Former gymnast Olivia Dunne has reinvented herself with an acting career that is just beginning to blossom, and she is clearly excited about it.

Fulfilling a lifelong dream of breaking into Hollywood, the American influencer has landed a role in the upcoming Baywatch project.

Taking to Instagram on May 5, she shared a glimpse of Baywatch’s iconic lifeguard headquarters and captioned it, “She’s a beauty.”

This adds to a series of updates she has shared on the platform. In a previous Story, she posted snapshots of the coastal set with the caption, “Best set in the world.” In March 2026, she also shared photos of herself wearing the classic red lifeguard-style outfit while holding the script for the latest reboot.

“I’m not a lifeguard, but I play one on TV,” read the caption.

Speaking recently with USA Today, she opened up about joining the franchise and learning from her co-stars.

"Everybody knows Baywatch. It's an iconic franchise from years and years ago," Dunne stated. "I mean, I get to learn from a Hassie Harrison, Shay Mitchell every day on set, that's huge.”

Dunne joins the series reboot as Grace, “a highly enthusiastic junior lifeguard.”

Dunne’s casting marks a significant next step in her post-gymnastics career. After retiring in April 2025, the LSU alum turned her attention more fully to acting, a field she has long been interested in pursuing.

In the same USA Today interview, Dunne said, “I [thought] this would be such a fun lane to go in and navigate because I've always been interested in acting.”

Her move into Hollywood comes after years of balancing college gymnastics, public attention, and brand partnerships. During her time at LSU, she became one of the most recognizable athletes in college sports while earning WCGA Academic All-American honors in 2024 and 2025 and helping the team win the 2024 NCAA title.

What's next for Olivia Dunne after Baywatch?

After the upcoming Baywatch reboot, Dunne hopes to branch out beyond the beach and take on a wider range of acting roles. She has said she is especially interested in horror films and has already submitted a few audition tapes for a project.

"I think that would be a fun challenge, and I don't know, fingers crossed,” Dunne told USA Today.

Read more at the Gymnastics Digest!

Written by

Sijo Paul

Edited by

Sahil Prashar