The Once-Secret Gay Life of 'Baywatch' Actor Jaason Simmons: 35 Years After The Beach Drama's Debut

Photo byimdb.com

In the Baywatch Beginning

It's been 35 years since the original Baywatch TV series premiered on NBC in the 1989-1990 season. One year later, it was syndicated and became one of the most popular TV shows on the planet. The show's original cast included David Hasselhoff, who stayed with the series through its entire run. During that time, he was joined by other actors, including (but not limited to) Pamela Anderson, Alexandra Paul, and Jason Simmon. At the time, Simmons, who is gay, was in the closet.

They all played superfit lifeguards in the series which, in 2017, was made into a feature film starring Zach Ephron.

They Used Protection

To help protect her friend and castmate, Alexandra Paul became Jaason Simmons’ “beard,” which she revealed in a recent interview at the premiere of the new docuseries, After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun.

As Paul explained it, “Back in the 1990s, 30 years ago, if you were a gay actor in Hollywood, not only would that affect your career negatively, but it could also affect you just out and about in the streets,” she said. “You weren’t as safe.”

Simmons was at the same premiere and said the relationship chatter about him and Paul "was sort of a byproduct of us being friends."

He added, "It was like people saw us together and then that started on its own. So, we just went along, because I was only 22, 23 at the time."

Today, Simmons is happily out of the closet.

On Other TV Lifeguard News

On September 22, 2024, Fox will premiere the new lifeguard show, Rescue: HI-Surf, which stars Arielle Kebbel, Emily Wright, Adam Demos, and others.