‘Baywatch’ honchos told Carmen Electra she was ‘too heavy’ for scantily clad role
By Nicki Gostin,
2024-09-03
Carmen Electra says she was told to shed some pounds while appearing on “Baywatch.”
“I never had a weigh-in but I was told sometimes that I was too heavy and I’ve looked back now and I don’t think I was,” the actress – who portrayed Lani McKenzie in the popular series – told Extra at the “After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun” premiere.
“[Producers would] come up to you and just say, ‘You need to lose some pounds.’”
ABC News Studios’ “After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun” documentary is a behind-the-scenes look at the soapy lifeguard show that ran for 11 seasons and was watched by over a billion people worldwide.
Electra, now 52, wasn’t the only “Baywatch” alum to open up about the pressure to lose weight while reflecting on what it was like working on the hit series.
Nicole Eggert – who played Summer Quinn for two seasons and co-produced the series – said in the documentary that she was terrified when she first came to set and learned she would be wearing the iconic red bathing swimsuit, worn by all the female lifeguards.
“I panicked,” she admitted. “It made me so insecure and so uncomfortable.”
Meanwhile, Alicia Bridges – who played Lt. Taylor Walsh on the series – claimed that the female stars “couldn’t get cellulite,” adding, “It was a lot of pressure.”
Nevertheless, Electra told Extra she only has fond memories of working on the series.
“I was doing things I would never [have] imagined I could do, like tandem surfing,” she said, sharing that performing a trick while surfing was one of her “proudest moments” out there in the water.
The former ”Singled Out” host also said that she can still pull off running in slow-motion – a signature move of hers from the show.
“I still run in slow motion for people, it’s become this worldwide thing,” she boasted. “I’m game. I love it. I teach people how to do it … it’s fun.”
“Baywatch” originally ran from 1989 to 1999. It was retooled as “Baywatch: Hawaii” with a cast overhaul from 1999 to 2001. Other alums interviewed for the doc include David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, Alexandra Paul and David Chokachi.
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