Chris Appleton Posted A Thirst Trap As A Joke, And The “Baywatch” Producer Hired Him On The Spot
Chris Appleton has spent years making other people look good in front of a camera. Now the celebrity hairstylist is stepping in front of one himself, with an acting debut in the Baywatch reboot. True to the franchise, the shirt did not survive the trip.
How a beach photo became an audition
Back in March, Appleton posted a beach shot on Instagram and captioned it “This is my Baywatch audition.” It read as a joke. Then the revival’s executive producer, McG, dropped a two-word reply in the comments: “You’re hired.” Surprised? Hardly. Manifesting clearly hits different when you have the abs to back it up.
What we actually know about the role
The 42-year-old, best known for his short-lived marriage to actor Lukas Gage, and styling Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Dua Lipa, filmed his scenes in Los Angeles in May. Photographers caught him shirtless on set, script in hand, looking very at home on the sand.
It’s a cameo rather than a lead, and the wider plot is still under wraps. His own caption stayed modest.
“Great crew, great memories, and a lot of fun,” he wrote alongside a 14-photo behind-the-scenes carousel. “Incredibly grateful for the experience.”
The reboot knows exactly what it is
The new Baywatch is due in the 2026 to 2027 season through Fox Entertainment and Fremantle, and nobody is pretending it is high art. The original turned slow-motion beach runs into a pop-culture fixture, and the revival is happily mining the same formula. Bodies, beach and good lighting were always the brief.
Appleton, who is openly gay and has never been shy about a thirst trap, fits the assignment perfectly. At DNA, we have watched plenty of stars chase a beach cameo, but few have manifested one this shamelessly. Scroll through the carousel and the casting makes its own case. The styling chair’s loss is the shoreline’s gain.
