Olivia Dunne Got Rejected From Hit HBO Show 'White Lotus'

Olivia Dunne will be making her major acting debut next year.

FOX's "Baywatch" reboot is set to feature the former LSU Tigers gymnast turned famous influencer. Dunne, 23, is one of several big names set to be featured in the classic beach rescue show. Brooks Nader, Shay Mitchell and many others are set to star in the show, which will come out in 2027.

Wednesday night, Dunne - who is dating Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes - appeared on "The Tonight Show" with Jimmy Fallon.

She revealed that she was first rejected by an HBO show before landing "Baywatch."

Dunne has been doing more acting auditions, as she attempts to launch the next phase of her career.

But before landing "Baywatch," she was turned down by a popular HBO show.

Dunne got 'rejected' from HBO hit

Dunne told Fallon that she auditioned for Season 4 of "The White Lotus," one of HBO's biggest shows from Mike White.

But she got turned down.

"So, actually, my first ever audition was in person. It was different because in gymnastics, usually you just go out there and perform on a 4-inch beam. But this, I have to talk and perform and play somebody else rather than myself. So, it was a completely different animal," Dunne said. "I ended up not getting that one, which was probably a show that you would know. It was for White Lotus."

Dunne is happy with how things worked out.

"I ended up auditioning for Baywatch and submitted my self-tape," she said. "I had really no expectation of what was going to happen. I got a call back. It's iconic, and that's the first callback I've ever gotten, and I ended up booking it."

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 4:31 PM.