Mary McDonnell has joined the “Baywatch” reboot as a guest star.
“The Boroughs” star will recur as Gayle, the mother of Stephen Amell’s protagonist Hobie Buchannon. The character is described as a “sophisticated woman with a wryly funny presence.”
“She cares deeply for her family and is there for them even when they’re not sure they want her help,” according to the character description. “Gayle and Hobie have a long, complicated history, but no matter how much time or distance gets between them, family always seems to find its way back together. She’s learned a thing or two about second chances over the years, and she shares that wisdom with humor and grace.”
The new iteration of “Baywatch” will premiere on Fox in January 2027. The cast includes original series actors David Chokachi and Erika Eleniak, reprising their respective roles of Cody Madison and Shauni McClain, as well as newcomers Jessica Belkin as Charlie Vale, Shay Mitchell as Trina, Hassie Harrison as Nat, Thaddeus LaGrone as Brad, Brooks Nader as Selene, Noah Beck as Luke, Livvy Dunne as Grace and Nadia Gray as Lisa.
Matt Nix is the showrunner of “Baywatch” 2.0, executive producing alongside director McG, Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, Doug Schwartz, Dante Di Loreto and Mike Horowitz. The reboot will continue the storyline of the original series, a global phenomenon that launched David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson into Hollywood superstardom. Thanks to a California state tax incentive, the series is shooting on the beaches and soundstages of Los Angeles.
McDonnell will next be seen in Marvel’s “VisionQuest” series, as well as the indie film “One Second After.” Her TV credits include “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “Major Crimes,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “The Closer,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “ER,” and she’s been in films such as “Dances with Wolves,” “Independence Day,” “Passion Fish,” “Sneakers,” “Donnie Darko” and “Grand Canyon.”
McDonnell is repped by Innovative Artists and Anonymous Content and Wallman PR.
