Another Original 'Baywatch' Star Joins Reboot — Here's What She Looks Like Now

Another original Baywatch star is headed back to the beach.

On Wednesday, Deadline announced that Erika Eleniak—who played Shauni McClain on the show's first two seasons, before leaving in Season 3—will return for FOX's upcoming reboot of the classic '90s series.

Per reports, she'll guest star as Shauni, “a former Baywatch lifeguard-turned-Santa Monica city councilwoman” who “returns to the beach to help Hobie kick off the annual 'Beach Games' between the reigning champions of Baywatch and the Coast Guard.”

While Jeremy Jackson played Hobie, the son of David Hasselhoff's Mitch Buchannon, on the original series, Arrow alum Stephen Amell has been cast in the role for the revival.

Eleniak & Former Co-Stars React to Her Casting

Sharing the Deadline announcement to her Instagram page, Eleniak exclaimed, “I’m so excited! I can’t wait to bring Shauni back to Baywatch!”

She added, “I’m also excited to meet the new cast and catch up with David Chokachi who’s bringing back Cody. Let’s go!”

Chokachi, who starred as Cody Madison for four seasons on the original series, will also return.

In the comments, a number of former Baywatch stars reacted to Eleniak’s return.

“That is So Exiting @officialerikaeleniak !!!!! Watch out world!!!!! Shauni is Baack!!!!!!” wrote Jaason Simmons, who starred as Logan Fowler back in the day.

“Yassss!!❤️???? So happy for you and the fans!!!xx????????????” added Geena Lee Nolin, AKA Neely Capshaw—while OG Hobie, Jeremy Jackson, commented, “WOWIE!!!!!! You go girl!!!”

Traci Bingham, who starred as Jordan Tate on the original, added, “Omg!! The OG!! You Perfect Beautiful Babe!!! ????????????????✨❤️‍????✨❤️‍????????????????????????”

One of the reboot stars, Jess Belkin, also reacted to the announcement, writing, “Best news ever ❤️.”

What Has Erika Eleniak Been Up to Since Baywatch?

Eleniak left the show after its second season, previously telling TooFab she could feel a shift in the direction the series was taking at the time.

“Things were changing so rapidly from the way they were the first season, that's when I started to kind of feel like, hmm,” she shared. “You could kind of see what was going on. And a lot of new cast people were coming in, new cast members, and you could see the ideas changing, the swimsuits changing.”

Following the show, Eleniak appeared in a number of TV movies, competed on Celebrity Fit Club, and starred in films including Tales from the Crypt Presents: Bordello of Blood and Dracula 3000.

The actress, now 56 and covered in tattoos, also told TooFab that she had a hard time being cast after Baywatch.

“I was up for a television series, and it was a huge audition process,” she added. “Came down to me and another young lady, and someone on one of the camps was afraid of Baywatch, and out I went. So it never ended. It's always been a fight.”

The actress married Roch Daigle in 2001; the two share one daughter, Indyanna.

What’s the Baywatch Reboot About?

The show will revolve around legacy character Hobie Buchannon, who was the son of David Hasselhoff’s Mitch. Stephen Amell, however, will play the character on the revival.

“The wild child Hobie Buchannon we all loved from the original series is now a Baywatch Captain, following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Mitch,” reads the official synopsis.

“Hobie’s world is turned upside down when Charlie, the daughter he never knew, shows up on his doorstep, eager to carry on the Buchannon family legacy and become a Baywatch lifeguard alongside her dad,” it continues.

Also starring Shay Mitchell, Noah Bech, Brooks Nader, and Livvy Dunne, the show will debut on FOX for the 2026–2027 season.