Brooks Nader Goes Full Pamela Anderson in a Sizzling Leather ‘Barb Wire’ Throwback as ‘Baywatch’ Heats Up Cannes
Few TV shows have left a mark on pop culture like the original ‘Baywatch‘. It debuted on NBC in 1989, ran for 11 seasons and became one of the most-watched television series in the world. The slow-motion runs and red swimsuits turned into a cultural shorthand for summer.
Now Fox is bringing it back with a 12-episode reboot set to premiere in January, with episodes also streaming on Hulu. Production began in Los Angeles in the spring after an open casting call, and the cast was spotted in the iconic red suits on Venice Beach in March. The first trailer has just arrived, and fan reactions have been mixed, with some skeptical about yet another reboot.
The show took its first big international bow in Cannes, where Fox held a panel at the MIPCOM television market. Brooks Nader, who stars in the series, turned heads at the event with a look that nodded to a Pamela Anderson classic. She chose a black leather corset with black leggings, opera-length gloves, knee-high boots and pushed-up sunglasses, a nod to Anderson’s costume in the 1996 film ‘Barb Wire’.
"Baywatch" reboot star Brooks Nader channels her inner Pamela Anderson during an outing in Cannes, France 🛟 📸: BACKGRID https://t.co/JYNnrOAWzT
— Page Six (@PageSix) October 15, 2026
The outing came after a very different look. At the Fox photocall in Cannes the day before, Nader leaned into the show’s signature color in red. By Tuesday’s panel, titled ‘Baywatch: The World’s Most-Watched Series Returns’, she had swapped it for all black.
It’s a clever bit of method dressing. Nader has been wearing ‘Baywatch’ red nonstop on red carpets, including at last month’s Emmys. Switching to an homage of Anderson’s most famous post-lifeguard role shows she understands the legacy she’s stepping into.
She’s been open about that pressure. Nader has told Fox News Digital that Anderson was a muse who has long been on her vision board, and she told Page Six Style in June that the role convinced her to give up string bikinis for one-piece swimsuits. Carmen Electra, another alum, told People that Nader is absolutely a good fit for the show.
Brooks Nader channels fellow ‘Baywatch’ babe Pamela Anderson in ‘Barb Wire’ https://t.co/YQp37XhGhH https://t.co/0pISwF0SMV
— New York Post (@nypost) October 13, 2026
Nader, 29, plays Selene, the sharp-tongued captain of the Zuma Beach lifeguards. Her character has tension with Stephen Amell’s Hobie Buchannon, who is now a Baywatch captain continuing the work started by his father, Mitch. Nader is a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model who wore the classic one-piece on the cover of the 2023 issue, and she is also known for ‘Love Thy Nader’ and ‘Dancing With the Stars’.
Stephen Amell and Brooks Nader (who looks like she got her outfit on loan from a Soviet-era sex worker with no food at home but plenty of paint for makeup) attend FOX’S “BAYWATCH: The World’s Most-Watched Series Returns” panel during the 2026 MIPCOM on Oct. 13, 2026 in Cannes. https://t.co/XnvXIjvYTQ
— An-gel (@theycallmehalo) October 13, 2026
Amell joined her at the Cannes event, alongside showrunner Matt Nix and Fox executives. Co-star Noah Beck was unable to make the trip. The ensemble also includes Shay Mitchell, Livvy Dunne, Jessica Belkin, Hassie Harrison and Thaddeus LaGrone.
Brooks Nader channels Pamela Anderson in leather look ahead of Baywatch reboot https://t.co/fG5g4GJv56 https://t.co/x7t1mlvb4F
— Daily Star (@dailystar) October 14, 2026
The reboot isn’t leaving the past behind. Original cast members David Chokachi, Kelly Packard, Michael Bergin and Erika Eleniak are set to appear, with Chokachi reprising Cody Madison. The trailer also features Megan Thee Stallion.
One notable name will not be returning. Pamela Anderson told Deadline that she isn’t coming back for the reboot and has moved on to new projects like ‘The Last Showgirl’. That makes the nod from Nader all the more meaningful.
Reboots are a tough sell, and the show will have to prove it can balance nostalgia with something new. The original helped launch the careers of Anderson, Carmen Electra and Yasmine Bleeth, and it spawned a spinoff and a 2017 feature film starring Dwayne Johnson, Alexandra Daddario and Zac Efron. That’s a big legacy to live up to.
First trailer for the ‘BAYWATCH’ reboot, starring Stephen Amell, Noah Beck and Livvy Dunne. Releasing in January on FOX. https://t.co/WEwseoLE7c
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 13, 2026
Still, the early promotional push has been strong. Between the beach scenes, the red-suit nostalgia and Nader’s Cannes tribute, Fox is clearly leaning into the show’s most recognizable imagery. Whether that translates into ratings will become clear once the series airs in January.
What do you think of Brooks Nader's Barb Wire-inspired Cannes outfit?
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