Fox’s ‘Rescue HI-Surf’ Casts Arielle Kebbel, Adam Demos and Robbie Magasiva

Fox’s “Rescue HI-Surf” has found its cast of lifeguards, led by Arielle Kebbel of “9-1-1”, Robbie Magasiva of Australian series “Wentworth” and Adam Demos of Netflix’s “Sex / Life.” The show was originally announced in April 2023, but casting was put on hold due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes.

The drama from “ER” ep John Wells and executive producer/writer Matt Kester of “Animal Kingdom” follows the personal and professional lives of the lifeguards who patrol and protect the North Shore of Hawaii’s O’ahu, billed as “the most famous and dangerous stretch of coastline in the world.”

Kester will write the first episode, and Wells will direct the first two episodes.

Arielle Kebbel will play Emily “Em” Wright, the first female lieutenant in Ocean Safety history, who has her sights set on the captain’s job. She previously played Lucy Donato on Fox’s “9-1-1.” She is repped by Independent Artist Group (IAG), Untitled Entertainment, Vision PR, and Hanson, Jacobson, Teller.

Robbie Magasiva plays Harlan “Sonny” Jennings, the North Shore lifeguard captain whose grief over his nephew’s death threatens to cost him the job and team he loves. Magasiva, who began his career as part of the comedy troupe Naked Samoans, is repped by Impression Entertainment and Sue Barnett & Associates. 

Adam Demos, whose other credits include “UnREAL,” is Will Ready, an Aussie surfer with a blue-collar work ethic. Demos is repped by Untitled Entertainment and Independent Artist Group and Sophie Jermyn Management in Australia.

The rest of the cast announced on Thursday includes:

Kekoa Kekumano as Laka Hanohano, a fearless and “uber-fit” Native Hawaiian lifeguard from Honolulu. The actor is known for his roles as Kai on Season 1 of “The White Lotus,” Nahele on “Hawaii Five-O” and for playing the younger version of Jason Momoa’s character in “Aquaman.”

Alex Aiono of HBO Max’s “Pretty Little Liars: Summer School,”plays Kainalu, a “cocky and competitive” rookie lifetuard whose father is a rising politician.

Zoe Cipres of “Roswell, New Mexico” plays another rookie, Hina, who’s from a large, working-class Hawaiian family who graduated at the top of her training class.

Sea Shimooka will recur as Jenn, a big wave surfer and working EMT born and raised on Kauai.

“Rescue: HI-Surf”is co-produced by Warner Bros. Television and Fox Entertainment. Matt Kester serves as showrunner and executive producer. John Wells will executive produce through John Wells Productions, and JWP’s Erin Jontow and Daniele Nathanson also serve as an executive producer.