Olivia Dunne Dishes on Most Surprising Part of ‘Baywatch’ Experience (Exclusive)

The 2025 SI Swimsuit Issue cover model will make her acting debut on the FOX reboot later this year.

Olivia Dunne was photographed by James Macari in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico. | James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Olivia Dunne is thriving. The 2025 SI Swimsuit Issue cover model, retired gymnast and actress is gearing up to make her scripted television show debut later this year as Grace on FOX’s Baywatch reboot, and we recently had time to catch up with the 23-year-old New Jersey native about her time on set thus far.

Baywatch, which is being filmed on Venice Beach and on the Fox Studio Lot in Los Angeles, features a powerhouse cast, including fellow SI Swimsuit model Brooks Nader, and actors Stephen Amell, Jessica Belkin, Hassie Harrison and Thaddeus LaGrone. As for Dunne, she is enjoying getting her feet wet (pun intended) while portraying a junior life guard on location.

“I am having a great time on set meeting the other actors and learning all of the things that go into a big production like this,” Dunne tells SI Swimsuit. “One thing that is surprising is that there isn't one way to memorize a script. Actors all have their own techniques and different tips and tricks. Brooks and I have worked together before on Sports Illustrated Swimsuit and other brand deals so it is nice to see a familiar face on set. She’s always a lot of fun to have around!”

While Dunne made her brand debut in 2023, she has posed for each annual SI Swimsuit Issue since. Be sure to purchase the 2026 magazine when it hits newsstands on Tuesday, May 12, as the LSU graduate is back and better than ever. Following last year’s cover shoot in Bermuda, Dunne was photographed by James Macari for this year’s publication in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

“I was really happy with this shoot,” Dunne says of her time on set for the 2026 magazine. “I feel like every year it just gets better. My reaction is always WOW! I can’t believe I get to do this. [My boyfriend] Paul [Skenes] is always really supportive. He gives a smile and a nod.” 

Scenes from the ‘Baywatch’ set

Plenty of outlets have captured behind-the-scenes footage from the Baywatch set, and Dunne herself has shared a carousel of stills to provide her 5.2 million Instagram followers with a little sneak peek.

“I only run in slow motion now,” she captioned a March 22 post on the platform, which featured Dunne clad in an iconic red one-piece swimsuit as she jogged on the beach in its cover slide. Additional snaps and video clips in the content dump featured pics of Dunne with her coworkers and getting prepped for the camera in a hair and makeup trailer.

While the Baywatch reboot does not yet have a release date, the 12-episode series is expected to premiere later this year.

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If you’re interested in being the first to get the scoop from SI Swimsuit models like Dunne, be sure to subscribe to The Swim Edit newsletter, where we frequently send out exclusive Q&As, like this one, to our subscribers. Best of all? You can submit your own questions for talent to answer.

Next up, two-time SI Swimsuit model, entrepreneur and mom of three Brittany Mahomes is opening up her DMs to SI Swimsuit readers only.

Whether you’re curious how she gears up for an SI Swimsuit photo shoot or want some parenting advice from the mom of three, submit your question to Mahomes here. In order to read the response, subscribe to The Swim Edit newsletter here, and your question could be answered in a forthcoming edition of our biweekly send.

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