Pamela Anderson will not be reprising her role as CJ Parker in the upcoming Fox reboot of "Baywatch." Despite the show's significance in launching her career, Anderson stated she has "no plans" to return to the franchise that made her a global star.
Following her critically acclaimed performance in "The Last Showgirl," Anderson told Deadline that her focus is on seeking new creative opportunities rather than revisiting past roles. "I get that there’s a lot of really great TV out there right now, but I’ve already done that," she explained. "Now is my time to really play with different characters. I don’t want to just fill my time until the end of the year. I have options, and some things I’m thinking about, including some theater again. I want to make really bold choices. I want to surprise people. I want to surprise myself. And so I’m trying to do things I haven’t done in the past."
Anderson played the fan-favorite lifeguard CJ Parker from 1992 to 1997 and made a cameo appearance in the 2017 "Baywatch" film. She expressed fondness for her time on the original series, noting it provided her with significant worldwide exposure and taught her valuable lessons.
"It was a great job, and I loved going to work every day on the beach," Anderson said. "I would have been there anyway. At the time, it taught me a lot, and it gave me worldwide exposure. Everything I’ve done has led me to here, which is a blessing. But I have no plans of going back to Baywatch."
She indicated that her sons' potential involvement in a producing capacity was discussed, but ultimately, a "meeting of the minds" did not occur.
The new "Baywatch" series is currently filming and centers on Hobie Buchannon, portrayed by Stephen Amell, who follows in his father Mitch Buchannon's footsteps. The plot thickens with the arrival of Charlie, the daughter Hobie never knew he had, who seeks to join Baywatch. The cast also includes Jessica Belkin as Charlie, Shay Mitchell as Trina, Hassie Harrison as Nat, Thaddeus LaGrone as Brad, Noah Beck as Luke, and Brooks Nader as Selene. Livvy Dunne is slated to make her acting debut as Grace, and original "Baywatch" stars David Chokachi and Erika Eleniak are set to reprise their roles as Cody Madison and Shauni McClain, respectively.
The reboot is a co-production between Fox Entertainment and Fremantle. Matt Nix, creator of "Burn Notice," serves as showrunner and executive producer. McG directed the premiere and is also an executive producer alongside Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, Doug Schwartz, Dante Di Loreto, and Mike Horowitz.