[Editor’s note: The following contains some spoilers for Rescue: HI-Surf.]

Summary

Fox series ‘Rescue: HI-Surf’ showcases the dangerous rescues of lifeguards in the North Shore of Hawaii.

Arielle Kebbel, who plays Em WRight, did most of the stunts herself to authentically represent real-life lifeguards and emphasizes the show’s accuracy.

Despite personal challenges, the lifeguards of ‘Rescue: HI-Surf’ maintain strong team dynamics while tackling treacherous ocean rescues and romantic entanglements.

In the Fox series Rescue: HI-Surf, the high-stakes adrenaline-fueled work of a lifeguard saves lives, but often under life-threatening conditions. This group of first responders patrols and protects the North Shore of O’ahu in Hawaii, ready to deal with anything thrown their way. Under the leadership of Captain Sonny Jennings (Robbie Magasiva), the lifeguards learn the importance of respecting the ocean and each other, but that doesn’t stop them from also getting entangled with each other.
During this one-on-one interview with Collider, Arielle Kebbel, who plays Ocean Safety Lieutenant Em Wright, talked about the extent of the effort to capture this world in the most real and believable way, doing the majority of her own stunts, that the thing that most excited about doing the show was also the thing that made her most nervous, how safe everyone has made her feel on set even though she’s in a bathing suit the majority of the time, why so much of the series is shot with handheld cameras, the way they approach shooting the ocean scenes, building cast chemistry, what she enjoyed about finding the relationship between Em and Will (Adam Demos), and how even though this is the hardest show she’s ever done, she hopes for the possibility to do more.
‘Rescue: HI-Surf’s Arielle Kebbel Believes Lifeguards Deserve To Be Recognized As First Responders

“I feel very strongly about this.”

Collider: I really appreciate that this show makes the effort to capture the action in a real and believable way.
ARIELLE KEBBEL: Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me because I did the majority of the stunts in an effort to be as authentic as I could be to represent the real women who do this every day. So, that means more to me than you know. One of the wonderful things about doing this show, and not just the filming aspect, is the ongoing research and support. One thing that Fox is doing that is so important is partnering with the United States Lifesaving Association to help make open-water lifeguards recognized as first responders because they’re not right now and I was actually shocked to learn that. These lifeguards are not receiving the same benefits as firefighters, EMTs, and police officers. With not just the physical toll it takes on the body, but also the mental toll, oftentimes these lifeguards are pulling out their friends. The North Shore is very small, tight-knit community, and sometimes they’re alive, but sometimes they’re not. It’s not just the bravery and the physical strength that goes into it, but also the PTSD that you have to work through. It’s just really important that we get lifeguards recognized as first responders. I feel very strongly about this.

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When this show came your way, what most excited you about it and what made you most nervous about it?
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. I was always doing water sports. If I wasn’t at the barn riding horses, I was in the water, both the ocean and the pool. That felt very exciting to me and very natural. At the same time, I was incredibly nervous because, as part of the audition process, both (executive producer/director) John Wells and (creator) Matt Kester said a number of times, “Are you ready for this? There won’t be hair and makeup touch-ups. This won’t be glamorous. We won’t be lighting. This will be about you being in the ocean, portraying the most authentic version of a lifeguard that you can be.” And I kept saying, “Yes, I’m ready.” 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. I have autoimmune and some other issues, so it was a combined crash collision there, but I was sitting in that hospital going, “I better be able to handle this. This is unlike any other show I’ve done. I better be able to have my face underwater doing these stunts because that is what they’ve 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. It’s not that you train, and then you’re filming and the training stops. The training is ongoing. When we were not filming, we were training. We had two units going the entire time – a land unit and a water unit. Oftentimes on the weekends, they would be running water safety on events and they would ask us to come out and run safety with them. The training doesn’t get more real than that. You’re actually on the back of the jet ski running safety with these guys in the ocean and when a canoe tips over in a wave, you’re the one flying in to rescue the four people on the rudder. So, it was both terrifying and exhilarating.
Arielle Kebbel Says That ‘Rescue: HI-Surf’ Is the Most Supportive and Respectful Set She’s Been On

“I really will thank them forever for how they treated me and protected me.”

Image via Fox

And then, you’re also in a bathing suit. In a role like this, there’s no way around that. As a woman, as an actor, and just as a human who has insecurities, how do you get over that?
KEBBEL: Woman to woman, I am so happy you asked that question. I’ve said this to both John Wells and Matt Kester, and Robbie [Magasiva] and Adam [Demos] and Kekoa [Kekumano] and Alex [Alono], that I have never felt more comfortable and more respected on set than on this show, which is so ironic because I’m in a bathing suit the majority of the time. We have some incredible women, as well, that I could always go to and that I felt supported and loved by. To me, the thing that really stood out and surprised me was how much support and respect I felt from the men that I was surrounded by. I’ve had some pretty rough experiences in Hollywood. I’ve been in this business a long time, at this point, and I was very nervous going into it for that reason. It has changed my world. I can honestly tell you that it softens me, as an actress and a human, knowing that I could let my guard down around these men. So, I appreciate you asking because I really will thank them forever for how they treated me and protected me.
The thing that’s important to know about the North Shore in Hawaii is that women are strong there. It’s a way of life to be in a bathing suit there because if you’re not surfing, you’re running on the beach, and if you’re not running on the beach, you’re training, and if you’re not training, you’re on a jet ski or you’re outside running. Outdoors is a way of life there. Everyone lives in a bathing suit. It’s a very different feeling there than anywhere else. To not be in a bathing suit would not represent this beautiful community and how healthy and active they are, being outdoors all the time. The only two people who ever asked me if I dieted or if I was watching what I was eating because I was in bathing suit were two male directors that had come in from L.A. I don’t need to say more than that.
I also really appreciate that the swimsuit seems like a swimsuit you would wear as a lifeguard.
KEBBEL: Absolutely. 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]. I would go to her, all the time, with questions and she and I researched together what the female lifeguards on Oahu are wearing today. Most of them actually said they were more comfortable in a two-piece than a one-piece. There’s a variety. There’s a mix, but there’s an actual reason to wear a two-piece. It dries quicker than a one-piece. The bathing suit is their uniform, and it has to work for the job that they have to do. It has to be practical. And so, that was a constant conversation. It was about, “Is this practical? Is this authentic? Am I comfortable in it? Great. The end.” Another huge tribute to our crew and our camera men and women, they were running alongside us on the beach. You’ll notice the majority of our show is handheld. We don’t slow down for lighting. We don’t have fancy setups or dolly tracks.
Both Matt and John really wanted it to feel like you were in these rescues with us, in real time. We were in crazy hot temperatures all day long in the elements, and our crew was right there with us. It was incredible to see. I’ve 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’s sad to say that I didn’t expect that going into this show, but every day I went on set and looked around and saw what we were making and who was behind it, and that it really was equal between male and female. It exploded my heart with gratitude and joy. It’s another reason why I’m 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.
What’s it like to film the ocean scenes? Where do they put the cameras? How do they shoot that?
KEBBEL: Underwater, baby. We had two units going, a land unit and a water unit, at all times, and there would be days when we’d have to jump back and forth between the two units. For the water unit, we were fortunate enough to have Don King, who is a legendary camera operator and DP. He did the Tom Hanks movie Castaway and he did Blue Crush. And then, Brian Keaulana, who is one of the biggest watermen in the world, was also our second unit director, the majority of the time. They would work together on the shots, and we would normally have multiple cameras, and it would be underwater. The challenging thing about filming underwater is that the elements are constantly changing. As actors, when you’re rehearsing a scene, and you’re deciding what you’re gonna do in any given moment, and you’re finding new ways to play with the character and your other castmates, all of that completely changes the second you’re in the ocean. Depending on the wind, depending on where the sun is, depending on the current, depending on the reef, depending on the beach, everything is changing, every moment of the day. It can be calm waters while we’re filming, and then, all of a sudden, they’re scooping you up on a jet ski and you’re racing away. Or if it’s a scene that requires chaos, you get tossed around while they’re filming it underwater. The amount of flexibility that filming in the water requires is really a skill set, in and of itself. You can plan for the shots you want, but you really can’t plan anything else. You just always have to be ready because when the ocean says she’s ready, that’s when you film.

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‘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 had to move our lifeguard tower location because the turtles had nested, and they’re protected, so we had to move our entire set. We had a safety drone flying over us at all times, and we had a safety crew of at least six jet skis and 20 men and women in the water at all times, watching for sharks, whales and sea life. The deeper you go underwater, when we’re doing cave work, there are all these different types of barnacles and corals that can cut you. It wasn’t just the animals, it was also the reef and particles underwater that you have to be aware of, and tiny little jellyfish. We were constantly working around that stuff. Some days, we could work with it, and other days, we would have to pivot and either film something else or just wait it out.
In the first season of a TV series, you’re trying to figure out your character, what the show is, who your cast is, and what the relationships of all these characters are. 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?
KEBBEL: At least for me, I felt like I was really rockin’ and rollin’ in the second half of the season. The first half of the season, we were getting adjusted to so much more than just our characters. We were getting adjusted to the elements and everything else that comes with being on this type of show. So, I felt like in the second half, I was grooving with my character, That’s also a tribute to our writers because I felt like, as the show went on, they really started writing for each of the characters, and they gave me some pretty beautiful, emotional storylines with Will and with some of the other guest stars that come in, and that allowed for people to get to know Em on a more intimate level. John Wells directed episodes one and two, and we all felt like we could lean on him, both in establishing our characters and with the tone overall. I think it really helped having him direct the first two episodes because any questions I had, I would go to him and he would always say, “More subtle. Do less. Hold your power.” Those very short key phrases were something that I carried with me throughout the season. He’s one of the first TV directors I’ve worked with that has said, “Do less,” and I really loved that.
Arielle Kebbel Discusses What She Loves Most About the Em and Will Dynamic in ‘Rescue: HI-Surf’

“Even if we don’t end up together, you’re rooting for us along the way.”

Image via Fox

It wouldn’t be a TV show unless there was some romantic drama somewhere. The interesting thing about the relationship with Em and Will is that there is history there and there are layers of things that happened before we met them. What have you enjoyed about that relationship?
KEBBEL: Will and Em are the classic will-they-or-won’t-they. And they already did, so it’s, will they again? Will they forever? Will they not forever? I would always nudge Matt and ask, “Are we Ross and Rachel?” I really love that the show picks up with us not together, and then the audience has to learn about their past. I found that very interesting because we had to start off with all this history that we’re not showing, but we’re leaning into. And then, in present day, he has a fiancée and I’ve moved on, so how do we work together while respecting each other’s personal lives but remaining close as colleagues and teammates. I found that really interesting and fun to play with. And then, of course, as the show goes on and we fool around, and then we don’t, and then we do, I felt like all of that just hopefully makes the audience understand what we had and why it’s so hard to figure out where we’re going. At least, even if we don’t end up together, you’re rooting for us along the way. I think that true love is very complicated. Just like anyone else, I love a good rom-com, but I can tell you, in my personal life, it is up and down and exhausting. I also really appreciated the fact that Matt Kester created these storylines that were messy and flawed and confusing. I was like, “This is how my love life feels,” so I hope that the audience can relate, and no matter what happens with Will and Em, cheer for us along the way.
Is Em someone who has always voiced her opinion about things, or has she become more confident as she’s proven herself?
KEBBEL: I feel like Em has always voiced her opinion. She’s grown up around male energy. Her backstory is that she’s from San Diego, she has a twin brother, her father raised her, and she was always trying to be one of the guys or around the guys, which is where she pushed herself and her athletic capabilities. 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. As a woman in a group of guys, it’s important to be able to speak up, and I feel like she learned that at a young age. That’s just part of who she is, part of what has gotten her this far, and has gotten her this job. Sonny knows he can always rely on her to speak her mind and tell the truth.
At the same time, the double-edged sword is that, because that’s where she lives and breathes right now, playing the political game shutting her mouth when things are in hot water, is not where she lies. What she battles with is maybe she knows she hasn’t learned that skill set yet, but at the same time, I think where she really battles is that she doesn’t know if she ever wants to become that. She sees the value of playing the political game and sometimes staying silent versus speaking out, and how that can be more powerful. But I don’t know that she’s in a place in her life yet where she can really feel comfortable doing that and feel like she’s doing the right thing. She has this innate instinct right now where, if she doesn’t speak up, she’s not doing her job. Even though she sees the benefits of playing the game, she’s still a little rough around the edges. She’s animalistic, that way. She’s not ready for that yet.
Will the season end with a cliffhanger? Are we going to be dying for Season 2?
KEBBEL: If you’re not dying for Season 2, we have not done our job. This is the hardest show I’ve ever done, and I’m dying for Season 2.

Rescue: HI-Surf

Release Date

September 22, 2024

Network

FOX

Directors

John Wells, Loren Yaconelli, Avi Youabian, Sherwin Shilati, Kevin Berlandi

Writers

Carly Woodworth

Arielle Kebbel

Emily Wright

Kekoa Kekumano

Laka Hanohano

Rescue: HI-Surf airs on Fox and is available to stream on Hulu. Check out this behind-the-scenes look: