Brooks Nader isn't deterred by the wave of backlash. After joining the cast of FOX's Baywatch reboot, which is set to premiere later this year, she addressed those concerned about her wearing the iconic red swimsuit in her first major acting role. "I believe that times have changed, and now everyone is so versatile," Brooks told The Daily Mail in an interview published on March 24. "You can be both an actor and an influencer, and wield influence. That's the beauty of the culture that social media has created."
"We now have platforms," she continued. "In the 90s, you didn't have social media, you didn't have Instagram or TikTok. Now, people can use their voices, and I think as long as they use it for good... it'll bring a unique vibe to the show."
She isn't the only influencer to hit the sandy dunes, with Noah Beck announced as part of the principal cast and Livvy Dunne starring in a recurring role as a junior lifeguard. But Brooks is confident they will do "everyone justice" with the show. "I think there are so many amazing platforms and voices on the show, in the cast, and I think it'll only help the series," she explained. "Baywatch was such an iconic series, and we have such a stacked cast of amazing talent. And so I know everyone's gonna love it. It's amazing."
The 27-year-old, who is starring alongside Stephen Amell (as Hobie Buchannon) and Shay Mitchell (Trina) in the upcoming series, previously revealed that she had actually "manifested" the opportunity years ago. "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 told TV Insider earlier this month. "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."
She quipped, "My superpowers are scaring me!"
