ACTOR DAVID CHOKACHI

Speaker 1 My guest today, David Chokachi, not only is a super talented actor, but one of the nicest, kindest people I've ever met in my life.

Speaker 1 David's first career role was as lifeguard Cody Madison in the worldwide phenomenon Bay Watch, which earned him a huge fan base and the distinction of being voted one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful.

Speaker 1 David can currently be seen in the future film Black Panthers of WW2.

Speaker 1 He has also recently been in the future film As Long as I'm Famous, directed by Bruce Reisman. And in the horror feature film, The Bone Box, he's also working on a bunch of new projects.

Speaker 1 He is an avid animal rescuer supporter, which is something we both do and we are really passionate about. And this was a really fun, amazing conversation.

Speaker 1 David was kind enough to drive all the way from Malibu in a rainy day to my studios in West Hollywood. And I hope you guys enjoy.

Speaker 1 If you are listening to the audio episode, make sure you go watch the episode on YouTube, Cat on the Lose show, because David is definitely super handsome, super good looking, but most importantly, super, super, super nice.

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Thank you so much.

Speaker 2 Thank you for having me.

Speaker 1 I know it's listen, it's such an honor because I think I speak for millions of people out there. As one of them, I was a huge fan of Baywatch.
You were a big part of my life.

Speaker 2 I love it.

Speaker 1 And we get requests, as I was telling before we started, from all over the world to have you guys on the show, if you believe that.

Speaker 2 Yeah, I mean, that's really cool. And I'm honored.
And thank you people for requesting. Like, it's cool.
The show is still really popular. It's weird.

Speaker 2 I think, I think during COVID, people started watching it again and kind of binging it. And then a younger generation started watching it.
And

Speaker 2 because the company that owns it now, Fremantle, they track it and they've just seen like internationally,

Speaker 2 the viewership of the original show that I was a part of is like. around the world is spiking.

Speaker 1 So it's cool.

Speaker 1 So we have to talk about Baywatch first and foremost.

Speaker 1 Yeah. I think I'm not sure, but it was the number one

Speaker 1 in terms of viewership. It had billions and billions of views.
I don't think there was ever a show that was more watched than Baywatch. Yeah, no.

Speaker 2 At the time, it was the number one watch show in the world. It was because I have this statistic.

Speaker 2 It was

Speaker 2 like 1.1 billion people a week. And there were only 5.6 billion people on the planet.

Speaker 1 That's crazy. Yeah.

Speaker 1 And you're on the show for many years.

Speaker 2 Yeah, I was on from 95 to 99. Yeah, that's a long time.
I came in, like, the show hadn't peaked in terms of popularity yet. It was, you know, still climbing.

Speaker 2 So I got in at a really good time and was able to ride like the popular, like the increase for a couple of years. Yeah.

Speaker 1 So can you tell us how was it for you? Like, you know, you get a call, you get cast in the biggest show in the world.

Speaker 1 Tell us a little bit about the experience.

Speaker 2 When I get the call or well,

Speaker 2 you know, it's obviously it's an arduous,

Speaker 2 the cool thing was when I walked into the casting office, like

Speaker 2 I was at the small theatrical agency at the time and they were like, oh, we got you, this audition for Baywatch to replace this guy who's leaving. It's the main young lead, blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 2 I was like, awesome. I worked on it with my coach.

Speaker 2 And when I walked into the casting office to read for the first time for the two women, Fern and Susie,

Speaker 2 I forget their last names.

Speaker 2 They looked so beaten down. They had seen, I think, like a thousand guys already from like East Coast, West Coast.
And they were like, heads down.

Speaker 2 Like they come out, I walk in and they kind of look up and they're like, oh my God. They go, holy shit.
You're the guy. They're like, you're the guy the writer's been looking for.

Speaker 2 Please tell us you can act, blah, blah, blah. I'm like, gulp, you know, like, oh, my God, don't fuck this up.

Speaker 2 And then, you know, five more auditions and a swim test which i did and i got it um but it was it was the hard part was when i got the call they're like yeah you got the show i'm like yeah and they're like but by the way they they it's they're guaranteeing you six episodes out of 22 oh okay with the option of doing all 22 if they like you or the option to basically like

Speaker 2 draw drop you and leave you like so i was like oh so you're kind of like on this probationary

Speaker 2 uh-huh so it puts a little added pressure, but I was I was like made for this show.

Speaker 2 You were

Speaker 2 I grew up on the ocean on the east coast. I was already a certified scuba diver.
Oh, really? Yeah, I was on a swim team.

Speaker 1 You had the body, you had the looks. They put you on the opening credits.
Yeah. Getting out of the pool, right?

Speaker 2 Like in your body's like.

Speaker 2 Yeah.

Speaker 1 And I think everybody watching, like, like the guys were looking at Pamela Anderson and Yasmeen and us girls were like, oh my God, what is it?

Speaker 2 It was like,

Speaker 2 yeah.

Speaker 1 Major eye candy. Yeah, you were perfect for the show.

Speaker 2 Yeah. And I brought, like, I knew how to drive because I taught, I grew up sailing and then I taught sailing and I've driven all kinds of boats.
Like,

Speaker 2 so when it came time to like actually,

Speaker 2 you know, like whether it was the wave runners or like the, we had those big yellow, the long speedboat, but it's like for action sequences, like you need experience.

Speaker 2 And you like before they're going gonna let you like drive like

Speaker 2 they'd only let myself and the other guy mike newman pretty much drive i'm like when they like in close to venice pierre and kind of

Speaker 2 and um so all the experience i had already before i was on the show and and that i brought to this show just they were like wow this guy can do it all we can just write massive rescues for him and we don't need to have a so you guys did a lot of your own action scenes i did all of them except for some reason they wouldn't let me The only thing they wouldn't let me do is like rappel down this cliff.

Speaker 2 And then about two episodes later, Newmie and I were doing an episode

Speaker 2 and we rappel off a hundred-foot fire tower. So I'm like, you know, that made a lot of sense, but I get to do it all.

Speaker 1 Yeah. Oh my God, how fun.
And how was it working with all these other super, because David Hasselhoff was already very famous, right? And I think the girls became famous with the show like you. Yeah.

Speaker 1 But did you guys were friends off camera?

Speaker 2 Yeah, I mean in the beginning there was like, you know, it was a lot of pressure, but I was like, you know, I saw what worked. I saw the formula.
It was basically like

Speaker 2 the more fit you were,

Speaker 2 the more like, the more you worked on your craft, like your acting abilities, basically.

Speaker 2 Like all those, if you just kept at that, you would succeed.

Speaker 2 So I would just, I would work on the show and then I would go to the gym and then go work on my with my acting coach. And I would just do that and do that every day.

Speaker 2 And then, and then I got into a really good rhythm. And all of a sudden, you know, even that first season where I was only guaranteed six, I ended up doing like 19 out of 22.
Oh my God.

Speaker 2 And then my character took off in popularity. But

Speaker 2 yeah, I just, in the beginning, you know, it's, it's nerve-wracking. You're stepping into a show that's already a hit.
It's already in full motion. So you're.

Speaker 2 you're like the new guy but the fresh but you knew like you said you were me i like that you said that because you were like that's me that's my game yeah because as soon as they were like all right we're gonna do shoot some like you know we had an A unit and a B unit.

Speaker 2 Like, we're going to shoot some, the B, which is all the action. And when it came time to do that, I would just crush it.

Speaker 1 Oh, my God. I love that.
How was it working with Pamela Anderson?

Speaker 2 She was awesome. Like, her and I, I mean, it was so funny.
Like, my character, they gave me so much. It grew so quickly.
Like, I think it was the end or the middle of my first season.

Speaker 2 They're like, hey, the producers came to me and go, do you want Pamela or Yasmeen as your girlfriend on the show?

Speaker 1 And I was like, oh, you could choose.

Speaker 2 You guys are are giving me that choice.

Speaker 1 Wow.

Speaker 2 And I loved Yasmine. Oh, my God.

Speaker 2 Pam and I just had the gorgeous blonde or the

Speaker 2 mark.

Speaker 1 Oh, my God. Her and I.
Somebody has to do it.

Speaker 2 She has a little bit.

Speaker 2 My mom is, my grandmother has, we have strong Finnish heritage from Finland, and so does Pam.

Speaker 2 So, and then her and I just had this very self-deprecating humor back and forth. Like,

Speaker 2 and so I just, of course, I was like, when I went with Pam, but, um, and we're, our scenes were awesome because we just had a, we never took ourselves that seriously.

Speaker 2 And they were very, I look at them and I'm like, we were doing great work. They were funny.
They were like they were, the

Speaker 2 chemistry was there. And, you know, we had a great time doing it.
So she was, she was awesome.

Speaker 1 You guys had great chemistry on screen. And I have to ask you, there are lots of rumors out there.

Speaker 1 And I know you've talked about it on other podcasts that when she started dating Tommy Lee, it was a big issue for him. Like he was jealous of you guys working together and doing romantic scenes.

Speaker 2 Is that true? Yeah, yeah, yeah. There was a,

Speaker 2 so when we shoot, we would shoot at Will Rogers, which is out in the open, and they could only, they'll police tape off like as much as they can, but they can't control it. Anybody can show up.

Speaker 2 And people would fly, they would take their vacation. They would fly to like.
LA and go watch Baywatch and fly home. Like that was their vacation.

Speaker 2 But at the time, there was those,

Speaker 2 do you remember like inside edition and like those yeah kind of like the tmz of these days yeah so they had written one of these scenes where pam and i are making out at the water's edge and they sure enough they were shooting it and i think it was his birthday i don't know he was at home and they aired it that night basically

Speaker 2 And he like was watching it. And they're like, and here's Pamela Anderson making out with her new on-screen boyfriend, David Chokichi and blah, blah, blah.
And he just lost it.

Speaker 2 And then the next day, I'm walking to the set and I walk by her trailer and I just hear all this like

Speaker 2 commotion I'm like what is going on in there like you know and then he was just basically in there

Speaker 2 renovating

Speaker 1 the trailer with so it's a true star

Speaker 1 he was furious

Speaker 1 did you have like a contact with direct contact with him did he ever say anything to you no it gets even weirder so but he threatened the producers he he said if you write another um

Speaker 2 kissing scene for pam and chokichi again i'm gonna kill you to the killer to the creator oh my god and the guys like this were they intimidated no they were like this is babe wouldn't they just say you're not coming to the set like get out it got so complicated and it messed her up i she became

Speaker 2 this i forget the timeline but everything was really cool and fun in the beginning and then she noticeably was getting more and more like anxious and nervous about like him and but like two months after this whole incident we ended up going to dinner tommy pam Pam Yasmine a friend of hers myself and a buddy and we end up like partying together and Tommy and I are like and my buddy are like doing shots together and then we all go to the Viper room together and like like it was like nothing ever happened.

Speaker 1 So it was maybe he needed to hang out with you to feel comfortable with the situation.

Speaker 1 Yeah.

Speaker 2 I've heard he actually

Speaker 2 You know, he, you know, I get it, you know, like you're married to the woman who everybody like fantasizes. I'm sure it triggers you at times, you know.
But I was like the last guy on the planet.

Speaker 2 I was like, dude, I'm not.

Speaker 2 I just like, I'm not crossing that line ever, you know.

Speaker 1 I mean, it comes with the territory of being an actor, right? So I always say, like, if you're going to marry, date an actor, you need to know work is work.

Speaker 1 They cannot not do it because if you're jealous, like, maybe you shouldn't date an actor. Yeah.

Speaker 2 And we're just like making it. It's not like TV today where they're like going for it.
You know, like you're making out on screen. Like, come on.
It's like, but

Speaker 2 it it got, it's, it got squashed and moved on. Yeah.

Speaker 1 Let's talk about the cold water because you guys, and I, we got that question a lot for you guys. This was a TV show being filmed in the actual beach.
Yeah,

Speaker 1 right on, like, it's not like a movie set. You are swimming in the ocean.
So, yeah, really in Malibu and vicinities, right? Malibu, Santa Monica, Will Rogers, and so forth. Yeah.

Speaker 1 And the water is cold all year long here. It's not like the Atlantic Ocean that gets 83 degrees.

Speaker 2 Yeah, well, Florida, yeah.

Speaker 1 It's freezing. It's freezing.

Speaker 1 How was that experience of like literally like having to do all the scenes and jump in the cold water? Must be tough as.

Speaker 2 Fuck. Well,

Speaker 2 because my character was like an Olympic hopeful.

Speaker 2 And also lifeguards do wear speedos a lot. Like they, they, I don't know if they do as much now, but back then they just for like for efficiency in the water.

Speaker 1 They were wearing speedos in real life.

Speaker 2 Yeah, yeah, for less swim drag.

Speaker 2 Or when they do lifeguard competitions, which were huge back then, like Mike Newman was like one of the champion, like worldwide, like world champion lifeguard.

Speaker 2 But you wear a speedo because it's, you're running, swimming, and it's less drag.

Speaker 2 So my character was an Olympic hopeful and we would take the boat out and they'd go like 10 miles, I don't know, eight miles offshore in the middle of the ocean.

Speaker 2 And it'd be six in the morning and it's foggy and the water is probably like 60 degrees.

Speaker 2 And they're like, all right, you know, they're just going to, they're going to film me, you know, training, basically getting ready to try for the trials.

Speaker 2 And Alexander Paul was my coach and she's in the boat yelling at me and stuff.

Speaker 2 And then, so I'd have to get out of the ocean after swimming for like an hour, freezing, and then get in the boat and then do a scene. And like, so I like, I talk about the,

Speaker 2 I was just

Speaker 2 talk about the shriekage factor and i came up with a really effective solution i would just i would find a i'd be like i need like five minutes and i'd grab a towel and i would find a little spot like on the boat and i would just do a little self-circulation massage oh my god i'd be like all right i'm good to go

Speaker 1 thank you for being so honest about it because yeah we we were watching the the show we're watching the scenes and everybody's like this water is freezing and these guys are acting like because of course the tv shows like everything is so glamorous, and every day the sun is shining.

Speaker 1 But in real life, it's cold. Malibu is cold.

Speaker 2 You get out when they call cotton, you're scrambling for the boat, usually, and like, like, free, like this.

Speaker 2 And we shot some night stuff in the ocean, no wetsuits, where I had to swim against all these guys. And that was even.

Speaker 1 Were you afraid, like, at all? Like, oh my God, this stuff. Afraid of what? Jumping in the water, jumping in the cold, freezing water at night.

Speaker 2 No, I like it all.

Speaker 1 Was anybody afraid?

Speaker 2 oh yeah yeah yeah the girls well

Speaker 2 not alexander paul was probably the most like she was a legit like iron woman or iron man yeah to this day she's so fit yeah yeah so she loved it she didn't care about the cold knew me mike didn't care about the cold um

Speaker 2 yasmine um didn't like to be in water over her head so that became really

Speaker 2 that's an issue interesting when we had to do rescues but i i was i was like you're you know i was just supportive you know she just wasn't used to the ocean that wasn't her thing but she built it off you know they helped her um

Speaker 2 but yeah there was there was a lot of people um one actress they had cast before i'd gone there after they had cast her they they didn't ocean test her for this like a swim test and they you know called they said okay you know there's the victim action go get her She runs up to the water's edge.

Speaker 2 She's like, I'm not going in there. I'm afraid of sharks.
And it became like a real thing. So they would have to

Speaker 2 like cut have this stunt double run in do the rescue pull the shoot the thing the double comes in then the actress grabs the people for the person at the water's edge and then pick up the scene from there and like you know it you can't be doing that so ever since then they made people do a swim test at the the pool up in uh the Palisades at the time yeah the pool but it's a big difference between doing a swim test in the pool and then shooting in the ocean because it's a lot more real and scary, right?

Speaker 1 Didn't they put a clause like in everyone's contract in your contract? Like you are going to have to shoot in in the ocean. You are going to have to swim.

Speaker 2 Yeah, yeah. But I mean, I was like, bring it like that was my forte.
That was my strength.

Speaker 1 Yeah, for you. Was the money worth it? Like to do all of that? Was it life-changing money? No.

Speaker 2 No. Jesus, they didn't.

Speaker 1 They're like on the biggest show in the world and it wasn't life-changing money.

Speaker 2 No, they paid Hasseloff and they paid Pamela and they paid themselves, the producers, but they figured everybody else,

Speaker 2 their philosophy was you can make money off of the show.

Speaker 2 Once we wrap, there will be a million opportunities where you can actually go kind of cash in. And they basically felt everybody besides Pam and Hasseloff were replaceable to an extent.

Speaker 2 Which, you know, at the time I didn't really care about the money, but

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We are all out of the ordinary.

Speaker 2 They really pissed off a bunch of the, like the original, like Billy Warlock, and

Speaker 2 he had a real problem with it um

Speaker 2 it was just it was just unfair the way it was scaled um you know he went from like making a lot of money and then it was like you know kind of peanuts and but true to their word you know I've had I did have a lot of opportunities that were like you know I went to Argentina one time they they said you know will you come down here receive the lifetime achievement award and it was like first class everything I

Speaker 2 received this award in front of this huge crowd. It was like a big modeling show that and Valeria Matza presented it to me.
Oh, wow.

Speaker 1 And they paid me a ton she was one of the most famous yeah for people that don't know she was one of the most famous supermodels back then right yeah she was stunning yeah she was i haven't seen her in forever but she was gorgeous so they look like she looked like lauda schiffer yeah i think even prettier and they paid you good bucks for that yeah crazy good

Speaker 2 yeah so there was like all these weird ancillary opportunities that did pop up and That was kind of true, but still, it was that, I don't know, that was their philosophy.

Speaker 1 I remember you were on People's 50 Most beautiful people in the world. That must have brought you tons of publicity, right?

Speaker 1 That's an honor. No, it is.

Speaker 2 And it's still like the craziest thing is like it every

Speaker 2 not just today, but it follows you around. People like bring it up.
Like, I don't know if that issue is still as popular as it used to, but it is. Is it? Yes.
Okay.

Speaker 2 Cause when I was doing it, it was, I remember like, wow, this is a super popular like thing to crack into. Like, Like, it was hard.
Like, I remember they were like,

Speaker 2 it becomes like a kind of a fight, like, to try to get your guy in there. And then they were like, yeah, this guy's, this is the guy.
So, like, Tom Cruise is on the cover.

Speaker 2 And it was a killer of photospread and

Speaker 2 that we shot out in Malibu. And it looked awesome.
And, um,

Speaker 2 and it's almost like a little club you're in. You're in 50, 50 most beautiful.

Speaker 1 Listen, it's a very exclusive club to this day.

Speaker 1 I promise you. If you ask anybody in Hollywood, they want to be included there.
And it's only 50 out of hundreds of thousands. So, yeah, you can be very proud of that.

Speaker 2 No, it was good. It helped afterwards.
We got into a lot more.

Speaker 2 Anytime, like, we're trying to go to a bar and there was a line.

Speaker 2 You're like, oh, wait, that's the name. Come on, dude.
You're good. Bring your buddies.

Speaker 1 You're like right in there. So let's talk about that because I know some of you guys from the show did amazing, didn't lose your head over the fame and the success and the open doors.

Speaker 1 And some people went down a really bad path, right? Of drugs and alcohol and all kinds of stuff. How was it with you? Did you let the success go up to your head a little bit? How did you deal with it?

Speaker 2 No,

Speaker 2 I didn't fall for that trap. I grew up in New England.
I grew up with parents who were very

Speaker 2 We just had like hardcore work ethic. Like my dad and mom, like we were

Speaker 2 like my butt, my brother and I would be like, you know, we want to go to the beach with our buddies and it's, it's Saturday and summertime. He's like, no, there's work to be done.

Speaker 2 And, you know, he basically, that was his way of being with his boys. Like he didn't really not ever late.
So he would have us do yard work with him all day long. It'd be furious.

Speaker 2 But we just, we, in the end, like, you know, my mom and dad taught me just like

Speaker 2 we had chores. We had chickens.
Like,

Speaker 2 we had around like, so at five in the morning in the winter, a snowstorm, someone's got to go feed the, like, give water to the chickens.

Speaker 2 it's dark out like before school and that was us and like there was just no slacking and that work ethic always carried forward and even when i got on the show um

Speaker 2 i saw the traps i i was well aware and even my buddies i went to bates college i played football with a bunch of like really good buddies and they all thought i would change and become this other person like who is full of like like full of themselves.

Speaker 2 And then after shooting the show, when we got together, they're like, holy shit, dude, you didn't change a bit.

Speaker 2 Thank goodness, by the way, right?

Speaker 1 I think there is nothing more annoying than someone that gets a show, a movie, or something, and they become another person. No.
Right.

Speaker 2 Because let me tell you what.

Speaker 2 Whatever you're doing, TV or film, it's not that important. And the scheme of

Speaker 2 entertainment. You're not saving lives, although we were kind of on Big Watch.

Speaker 2 But really, when you break it down, like there's no reason, I don't care who you are as an actor.

Speaker 2 I mean, maybe, maybe the top 10 people could take themselves that seriously because they're doing that good of work.

Speaker 1 But, you know, I have to say, I think the more successful ones, normally, they're the more down-to-earth ones.

Speaker 2 Yeah.

Speaker 1 And the ones that are like wannabes are the most like, you know, let their ego go up to their head. At least in my experience in this industry and interviewing people and just being out and about.

Speaker 2 Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 1 You know, I'm not going to name names, but I've met crazy successful people and they're like you. They're like super chill,

Speaker 1 super nice. And then you meet some reality stars or something.
They're like, oh my God, you know, no comment. Yeah.
Oh, my God.

Speaker 2 Don't even get me going there.

Speaker 1 I know. So when you are on the show, and like you said, you're walking into bars and restaurants, you're making good money, you're being invited to things.

Speaker 1 had the same personality. You're like, okay, I'm going to do my thing.

Speaker 2 Yeah. Yeah.
I mean, I just had a blast with it. I mean,

Speaker 2 yeah, yeah, I just didn't, you know, I didn't buy anything major.

Speaker 2 I think I got like a Toyota Forerunner was like my basic expense. And I kept that for like 18 years.
And

Speaker 2 I just saw people like either they left the show because they thought they were becoming movie stars and that failed drastically. Or they spent money that they didn't have.
That failed drastically.

Speaker 2 or they just chose unhealthy lifestyles and that failed drastically.

Speaker 1 Which is unfortunate.

Speaker 1 I told you I was watching the and if you guys didn't watch it i highly recommend it because it's super interesting and it's very emotional the hulu documentary yeah about you guys what is it called after after baywatch moment in the sun yeah moment in the sun and they show some of those actors that got tangled up in drugs like you said some of them left the show after one season they're like oh i couldn't handle it i couldn't handle the the pressure the pressure i don't know or the success i'm not sure why they what they couldn't handle Yeah, I didn't understand that.

Speaker 2 I just, you know, we got to go to,

Speaker 2 like when I got on the show, Gina and Gina Leonola and myself went to,

Speaker 2 we did this photo shoot in the Bahamas, and then we went to Europe for this big press tour. And it was like we were the Beatles.
It was unbelievable. And I was like, this is.
awesome.

Speaker 2 Like, what are you talking about? The pressure. This is like.
Right.

Speaker 2 We just got to do the coolest things possible.

Speaker 1 You're getting paid, right? You have this amazing. I mean, you're working on the beach.
Like you said, I remember when when I was in California with my dad, as the show was on TV,

Speaker 1 and I sometimes friends would come with me from Brazil and my relatives, and they were like, oh, let's go through Malibu because we want to see them.

Speaker 1 Everybody that came here visit from other countries, they thought any given moment you would drive through Malibu.

Speaker 1 I'm like, they're not here all the time, you know.

Speaker 1 And everybody thought the lifeguards in real life were as good looking as you guys.

Speaker 1 You know,

Speaker 1 I remember every time I was with my dad in Brazil or in France, everybody used to ask me that question, like, you know, is that like that in real? I'm like, no, no, this is like just

Speaker 1 the ultimate dream that everybody looks like that, but it's not the case.

Speaker 2 Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 1 Because you guys are like the impossible, like, talk about body goals, you know, we were like watching the show, like, this is impossible body goals to achieve, you know.

Speaker 2 I mean, the lifeguards in real life, because my daughter is a part of the junior lifeguard program. Oh, how sweet.
How old is she now? She's 13 and

Speaker 2 this summer should be her fifth year. And the crazy thing is the guy, Greg Bonan, who was the creator, one of the creators of the show, he's in his early 70s.
He's still an active lifeguard,

Speaker 2 but he actually runs, this is at Zuma Beach up in Malbury. So he runs the cadets.
So there's like, you know, ABC and then the more elite, but he kind of oversees that whole division.

Speaker 2 So on the first day I dropped her her off like i'm like here i am dropping my daughter off for like wow junior lifeguard to become a potential lifeguard my friend and like colleague greg is like running the program and like you know it was like art imitating life

Speaker 2 i was like whoa this is so weird this is like emotional did she ever watch the show she's barely watched it she's like watched one episode and it wasn't like have a great one and she's like i'm like i cannot believe you well i haven't watched my show.

Speaker 2 Like, my whole family, they don't, they don't watch anything I do.

Speaker 1 Really? Maybe they need to do a reboot.

Speaker 2 They are doing a reboot. They are.
Yeah. Oh, really? Yeah.
And he's so I've been pushing it for probably 10 years. Oh my God.

Speaker 2 Every six months I keep writing to them saying, why haven't you guys done this? This is why I should play the guy. This is the backstory of where Cody has been.

Speaker 2 I came up with a great like one-page story about where my character has been and how he's back in the mix. And

Speaker 2 so there's, I don't know where there's, they're at. I mean, there's, they're, they have a deal at Fox, but they're kind of stuck there, I think, until January.

Speaker 2 I think if they, who knows what's really true, but

Speaker 2 there's a chance if they shoot, there's a chance they're going to shoot in Australia because of financial reasons. And if they do, I won't be a part of it.

Speaker 1 But you don't want to move to Australia.

Speaker 2 They won't cast me.

Speaker 2 They won't,

Speaker 2 they won't have the, they won't fly another actor. They won't pay for it.

Speaker 1 But there's a chance. It would not be the same if they do it.

Speaker 2 It's not. I don't get it because they already tried it.
When they moved the show from LA to Hawaii, it didn't work.

Speaker 1 I know. Same.
I know. I agree.
Because for audiences, when it changed, it's like, what are you doing? Because

Speaker 1 the essence of the show was the California Malibu lifestyle.

Speaker 2 Yeah. And you would think Hawaii would be better because everything's like.

Speaker 2 And it just didn't work.

Speaker 1 Yeah.

Speaker 2 And so they're going to try and double Australia for LA and it doesn't work.

Speaker 1 Yeah. Oh my God.
It would be so cool if they just brought it back here.

Speaker 2 Yeah, he's really, he's fighting, but you know, it's like the people like Newsom and them, they're just like,

Speaker 2 there's, there's a chance there's a, I guess there's a studio in Venice that's being, he's trying to get them to rehabilitate and they would shoot it there and try and bring a con like it would you know brings it bring millions of dollars back to the city for sure but he is he took an initial meeting with newsom to see if he would help subsidize the reboot.

Speaker 2 And Newsom's response was,

Speaker 2 I don't see how subsidizing Baywatch reboot would help the state of California.

Speaker 1 Oh my God.

Speaker 2 That's and the guy's jaw just like dropped. And I heard that story.

Speaker 1 We need to like do a massive campaign to bring the show.

Speaker 2 Stay in LA.

Speaker 1 Yes, and stay in LA.

Speaker 2 So Cody can be on it. Come on.

Speaker 1 Cody, can you imagine Cody and your daughter?

Speaker 2 That's what I already said.

Speaker 2 Brit, B-R-I-T. Brit.

Speaker 1 Oh, my God.

Speaker 2 I'm like, because I had this whole backstory that my wife passed away and I went down to blah, blah, blah. And she's already been in a couple of my movies.
She's, she's like, she's beautiful.

Speaker 2 Like, she, uh, I'm sure. And she can surf.
She can swim. She's part of the.

Speaker 2 Like, what a better, like. duo than the two of us.
Yes, I know.

Speaker 1 I will help you pitch. Yeah.
She's a great pitcher.

Speaker 2 I promise you.

Speaker 1 Coincidentally, before I run out of time, because there's so much I want to talk about, you were in a movie that I loved. It's based on a true story, Soul Surfer.

Speaker 2 Yeah.

Speaker 1 About the girl that lost her arm. What was her name? Bethany? Bethany, it's a true story.
She lost her arm surfing in Hawaii.

Speaker 1 And one of my dear, dear friends was the executive producer of Dominique Ayano.

Speaker 1 He was one of the executive producers. Now he's the president of Roundtable Entertainment.
Oh, really? He was one of the executive producers in this movie. I knew about the movie because of him.

Speaker 1 I did not know you were in the movie.

Speaker 2 Was he there when we were shooting?

Speaker 1 I don't know if you probably because yes, he was highly involved in the movie.

Speaker 2 Like

Speaker 2 the guy, I well,

Speaker 2 I did a TV show called Beyond the Break that we shot in Hawaii, which and then so Sean McNamara was directing Soul Surfer.

Speaker 1 Right, was it Sean?

Speaker 1 Dominic was one of the executive producers.

Speaker 2 Yeah, and Doug Schwartz, one of the Baywatch guys, was producing it too. So,

Speaker 2 wow, I don't know. I don't know.
It's such a small world. He's telling my son hello.

Speaker 1 I will, because now

Speaker 1 he's the president of Roundtable Entertainment. So maybe we can pitch the bail or they can help.
See?

Speaker 2 All right. Come on, Don.

Speaker 1 I'm telling you, he's going to listen to the action, but I'll definitely connect you guys.

Speaker 1 So I was shooting that movie because it's such an emotional story, right? Yeah. By the way, if you guys didn't watch, go watch.
It's a great movie. It is.
Great movie. This girl is so brave.

Speaker 2 Yeah. Yeah.
In real life. In real life.
I went on. I did

Speaker 2 a diving show. It was like a kind of a reality show.
It It was for Fox, but

Speaker 2 basically they took a bunch of us. It was like Antonio Sabato Jr.
It was Bethany Hamilton, Terrell Owens, the football player,

Speaker 2 Alexander Paul. There was like,

Speaker 2 and they

Speaker 2 took us for like four or five weeks, we were trained. to be like divers like real like diving off certain like like so either individual diving or like platform dive like high diving or synchronized.

Speaker 2 And it was like, and then the, the end product was we were going to go compete against each other during this live taping in like South Carolina.

Speaker 2 And so I was with her a lot and we would be in the gym and

Speaker 2 like work out.

Speaker 2 And it's so crazy because she has like a little bit of arm left, she, in order to keep that, she has to do all these specific, like hook up like a strap and like do these like, I'm like, oh my God, it looks like it takes so much.

Speaker 2 It's not like you just like leave it.

Speaker 2 Like she has to exercise what's left of her arm and she's got a great attitude but um yeah because for people that don't know the story she was a real surfer she was surfing in hawaii she got attacked by a shark she lost her arm and she went back to surfing yeah she's charging she's surfing like probably better than i mean talk about the human spirit right surf one-armed is like

Speaker 2 I mean, you can't even imagine, especially in big waves, and she charges big waves. So it's, that's super ballsy.
And like, i give her a ton of credit but um

Speaker 2 that was awesome i had written they so for my scene they were like okay you can you can because really what happens like

Speaker 2 when you have a victim like that who's lost an arm you know there's all like a million things as the person who's like i was like in the ambulance doing all this stuff and i actually the guy i i worked with was mike newman because he was a firefighter so before we shot it the writers and directors said yeah go do go work with newman come up with all your own dialogue, create all this business, and we'll shoot it.

Speaker 2 And hopefully, you know, so I came up with all this bitch and stuff where I'm doing all this like stuff where I'm stabilizing her before we get to the hospital. And we shot it all.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 And then I see the final product and they use like 30 seconds of it. I'm like, fucking kidding me, dude.
Like it was so, it was straight up out of like a trauma room deal.

Speaker 2 Like I was like, I had things in my mouth and I'm like doing, like injecting her. And then she goes into shock.
And I'm like, anyway, they only, but still, it was fun. Darn.
It was fun.

Speaker 1 Oh, my God. Yeah.
It's, it's definitely a great movie.

Speaker 2 Yeah.

Speaker 1 Other than acting, I want to mention, because that's a really big deal to me.

Speaker 1 You do fantastic work rescuing dogs.

Speaker 2 Thank you. Yeah.

Speaker 1 I've been rescuing dogs my whole life. I have to rescue animals, to rescue babies.
How did you get into that?

Speaker 2 Well, I think the first time was,

Speaker 2 I think a best friends animal society in 2000, they'd they were doing this big pet adoption at La Brea Tar Pits area, and they they wanted actors to come walk dogs down a runway and try and like kind of like say

Speaker 2 sell them to the audience because if those dogs did not get adopted that day at that adoption, they were going to be euthanized the next day. Oh my God.
So I was like, of course.

Speaker 2 And that was my first introduction to best friends. And I've been an ambassador kind of for them forever since.
And

Speaker 2 at that same adoption, we were walking around and we found our first pit mix right and we rescued that one that for that was the first one and then

Speaker 2 um i've just i've been like i my mom and dad always had a dog they had german shepherds for some reason that was their thing but we always

Speaker 2 had a dog. I just have an affinity for dogs.
Same

Speaker 2 than people. Look at my

Speaker 1 dog is nicer than you.

Speaker 1 We designed this dog merch to help shelters. So 20%

Speaker 1 of everything that the merchandise brings in, we distribute to needy shelters. So, I brought you some samples

Speaker 1 for you and your family, and then I'll connect you with the site so you guys can, whatever you want, we'll send more your way because I really admire your work. There's a lot of great videos

Speaker 2 on your insta. Um,

Speaker 2 so when the fires happened, best friends actually asked, Hey, will you come help load dogs? Because what they were so smart, like

Speaker 2 um, best friends, um, pause for life canine rescue angel city pits they they they anticipated the problem and they they started flying animals pulling dogs out of the shelters and flying them to other places around the country that have space which is always the case so this group wings of rescue which is like the number one animal transport either during a natural disaster or if they're not flying during natural disasters, they're pulling from kill shelters and sending them to places like all.

Speaker 2 So, I,

Speaker 2 on the first day I went and worked with them, it's always at a private airport, like in Burbank or Van Nights, because you got to drive all the rescue group cars onto the tarmac, unload, blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 1 So, oh, it's amazing work. If you guys don't know what we're talking about, go check his Instagram.
I'm putting the link here on this episode.

Speaker 1 And if you're listening to the audio episode, make sure you go to the YouTube to watch the interview so you can see his face. Yeah.

Speaker 2 And so, anyway, Wings of Rescue,

Speaker 2 because he's like, I need one guy inside the Cigar area that can work hard. And I work construction back east.
And

Speaker 2 you have to be like speed. Like if you're not high speed.

Speaker 2 And because the dogs are like, this is like a long day. They're stressed.
Yes. They've never flown.

Speaker 2 They were flying cross country.

Speaker 2 So you got to be like, if you're thinking about the dog, it's like life and health.

Speaker 2 So I was like, I'll go do it, man. So it was me, the pilot, and him.
And he's just like telling you where to stack. And I was just like head down.

Speaker 2 And then afterwards, he's like, seriously, that's, I've never had anybody work harder.

Speaker 2 And then kind of half joking, half serious, like, if you ever want to come work for me or fly with us, like, we would love to have you. And he didn't even know I was from Baywash.

Speaker 2 And then afterwards, he asked the lady, he's like, who was that guy? And she's like, you don't know who that was? That was the guy from like Baywash. And he's like.
You'd be shitting me.

Speaker 2 And then Rhea, but

Speaker 1 you're so down to earth. Yeah.
Which is really cool.

Speaker 2 I was there for the dogs.

Speaker 1 Yeah, thank you.

Speaker 2 the dogs are very grateful for sure they're such angels they actually asked me to become a like an official part of their flight crew and um i've done so twice now they have flown me i fly commercially to dallas and then the next morning we load dogs onto their charter and then i would fly with them and then so we fly from the two trips was like dallas to maryland drop dogs then we to new hampshire drop dogs and then up to maine and then you get to boston and then fly back to l in one day Amazing.

Speaker 2 It's like no sleep, but just, I love it. It's always

Speaker 2 Wings of Rescue.

Speaker 2 And they're all, they run their operation all on donations. So like you should definitely try.

Speaker 1 Oh, yeah, I'll definitely put them on. No, I saw their work because I have another,

Speaker 1 I saw some other girl that was helping them during the fires and it caught my radar.

Speaker 1 So I did tell my team, like, let's put them on the list, you know, of donations with our doggy collection because it's a really big deal.

Speaker 2 It is, because they're really, they're doing like what's happening in Texas is

Speaker 2 so bad.

Speaker 2 And the dogs that I've handled and seen, like, there was one dog broke out of its crate, and the pilot, when we were in New Hampshire, was like, David, will you come deal with this?

Speaker 2 I don't want to deal with this dog. It was like an 80-pound Pyrenees mix.
And I was like, Yeah, dude, I got it. And

Speaker 2 I had to get him out from the back, carry him down a six-foot stepladder. And then I just sat with him on the floor on the cargo plane all the way to Maine.
Oh, my God.

Speaker 2 And he was like, just the biggest love. I was like, they just want love.
They just want love.

Speaker 2 And I asked Rick, the president, his name's Rick Browd, is the president of Wings Rescue. I asked because he and his brother were on that flight.
And so Coda was the dog's name.

Speaker 2 I said, how long would Coda have lived? He's like, Coda would have been euthanized within three days to three weeks. Oh, my God.
Because he was of his size only. Oh, my God.

Speaker 1 That's horrible.

Speaker 2 So you're like, probably out of all the dogs I've experienced in my life, the sweetest, most connected dog I've ever met. Oh, like, would have been killed.

Speaker 1 That's amazing. That's such an inspiring story.
Well, you do incredible work. And for people that want to watch the documentary, it's on Hulu because I just watched it.

Speaker 1 It's very emotional, very special.

Speaker 1 And what's next for you?

Speaker 2 I'm shooting a movie right now called Commander Down, which is kind of interesting. Yeah, it's fun.

Speaker 1 Let me know when it comes out.

Speaker 2 Yeah, but there's a movie that I'm really proud of that you have to check out. It's called Married Alive.

Speaker 2 married alive that's um we they just finished post-production i'd say like it'd probably be released i'd hope by like some summer midsummer but i think out of all like the years of my it was a very it's a long story but the i think it's the it was like

Speaker 2 the best script the best character the best

Speaker 2 crew all these elements came together at once and just like it's it's it's gonna like blow people's minds it's keep me posted because I'll definitely share. Yeah.
It's not like in none of its force.

Speaker 2 It was written by and directed by Bruce Reisman, who's, it's just one of those movies that has every element and every element is organic.

Speaker 2 It's not, so there's everything in there is like, you know, you're not once would you go, well, why is that? You would never, there's not a moment you'll question. Love that.
That's beautiful.

Speaker 2 That's like a story about how much I care about my son. And like, yeah, it's really cool.

Speaker 1 I can't wait. Can't wait.

Speaker 1 Make sure you let me know when it comes out because I'll share with my audience because they love you. Yes, yes.
This was so much fun.

Speaker 2 It was such a long time.

Speaker 1 I know. We have to do it again because it's a rainy, cold day, and you drove all the way from Alibu to West Hollywood.
We are so grateful.

Speaker 2 Thank you so much. Well, maybe next time we do

Speaker 2 a Wings of Rescue flight downloads here. Yes.
You could come out.

Speaker 1 For sure.

Speaker 2 You can shoot some footage for yourself.

Speaker 1 1 million percent. It's going to be cool for people to see.
1 million percent. I'm like a huge animal lover, huge dog.

Speaker 2 Yeah, you would would love it. It really feels like rewarding.

Speaker 1 Well, we're connected. We're going to stay connected.
I feel we're going to do a lot of other fun things together. I hope so.
It was such an honor having you. Thank you.
And girls, you're welcome.

Speaker 1 Go watch the YouTube channel because he's too eye-candy.

Speaker 1 And that song, that song, right on the they put the same song in the documentary, the Bay Watch.

Speaker 1 Yeah, like I'll be there for you.

Speaker 2 It's so cute. Debbie Gibson, I think,

Speaker 2 Deborah. Or saying it.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 Okay, David, thank you. This was incredible.
Guys, be safe out there. And I'll see you again very soon.

Speaker 2 Yay, we did it. Thank you.

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