The upcomingBaywatchmovie isalready totingthe combined pecs ofDwayne “The Rock” JohnsonandZac Efron, but now it needs some ladies to even out this sausage fest. As Paramount Pictures continues to bulk up its cast of slo-mo running actors, a shortlist of actresses has emerged for who could play the female lead.
According toDeadline, there are seven on this shortlist:Alexandra Daddario(True Detective),Ashley Benson(Pretty Little Liars),Nina Dobrev(The Vampire Diaries),Alexandra Shipp(X-Men: Apocalypse),Shelly Hennig(Teen Wolf),Bianca Santos(The Duff), andDenyse Tontz(Big Time Rush). The trade notes that, while these ladies are vying for the female lead, any number of them could end up playing other roles in the film, or the studio could expand its search.
Someone like Shipp could up the diversity factor on the traditionally white-washed property, and she certainly has the bubbly, vibrant personality for a film of this nature. However, Daddario has been looking for her next big project following thePercy Jacksonfilms and her standoutTrue Detectiverole oppositeWoody HarrelsonandMatthew McConaughey. Plus, she already logged screen time with Johnson inSan Andreas.
Benson, meanwhile, has experience going crazy in a swimsuit, thanks to her turn in Spring Breakers, while Dobrev needs a new gig after departing the hit CW vamper series,The Vampire Diaries. The other names are relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, should Paramount want to bring a newer face to the leading role.
Seth Gordonisdirecting the film, which sees Johnson as a rule-abiding lifeguard who teams up with Efron’s more reckless beach boy to stop an oil tycoon from destroying their beach. The filmwill be rated Rand is said to be more aligned with a21 Jump Street-style recreation instead of the original show’s sensibilities. We’ll know more about the casting, since production is scheduled to commence early next year.
