‘Rescue HI-Surf’: Arielle Kebbel, Adam Demos & Robbie Magasiva Among 7 Cast In Fox Series

Nellie Andreeva
·5 min read
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Fox’s upcoming Hawaii lifeguard drama Rescue: HI-Surf has assembled its main cast. Arielle Kebbel (9-1-1), Adam Demos (Sex/Life), Robbie Magasiva (Wentworth), Kekoa Kekumano (The White Lotus), Alex Aiono (Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin ) and Zoe Cipres (Roswell, New Mexico) are set as series regulars and Sea Shimooka (3 Body Problem) will recur in the series from John Wells and Matt Kester.

The action drama follows the personal and professional lives of the heavy-water lifeguards who patrol and protect the North Shore of O’ahu—the most famous and dangerous stretch of coastline in the world. Each episode will feature these dedicated, heroic, and adrenaline-seeking first-responders saving lives in the difficult and often life-threatening conditions of Hawaii’s Seven Mile Miracle.

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Magasiva will play Harlan “Sonny” Jennings, a surfer, waterman, and North Shore lifeguard captain with deep ties to his community and an iron clad commitment to his team of heavy water first responders. A charismatic leader who inspires courage and loyalty, Sonny’S grief over his nephew’s death threatens to cost him the job and team he loves.

Kebbel is Emily “Em” Wright. In a lifeguard force that is 90% male, Em Wright is still the best. A true maverick, Em is the first female lieutenant in Ocean Safety history, an accomplished surfer and record setting paddler who has her sights set on the captain’s job, a position currently held by Sonny, her struggling mentor and friend.

Demos will portray Will Ready. An Aussie surfer and certified lifesaver since his nipper days at the local board riders club, Will came to the North Shore to challenge himself and stayed. Good-natured and loyal, WILL’s blue-collar work ethic and incomparable fitness means he’s game to tackle any situation the ocean throws at him.

Kekumano will play Laka Hanohano. Confident, competent, and hilarious, Laka is an uber-fit Native Hawaiian lifeguard from Honolulu who patrols the busy North Shore beaches with a style all his own. Fearless in the ocean and never afraid of a good time, Laka loves his job and the lifestyle that comes with it.

Aiono is Kainalu. Cocky and competitive, sweet but stubborn, Kainalu was born into privilege in an upscale neighborhood just outside Honolulu. With a politician father who’s on the rise, Kainalu is defying lots of expectations (like finishing college) to be a rookie North Shore lifeguard.

Cipres will play Hina, a rookie North Shore lifeguard from a large, working-class Hawaiian family. Smart, sassy, fiercely competitive. Top of her training class, concerned with how to balance her professional duties (and the fishbowl of being one of only a dozen women on the job) with her deep love for her family and community.

Shimooka recurs as Jenn. A big wave surfer and working EMT born and raised on Kauai, Jenn came to Oahu for med school – but the proximity to big surf was also a key motivator. Jenn is serious about her job, serious about big waves, and has a sense of commitment that drives her to take everything to the next level.

Rescue: HI-Surf is co-produced by Warner Bros. Television and Fox Entertainment. Kester serves as showrunner and executive producer. Wells will executive produce through John Wells Productions, and JWP’s Erin Jontow and Daniele Nathanson also serve as an executive producer. Kester wrote the first episode, and Wells will direct the first two episodes.

Originally picked up for this season, Rescue HI-Surf was pushed to 2024-25 because of strike-related delays.

Magasiva is best known for his starring role as Will Jackson in drama series Wentworth, for which he received an Australian Logie Award nomination for outstanding actor. He just wrapped production on Madam starring opposite Rachel Griffiths. On the film side, he can be seen in Bad Behaviour, alongside Jennifer Connelly and Ben Whishaw. Magasiva is repped by Impression Entertainment and Sue Barnett & Associates.

Kebbel is known for her starring roles in The Vampire Diaries and John Tucker Must Die. She recently recurred on Fox’s 9-1-1. In film, Kebbel was recently seen in the final three installments of the After series of YA romantic dramas, based on the novels by Anna Todd. Kebbel is repped by Independent Artist Group (IAG), Untitled Entertainment and Hanson, Jacobson, Teller.

Demos recently reprised his role as Brad Simon in season 2 of Netflix’s Sex/Life alongside Sarah Shahi. He also recently starred in Netflix’ A Perfect Pairing rom-com film opposite Victoria Justice. He made his U.S. television debut in Season 3 of Lifetime’s UnReal. HIs Australian credits include Wonderland and Home & Away, among others. Demos is repped by Untitled Entertainment and Independent Artist Group and Sophie Jermyn Management in Australia.

Kekumana, an actor, surfer and dancer based out of Hawaii, is best known for his role as Kai in the first season of The White Lotus. He recurred on Hawaii Five-0 and played a young Jason Momoa in DC’s Aquaman. He can also be seen in Amazon’s I Know What You Did Last Summer and the feature film, Press Play. He is repped by Luber Roklin Entertainment & Bliss Models and Talent.

Aiono portrayed Shawn in Max’s Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin and next will be seen in the upcoming Pretty Little Liars: Summer School. In film, he recently starred opposite Virginia Gardner in See You on Venus. As a musician, Aiono has accumulated over a billion views, 5.76 million subscribers, and 500 million streams on YouTube and social media. He is repped by UTA , Luber Roklin Entertainment and Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light

Cipres is best known for her role as Bonnie in CW’s Roswell, New Mexico. She most recently wrapped shooting a supporting role in Long Pork, a proof of concept short starring Lena Headey and Mark Menchaca. Cipres, an ABC Discovers: Showcase alumna, is repped by Brave Artists Management.

Shimooka will soon be seen as a series regular in David Benioff and Dan Weiss’ upcoming series, 3 Body Problem for Netflix. She can also be seen in the indie film, Pink Skies Ahead, which premiered at the 2020 SXSW film festival. She got her start playing the series regular role of Emiko Queen on the CW’s Arrow. Shimooka is repped by Buchwald and Anonymous Content.

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