Baywatch Returns: Shay Mitchell Joins Fox Reboot's Star-Studded Cast
Shay Mitchell is suiting up for Baywatch, joining Stephen Amell and more in Fox’s wave-crashing sequel series, set to hit the beach in the 2026–27 season.
Baywatch is clocking back in at Fox, and the new version is leaning into legacy with a few smart updates. The network’s sequel series is aiming for the 2026-2027 season with Stephen Amell at the center, and now Shay Mitchell is officially on the team.
Shay Mitchell dives in
Mitchell will play Trina, a former high-powered attorney who ditched a top-tier firm to lifeguard full-time. She’s positioned as the sharpest strategist on the beach, passionate and fully committed, with a tendency to overanalyze because, well, her brain is always running hot. Smart casting for a franchise that once thrived on slow-motion and sun glare.
The new setup
This isn’t a straight redo. The show picks up the thread from the original: Hobie Buchannon — once the resident trouble magnet — is now Captain of Baywatch, stepping into the lane carved by his legendary dad, Mitch Buchannon (David Hasselhoff in the classic series). The curveball: Hobie’s life tilts when Charlie, the daughter he never knew about, shows up ready to carry the Buchannon legacy as a lifeguard alongside her newly discovered dad. Big, soapy swing that fits the brand.
Who’s in the lineup
- Stephen Amell as Hobie Buchannon (now the Baywatch Captain), fresh off leading Arrow from 2012 to 2020
- Shay Mitchell as Trina, ex-lawyer turned full-time lifeguard
- Jessica Belkin as Charlie Vale
- Hassie Harrison as Nat
- Thaddeus LaGrone as Brad
- Brooks Nader as Selene
- Noah Beck as Luke
- David Chokachi back as Cody Madison
Timing, order, and where it’s shooting
Fox handed the series a 12-episode straight-to-series order last September. Cameras are expected to roll this spring on Venice Beach and in Century City. Matt Nix — best known for creating Burn Notice — is running the show, which hints at a clean blend of weekly rescues, character sparks, and sunburn-grade stakes. The 2026-2027 target gives the production runway to get the tone right and ride the nostalgia wave with purpose.