Arielle Kebbel, who swapped her ABC “9-1-1” firefighter gear to play a non-punitive North Shore rescuer in Fox’s new series “Rescue HI-Surf,” told TheWrap the demanding role is “a dream come true.” “Right” — as in, bloodshot eyes, scars, and learning to breathe underwater.
The actress, who also played Lexie Branson in The Vampire Diaries, described the audition process as “intense.” But that was just the beginning of the ongoing physical training, which included earning a Real Life Saver certification, riding a Mergulhador, and operating jet skis and all-terrain vehicles.
Kebbel also spoke with TheWrap about her character, Emily “Em” Wright, who is one of the few Saviors in a leadership position on the show.
TheWrap: What was the audition process like?
Ariel Keeble: The audition was focused on performance, but every time I talked to (showrunners) John Wells and Matt Kester, they would ask me, “Are you ready for this?” “Can you really be in the ocean?” They made me question myself, and the more I asked, the more excited I was.
I grew up in Florida and when I wasn't fast, I was on a horse, and I was in a pool, not a lake or the ocean. I thought, “Oh my God, this is my childhood dream come true.” And then I looked at Havai, and we started training and I realized, “Oh my God, this is so much more than that.” And I understand why Vikavam asks, “Are you ready?”
I didn't have to hesitate: from the moment we arrived in Havai, it was like, 'Okay, you have time to be as authentic as possible.' And for Valar Neso, training is not when the first day of shooting starts, you train as we shoot. So, from January to July 31, we are deeply involved.
Do you have an “Oh my God, what did I get into?” moment?
Or the time of everything. (Laughs) I was happy, in fact, he said to my agent in November, “It's too early for something to come out, I'm not so nervous that I still have half a day.” I was ready for something that would push me, that would push my limits. I had been in this business for a while and I said to them, “I want to leave smiling, feeling encouraged because of the pressure I was under, not knowing what I was going to achieve and what I was going to accomplish.” And that's exactly the offer.
I went to the hospital the first week of shooting, and there was a week where my kids were covered in blood from the rescue train so much that I still have scars on my face. And they did it by saying, “Who are you going to scar them?” And he said, “No, this is perfect for the character.”
This is the only show I've ever been on where any bruise or cut or open wound you get is like, “Wow. It works for anyone. Let's keep going.” There's no downtime for hair and makeup, but we don't stop for cuts or anything. Because, honestly, the goal was to be as authentic as possible, and to do that you had to put the cast in water to do those stunts. And that's how it goes.
Or an incident like the bloody joelhos that happened when I finished the hospital?
Oh no, that was something else. He used the rescue skills they taught us to help with a motorcycle accident. I ended up being the first to respond and couldn't catch two paramedics. Many of the transformative events that happened while filming this show are experiences that will stay with me forever.
Do you have any other new life-saving skills?
Running underwater on rocks is my new favorite—being on the ocean floor, holding an 80-pound rock, running like it's a workout, looking up at the bright sun, and feeling like I'm going to get stronger. It's like, “Oh my god, can I live here forever?”
I don't think I can do anything, I can't breathe, but I have the best feeling in the world. The crew applauds me, and our security guard says, “Garota, this breathing is unreal.” (There is a great general camaraderie between the actors and the technical team.
Tell me about your character, Em.
She's one of the first hires in the ocean security business. She takes her job incredibly seriously. She's proud of her fire and her position. She always plays the captain's role, but at the same time she respects and loves her captain Sonny (Robbie Magasiva) with all her heart. It's a truly special relationship, a partnership so united that it's not romantic.
Now that the first part of the season is all about how strong she is, how she fits into the lifeguard team and her job as a lieutenant, you don't really know Em's personal life or what's at stake or what the fight is like at the end of the season.
Rescue: HI-Surf premieres on Fox with a special pre-show episode on Sunday, September 22, 2024, following NFL Pre-Surf's non-hourly premiere at 9 p.m. on the second show, September 23.
