WWE star Nikki ‘Bella’ Garcia looked like an obvious fit for the upcoming Baywatch reboot, given how often she’s performed in the ring in minimal gear across her long wrestling career.
The 42-year-old Hall of Famer has spent close to two decades competing, frequently alongside her twin sister Brie, and has now revealed she was once in line to join Fox’s new take on the iconic 90s series.
Expected to arrive either later this year or early next year, the 12-episode reboot heads back to California’s shoreline with a fresh lineup that includes Noah Beck, Brooks Nader, Livvy Dunne, and others.
Even though fans are used to seeing Garcia walk out for Raw in outfits that leave little to the imagination, she explained on a recent episode of the Garcia twins’ The Nikki and Brie Show that her own comfort levels ultimately made her pass on the role.
In conversation with Brie, the former number one ranked women’s wrestler said she “had an audition for Baywatch” but “ended up not doing it,” stepping away from what could have been a major on-screen opportunity.
Garcia explained her reasoning, saying: “Because I knew that I would not be comfortable wearing—if I was to get it—I would not be comfortable wearing a red swimsuit 24/7.”
While it may sound like a minor concern, being filmed all day in a revealing costume can feel very different from performing in a familiar environment—especially with the intense expectations often attached to looking “Baywatch-ready.”
She added: “I am not confident yet in a swimsuit, so I didn’t do it. What I’ve learned is I have to put myself in positions of, like, where I feel most confident.”
Looking at why that confidence doesn’t always translate from wrestling to acting, Garcia said: “When I’m walking down that ramp, and I’m in my Nikki Bella gear, I am so confident.”
She also pointed to the realities of social media, where constant commentary and anonymous criticism can make self-assurance harder to hold onto, even for someone with years in the spotlight.
Garcia told Brie about a recent remark aimed at her appearance, saying: “Someone made a comment about me last week, like, she didn’t even say thick in a good way, like, ‘she got bigger’ or something and they could say all they want.”
Still, she said those kinds of comments don’t land the same way when she feels at her best. Garcia added: “The comment didn’t even affect me because I felt so damn good.”
She then shared a message she’s taken from building a career in a tough, male-dominated industry, saying: ‘So, I just think you have to get to that place where you just are like, ‘This is me. This is my beauty.’
“And that brings such confidence. And we just really all have to stop saying such bad things, you know, about ourselves because God made us exactly how we’re supposed to be.’