Playboy days, but few may know that she once owned a limousine company.
After Baywatch, she starred in “Candyman: Day of the Dead”, “Intervention” and “Inconceivable”. Like her co-star Pamela Anderson, Donna married Motley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx in 1996, but the pair sadly divorced in 2007.
Back in 2011, Donna revealed she was training to scale Mount Ararat on a quest for Noah’s Ark remains. But it wasn’t long before her bruised face pics went viral after she shared them online.
Chatting with Fox News, Donna spilled the beans on her obsession with the biblical tale and how a 2010 hospital stint made her realise time was ticking. D’Errico confessed her journey was “cut short” due to injury, saying: “I was injured. It wasn’t so much the injury itself that made me cut it short. I took photographs of my injured face and I sent them home. I made the mistake of posting one of the pictures on my Twitter account and a giant story broke about it.”
Carmen Electra
Before Carmen Electra became a household name, she was Tara Leigh Patrick, rocking out an album with Prince himself. He kickstarted her career, penning tunes for her before she turned heads in Playboy and snagged the role of Lani McKenzie on Baywatch.
She’s been in a slew of spoof flicks like Scary Movie and Disaster Movie, but did you know she once backed up the Pussycat Dolls?
Back in ’99, Carmen and ex-beau Dennis Rodman found themselves cuffed for misdemeanour and battery at a Miami Beach hotel.
Electra tied the knot with former Red Hot Chilli Peppers guitarist Dave Navarro, and their wedding plans were broadcast on their MTV show ‘Til Death Do Us Part: Carmen and Dave’. However, they parted ways in 2007.
David Hasselhoff
David Hasselhoff, known for his role as the charming Mitch Buchannon in Baywatch, holds the Guinness World Record for being the most watched man on TV. His successful Hollywood career includes roles in Dodgeball, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Click, and Hop.
He is also recognised for his judging roles on America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent. Despite his cheerful demeanour and sense of humour, Hasselhoff has battled alcoholism.
In 2007, a video circulated online showing the star appearing extremely intoxicated, leading to him losing visitation rights to his daughters for two weeks.
Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff
Pamela played cafe owner Kaye Morgan for 10 years on the show – but this week was sadly found dead at her Los Angeles home by her family.
After a worrying few days, they did a welfare check on the star to find her dead from an alleged self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to TMZ.
She was 62 when she died and was survived by her ex-husband and co-star David Hasselhoff, and their two daughters Taylor, 34, and Hayley, 32.
After the show, she also racked up other acting credits on shows such as such as Knight Rider, Cheers, and the Young and the Restless.
Michael Newman
Alongside the sad news of Pamela, Baywatch actor Michael Newman has also passed away. The actor was 68 when he died in 2024, following an 18-year battle with Parkinson’s disease.
One of his close friends has confirmed that he died on Sunday evening (20 October) due to “heart complications”. He played Newmie on the show and appeared in a whopping 150 episodes.
His friend, director Matt Felker, shared with fans how Michael told Matt he was “just in time” during their last visit together. Felker directed the docuseries After Baywatch: Moment In The Sun and revealed that the actor was surrounded by his loved ones when he passed.
Brande Roderick
Brande Roderick played Leigh Dyer in 2000 and was named Playmate of the Year in 2001.
Former Playboy bunny and Hugh Hefner’s ex, Brande Roderick, has stepped up to defend the late magazine mogul amid explosive claims in the Secrets of Playboy docu-series. Speaking on Banfield NewsNation, Roderick reminisced, “For me, I have a real fond love for Hef, he was a wonderful person. I learned about art, I learned about music, you know, big band and jazz, old classic films.”
She reflected on Hefner’s demeanor, adding, “I learned grace from Hef, that’s one thing that I learned and got to see firsthand is the way that this major iconic man, who’s super famous, would react with everybody…he was just so graceful, which is something you don’t see a lot of times from celebrities in Hollywood.”
Roderick also challenged assertions about Hefner’s supposed tolerance for substance misuse, claiming he had someone kicked out of the Playboy mansion for “doing cocaine in the bathroom”.
Since leaving the Bunny life behind, she’s bagged roles in flicks like Starsky and Hutch and Stripper Wives.
Brooke Burns
Meanwhile, Brooke Burns swam into the spotlight as Jessie Owens in Baywatch and later acted alongside Jack Black in Shallow Hal.
Famously, Burns once dated action star Bruce Willis in 2003, though their romance wound down after 10 months amid engagement whispers. Tragically, a year later Burns faced her own drama, surviving a neck break from a diving mishap that almost left her paralysed.
The blonde beauty made a full recovery and now has a titanium fusion in her neck. A decade later, in 2014, she was involved in a car accident in Los Angeles.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
