Olivia Dunne is settling into her new life as an actress after retiring from gymnastics last year. And she just gave fans a peek into what filming a TV show is really like.

The former LSU gymnast got emotional on the set of the Baywatch reboot this week. But do not worry, she is doing just fine.

Olivia shared a couple of behind-the-scenes moments on her Instagram Stories. In the first picture, she looked sad and a little stunned after wrapping an emotional scene.

She was wearing the iconic red Baywatch bodysuit. Over the photo, she wrote, "since when is baywatch emotional."

But the very next photo cleared things up. "its makeup dw im a happy gal," she captioned it, pulling a goofy face for the camera.

This marks Olivia's first big acting role. She plays Grace, a recurring character described as a "highly enthusiastic junior lifeguard."

She landed the part after taking acting lessons and sending in several self-taped auditions. All of this came after her gymnastics retirement.

The show is filming in Los Angeles right now. It is set to air during the 2026-2027 broadcast season on Fox.

She is part of a stacked cast too. Stephen Amell stars as Hobie Buchannon, with influencer and model Brooks Nader also joining the show.

Original Baywatch star David Chokachi is also set to appear. It is a full-circle moment for the franchise.

Olivia has been making the rounds promoting the show. She made her debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on May 13, 2026.

The highlight was a hilarious bit with Fallon. The two recreated the iconic slow-motion Baywatch beach run, with Olivia in a red mini dress and white heels teaching him how to strut.

Olivia Auditioned for The White Lotus First

Before Baywatch came along, Olivia had her eye on another huge show. Her first-ever in-person acting audition was actually for season four of HBO's The White Lotus.

She did not land the role, but it was a big learning moment. "So, actually, my first ever audition was in person," she said.

"It was different because in gymnastics, usually you just go out there and perform on a 4-inch beam. But this, I have to talk and perform and play somebody else rather than myself. So, it was a completely different animal."

She joked about being more at home doing flips than reading lines. "I think I would rather have done a backflip in front of the casting director, but I mean, I went there, I put it all out there."

That audition opened the door to a brand new chapter. "It was honestly really fun," she shared. "I've done a few more auditions since then."

Olivia has been working hard at the craft. She has been studying with an acting coach and rehearsing scripts on the regular.

"Naturally, I gravitate towards things that are more creative," she said. She added that her family has always pushed her to chase artistic dreams.

"I've been passionate about it ever since I was in college." After graduating from LSU and retiring from gymnastics in 2025, she finally decided to dive into entertainment full time.

Now, Baywatch is her next big step. And from the looks of it, she is just getting started.

Read more at the Gymnastics Digest!

Written by

Sahil Prashar

Edited by

Sahil Prashar