Carmen Electra recently revealed that she was shamed for her weight while filming Baywatch.
The 1989 hit TV series followed a group of lifeguards overseeing the beaches of Los Angeles, whose number one jobs were arguably just being hot, while their second was actually saving people.
From Pamela Anderson to David Hasselhoff, the cultural iconicity of Baywatch precedes itself and you can’t see a red swimsuit moving in slow-motion without thinking of the show’s many, many montages.
Electra was revealed as a cast member in 1997. (Getty Images)Man confronts Chick-fil-A staff
One of its most iconic cast members, Electra joined the show in 1997 as Lani McKenzie and swiftly became a household name and bombshell of the early naughts.
While it’s difficult for anyone who’s seen Baywatch to imagine that Electra was shamed for her body while filming it, the actress recently shared that all was not what it seemed behind the scenes.
Earlier this week, Electra appeared on the red carpet for the Los Angeles premiere of docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, and was asked by Extra if she ever felt pressured by the beauty standards set by the TV series.
“I did, because I was always told that I need to lose weight,” Electra replied.
“I grew up studying classical ballet and that was what was happening in my life. So I think as time went on, I would still listen to that and take it to heart.”
Electra said she was shamed for her weight while filming the show. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
The actress did say though that she can now look back and appreciate her body exactly as it was while appearing on the show, sharing: “When I look back, I love my body and I love that I was curvy, and not like, straight up and down.”
“Those times have changed. You can’t do that anymore,” she added.
“It was kind of the beginning of those times where producers could come to you and say, ‘You need to stop eating some snacks’.
“For that moment, I really did take it seriously as a professional dancer because that was always engraved into my mind growing up,” she continued.
Baywatch famously upheld strict beauty standards. (Getty Images)
The actress went on to share that she’s grateful for how social and work environments have changed, implying that we now bolster a space that’s rightfully more accepting.
“I love being a part of this time era where you can’t just go in and tell someone how they should live, who they should date, and what weight you should be. I love what’s happening now,” Electra explained.
“I feel like everyone is coming to be who they are and it’s very accepted, you know? And I love the people that have supported me through my career,” she added.
“I know who they are, and my heart skips a beat because without everyone, there wouldn’t be any of this.”
Featured Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images / Getty Images
