Baywatch star David Chokachi has opened up about one of the show’s most infamous off-screen incidents, claiming that Tommy Lee once “went ballistic” after seeing footage of him kissing Pamela Anderson on the show.
Speaking on Steve Kmetko’s Still Here Hollywood podcast, the actor – who played lifeguard Cody Madison on Baywatch from seasons five to seven – revealed what really happened when he filmed a kissing scene with his co-star Pamela, who played .”C.J.” Parker on the show.
When asked about reports of Tommy’s jealousy, David laughed and quipped: “Tommy, what’s up, dude?” He then recalled an incident that unfolded during filming at Santa Monica’s Will Rogers State Beach, where paparazzi often gathered behind police tape while scenes were being shot.
© Getty Images“Pam and I were shooting a kissing scene at the ocean’s edge,” David explained. “One of the Extra crews shot it, and Tommy was sitting at home that night. The tagline was like, ‘Meet Pamela’s new boyfriend’ – this was the introduction to my character – ‘and here they are making out on the shore of Baywatch.’ And he went ballistic.”
According to David, the reaction carried over onto the set the following day.
“The next day I’m walking down to the set, past her trailer, and I just hear all this… it sounded like someone was in there with a construction crew,” he said. “He was in there renovating her trailer with his fists. He was not happy.”
© Getty ImagesDavid claimed Tommy went on to speak to the show’s producers over future scenes involving the pair. “He basically said, ‘If you write another kissing scene with David Chokachi, I’m gonna do this to you,'” he recalled, adding that the situation “unfortunately put a lot of stress on Pam”.
Pamela starred as C.J. Parker from season three to seven, overlapping with David during the series’ peak popularity in the mid-1990s. While their characters shared flirtatious moments on screen, David was adamant there was never anything romantic behind the scenes.
© Getty Images“I was just being a straight-up friend to her. There was no ulterior motive for me,” he said. “The reason Pam and I worked so well is because we were kindred spirits. We were very self-deprecating. We were having fun together.”
“I wasn’t that kind of guy, and I definitely wouldn’t do that to a woman who’s married – especially a woman who’s married to Tommy Lee.”
Since leaving Baywatch after season seven, David has continued to work steadily in television and film, with roles in Witchblade, Beyond the Break and Predator: Wastelands, as well as producing projects and making regular podcast appearances reflecting on his career and Hollywood’s changing landscape.
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