On Sunday, September 22nd, FOX airs a special preview episode of its new series Rescue: HI-Surf after the NFL on FOX, before its timeslot premiere on September 23.
The series was created by Matt Kester and follows a group of dedicated and heroic lifeguards as they patrol the stretch of beach known as the North Shore of O’ahu.
We had the chance to talk with one of the series stars, Zoe Cipres. She plays rookie lifeguard Hina in the high adrenaline series. You may remember Zoe from her appearance in the ABC series Grown-ish and her recurring role in the series Roswell, New Mexico.
In our interview, Zoe talks about the audition process for the series, what the cast had to do in preparing for these demanding roles and what fans can look forward to with the first season of Rescue: HI-Surf.
Pop Culture Principle – What attracted you to this role and made you decide to sign on to the project?
Zoe Cipres – When I initially got sent the audition, I knew right away I wanted to be apart of it. Not only did it shoot on the island I grew up on, but it’s an epic show that really showcases the beautiful people of Hawaii. I also related to my character Hina right from the jump and was eager to play her!
Pop Culture Principle – What can you tell us about your character Hina?
Zoe Cipres – Hina is born and raised on the North Shore and becoming a lifeguard is all she’s ever wanted. She’s the oldest sibling in a very large family and there’s a lot of pressure on her to take care of everyone around her. This is the first time she’s putting herself first and going full force after her dream. This season, you’ll get to see how she balances her career, creating boundaries with her family and managing a love life.
Pop Culture Principle – Can you think of one way you are personally like your character and one big difference between the two of you?
Zoe Cipres – I would say the main similarity we have is our ambition. I’ve only ever had one dream, to be an actor. And everything ive done in my life leading up to this point has been to get me closer to that dream. Thats how Hina is towards being a lifeguard. Our biggest difference is that I’m afraid of everything and she definitely is not
Pop Culture Principle – Obviously, there must have been a lot of training and preparation to get ready for this role. Can you tell us about that training?
Zoe Cipres – The rest of my cast had two weeks of training before we started filming. I was the last to get cast so I had about five days of intense water training that included surfing, swimming, paddling and breath work. But that training continued for the entire seven months of shooting. We had an excellent team of people including Brian and Chad Keaulana, Eli Olsen, and my double Rosie Jaffurs who were always getting us out in the water on our time off.
Pop Culture Principle – Do you feel the training that the cast went through adds an extra layer or realism to what viewers see on the screen?
Zoe Cipres – Absolutely. Without that training, what were doing on camera wouldn’t seem authentic. The training not only gave us the ability to actually save someone in real life if we had to, but it also gave us the confidence to know that we could.
Pop Culture Principle – Not only is there a real physical aspect to this role, but I would think that there is just as much of a mental aspect as well. Would you agree?
Zoe Cipres – Yes, like I mentioned before, half of this job is confidence. Our training was not just physical, but our crew and stunt team really helped us mentally prepare and understand what it is to be a lifeguard.
Pop Culture Principle – One of the main attractions for the series will be the action and the rescues, but does the show give ample time to the personal lives of the lifeguards?
Zoe Cipres – People can expect to learn A LOT about each of our characters personal lives. Speaking for myself, viewers are going to see where she comes from, her family and even some romance. There’s a lot of rescues, but also a lot of drama!
Pop Culture Principle – The underwater scenes really stood out in the series. Can you talk about the work and shots of cinematographer Don King?
Zoe Cipres – Don King is a LEGEND! I honestly couldn’t imagine anyone else filming our water scenes. He just knows what he’s doing and it’s impossible to feel unsafe when you’re with him. He understands the ocean. And he did Cast Away which is one of my favorite movies ever!
Pop Culture Principle – Would you consider the North Shore of O’ahu its own character in the series?
Zoe Cipres – A thousand percent!! The north shore IS our show! I am so excited for people to see the show for this reason.
Pop Culture Principle – In an interview with Deadline, Executive Producer John Wells said that there were production delays due to weather, sharks, whales, and even beachgoers in need of rescue. Can you talk a bit about that drama while filming?
Zoe Cipres – Instead of filming on a studio set, our creator Matt Kester and EP John Wells and the rest of team wanted to give a very authentic realistic approach to shooting. One of the challenges of this was we had to film in the ocean and a lot of things are out of our control, such as the weather, the current of the ocean, sea life and most importantly the sun. As soon as they called action, we had to be ready to go. I do remember on one of our last days on set we had to halt filming while a shark was in our area, we were all on boats and JetSkis waiting for her to pass by so we could continue filming.
Pop Culture Principle – Inevitably, people will compare your show to Baywatch. On one hand, it can bring more eyes to the show, but on the other hand, it will be compared to one of the biggest shows ever. Do you see this comparison as a double-edged sword?
Zoe Cipres – I don’t really see it as a double edged sword, if anything people who loved Baywatch will tune in and stay around because it delivers a completely different experience that I think those fans will love and appreciate. The only real similarities between us and Baywatch is the fact we both are lifeguard shows, whilst Baywatch has its kind of look and feel to it, it’s very much a dramatized version of what being a first responder is. Our show really aims to put the audience into the action of what being a lifeguard on the north shore is like.
Pop Culture Principle – What can fans look forward to with the first season of Rescue HI-Surf and what your character deals with this season?
Zoe Cipres – People can expect a lot of fun, thrilling rescues on our beautiful island of Oahu, as well as a real insight into the day to day lives of the lifeguards who protect it. I think people will see my character, Hina, go through a lot of ups and downs. But ultimately she learns to balance having a demanding job, a family who expects too much out of her, and a confusing love life.
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A huge thank you to Zoe Cipres for taking the time out of her busy schedule to talk with us! The special episode premiere of Rescue: HI-Surf airs on Sunday, September 22nd on FOX!
**All photos courtesy of Zach Dugan/FOX. ©2024 FOX Media LLC**