ARIELLE KEBBEL: Thank you.
These lifeguards are not receiving the same benefits as firefighters, EMTs, and police officers.
The North Shore is very small, tight-knit community, and sometimes theyre alive, but sometimes theyre not.
Its just really important that we get lifeguards recognized as first responders.
I feel very strongly about this.
New episodes return on January 20.
Image via Fox
KEBBEL: My answer for both is the ocean.
I was so excited about the opportunity because I grew up in water.
I grew up in Florida.
Image via Fox
I was always doing water sports.
That felt very exciting to me and very natural.
There wont be hair and makeup touch-ups.
This wont be glamorous.
We wont be lighting.
And I kept saying, Yes, Im ready.
Image via Fox
The more they pushed me, the more excited I got.
And then, I got there, and on day two of training, I went to the hospital.
This is unlike any other show Ive done.
I better be able to have my face underwater doing these stunts because that is what theyve asked for.
That is what I signed up for.
That is what excites me about this show.
That is what scares me about this show.
I felt like I had this huge initiation when I got there.
As exciting as it all is, I knew I had better get to work.
Its not that you train, and then youre filming and the training stops.
The training doesnt get more real than that.
So, it was both terrifying and exhilarating.
And then, youre also in a bathing suit.
In a role like this, theres no way around that.
KEBBEL: Woman to woman, I am so happy you asked that question.
Ive had some pretty rough experiences in Hollywood.
It has changed my world.
The thing thats important to know about the North Shore in Hawaii is that women are strong there.
Outdoors is a way of life there.
Everyone lives in a bathing suit.
Its a very different feeling there than anywhere else.
I dont need to say more than that.
I also really appreciate that the swimsuit seems like a swimsuit you would wear as a lifeguard.
My stunt double, Katie Pere, was actually a real female lifeguard.
She was one of the only females in her recruit class.
In a lot of ways, she is the real [version of my character].
Most of them actually said they were more comfortable in a two-piece than a one-piece.
Theres a mix, but theres an actual reason to wear a two-piece.
It dries quicker than a one-piece.
It has to be practical.
And so, that was a constant conversation.
It was about, Is this practical?
Am I comfortable in it?
Youll notice the majority of our show is handheld.
We dont slow down for lighting.
We dont have fancy setups or dolly tracks.
It was incredible to see.
Ive also never been on a set that was as equally mixed, male and female.
Anka [Malatynska], our DP, is a badass.
Our producing director, Loren Yaconelli, directed a number of the episodes.
So much of our crew is female.
It truly was a balanced mix of male and female energy anywhere I looked.
It exploded my heart with gratitude and joy.
It’s another reason why Im really proud to be a part of this.
I was constantly asking our crew, Are you okay?
Do you need water?
They were working harder than us.
Everyone really did bring their A-game.
The majority of our directors were also female.
It was special, from start to finish.
Whats it like to film the ocean scenes?
Where do they put the cameras?
How do they shoot that?
He did the Tom Hanks movieCastawayand he didBlue Crush.
The challenging thing about filming underwater is that the elements are constantly changing.
Or if its a scene that requires chaos, you get tossed around while theyre filming it underwater.
you could plan for the shots you want, but you really cant plan anything else.
You just always have to be ready because when the ocean says shes ready, thats when you film.
‘Rescue: HI-Surf’ premieres on September 22.
Were there ever moments when a shark would hold things up?
KEBBEL: We had a number of sharks.
We had a number of whales.
We had a number of dolphins.
We were constantly working around that stuff.
And then, you also have to figure out how these characters work together.
What was that like to figure out in this situation?
Was that something that came very quickly, or did it take some time to navigate that?
The first half of the season, we were getting adjusted to so much more than just our characters.
Those very short key phrases were something that I carried with me throughout the season.
It wouldnt be a TV show unless there was some romantic drama somewhere.
What have you enjoyed about that relationship?
KEBBEL: Will and Em are the classic will-they-or-wont-they.
And they already did, so its, will they again?
Will they not forever?
I would always nudge Matt and ask, Are we Ross and Rachel?
I found that really interesting and fun to play with.
At least, even if we dont end up together, youre rooting for us along the way.
I think that true love is very complicated.
I also really appreciated the fact that Matt Kester created these storylines that were messy and flawed and confusing.
KEBBEL: I feel like Em has always voiced her opinion.
Shes grown up around male energy.
With that, speaking up comes with that kind of environment.
I grew up with a circle of guy best friends.
We never hooked up.
We really were just best friends, and we gave each other shit.
Sonny knows he can always rely on her to speak her mind and tell the truth.
Even though she sees the benefits of playing the game, shes still a little rough around the edges.
Shes animalistic, that way.
Shes not ready for that yet.
Will the season end with a cliffhanger?
Are we going to be dying for Season 2?
Check out this behind-the-scenes look:
