Brooks Nader was photographed in a Playboy Bunny costume while filming scenes for the upcoming movie Playmates at a mansion in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. The 29-year-old actress and model wore the well known costume, which included a black bodysuit, a bow tie, bunny ears and a fluffy tail. She spent about five hours on set that day. The photos arrived weeks after Hugh Hefner’s widow, Crystal Hefner, spoke out in public about the film and asked Jessica Biel to reconsider taking a role in it. Details of Nader’s own role in the film have not been made public, and no casting announcement has confirmed what part she plays.
Playmates is directed by Lorraine Nicholson, the daughter of actor Jack Nicholson. The film is loosely based on Lorraine Nicholson’s own experience of growing up around the Playboy Mansion. It started filming in Los Angeles in October 2026. The story follows two young women at the mansion, Elle, played by Indiana Elle, and Anna, played by Lily-Rose Depp. Bill Pullman plays Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who died in 2017 at the age of 91. Jessica Biel plays Hefner’s wife in the film. Nader is best known to many viewers for her work on Baywatch.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Person photographed | Brooks Nader, 29 |
| Costume | Playboy Bunny costume with black bodysuit, bow tie, bunny ears and fluffy tail |
| Film | Playmates |
| Date of photos | Wednesday, November 4, 2026 |
| Location | A mansion in Beverly Hills |
| Time on set | About five hours |
| Director | Lorraine Nicholson, daughter of Jack Nicholson |
| Lead roles | Indiana Elle as Elle and Lily-Rose Depp as Anna |
| Hugh Hefner played by | Bill Pullman |
| Hefner’s wife played by | Jessica Biel |
| Filming started | October 2026 in Los Angeles |
| Nader’s role | Not yet confirmed in public |
| Reported by | Page Six, November 5, 2026 |
What the Set Photos Show
The photos show Nader in full costume on the grounds of a Beverly Hills mansion. The outfit is the classic Playboy Bunny look that has been part of popular culture for decades: a black bodysuit, a bow tie at the collar, tall bunny ears and a small fluffy tail. The images were taken between scenes, during a working day that lasted about five hours. Set photos of this kind often give the public its first real look at a film long before a trailer appears, and these pictures did exactly that for Playmates. They confirmed that filming was under way at a real mansion location, and they showed how directly the production is drawing on the visual history of the Playboy brand.
For Nader, the appearance is a clear step in her move from modelling into acting. She has built a public profile through modelling work and through her role in Baywatch, and a part in a high profile film directed by Lorraine Nicholson would be a notable credit. At the same time, the photos on their own do not answer the main question that fans and film watchers are asking. No one outside the production has confirmed whether Nader is playing a named character, a background Playmate, or a small supporting part. Until the studio or the director says more, the costume is the only real clue about her place in the story.
What Playmates Is About
Playmates is a coming of age drama set against the world of the Playboy Mansion. It is written and directed by Lorraine Nicholson, and it draws on her own childhood experience of visiting the mansion with her father, Jack Nicholson. That personal link is central to how the film has been described. Rather than a straight history of the Playboy brand, it is presented as a story seen through the eyes of a young girl who treats the mansion as a second home.
The central character is Elle, a 13-year-old girl played by Indiana Elle. Elle knows the mansion well and feels at ease there. The story follows her as she meets Anna, played by Lily-Rose Depp, one of seven young women hoping to be named Playmate of the Month. The meeting between a confident young teenager and an older hopeful forms the heart of the film. It is a story about youth, ambition and belonging, set in a place that many people know only from magazine covers and television. Bill Pullman plays Hugh Hefner, and Jessica Biel plays Hefner’s wife, a former Playmate who married the magazine founder. The character Biel plays is fictional and is not based on any one of Hefner’s real life wives.
Why the Film Has Already Caused Debate
Playmates has drawn public comment before a single scene has been shown to audiences. The reason is the casting of Jessica Biel as Hefner’s wife. After that casting was announced, Crystal Hefner, the widow of Hugh Hefner, spoke out in public and asked Biel to reconsider the role. Her comments brought fresh attention to the film and to the wider debate about how Hefner’s life and the Playboy brand should be shown on screen.
That debate is not new. Playboy has been part of American culture for more than seventy years, and views about it have changed a great deal over that time. For some people, the Bunny costume and the mansion stand for glamour, fame and a particular era of celebrity life. For others, they stand for a business that profited from the way women were shown in public. A film that returns to that world was always likely to prompt strong views, and the casting of Biel gave that debate a clear focus. Nader’s set photos arrived in the middle of that discussion, and the costume she wore is the most recognisable symbol of the brand, so the pictures quickly became part of the same conversation. Lorraine Nicholson’s personal link to the material may shape a film that is more personal and reflective than a simple retelling of Playboy history.
Who Is Brooks Nader
Brooks Nader is a 29-year-old model and actress. She first became widely known through her modelling work, including appearances in swimwear features that brought her a large following on social media. In recent years she has moved into acting, and she is described in reports about the Playmates set as a Baywatch actress. She is set to appear in the upcoming Baywatch reboot, which is due to premiere on Fox in January.
Her career path follows a familiar route for models who move into film and television. Modelling gives a public profile and experience in front of a camera, and acting roles then offer a chance to build a longer career in a different field. A part in Playmates, whatever its size, would place her alongside established names such as Bill Pullman, Jessica Biel and Lily-Rose Depp. Nader has also shown an interest in the visual history of Playboy before this film. Around Halloween, she recreated a series of vintage magazine covers first fronted by Pamela Anderson and Anna Nicole Smith, and she shared the images with her followers. For now, her exact part in Playmates remains a matter of public guesswork, since film productions often keep smaller roles quiet until a trailer or a full cast list is released.
What Happens Next for the Production
Filming on Playmates is continuing in the Los Angeles area. The production began in October 2026, and set photos such as the ones of Nader are likely to keep appearing while the crew works at different locations around the city. The next clear step for the film will be an official update from the studio or the director. That could be a full cast list, a first look image, or a teaser trailer. Any of those would answer the open question about Nader’s role and give audiences a better sense of the tone of the film.
There is also the question of how the film will handle its subject. A story set in the Playboy Mansion, told from the point of view of a 13-year-old girl, needs careful handling. The age of the central character, the setting, and the history of the brand all require a thoughtful approach. Lorraine Nicholson’s personal connection to the material may help here, since she is drawing on her own memories rather than on second hand accounts. For Nader, the coming weeks may bring more clarity. If her role is confirmed, it will be a useful credit at a time when she is building an acting career alongside her modelling work. Readers who follow film casting news may also want to read about McKenna Grace rejecting nudity and hypersexual roles, and about Maya Hawke joining the Magic The Gathering movie. Fans of film trailers can also catch up on the Karoshi trailer from Chad Stahelski and Teo Yoo.
Was Brooks Nader confirmed as part of the Playmates cast?
No official casting announcement has confirmed her role. She was photographed in costume on set, but details of the part she plays have not been made public. Reports describe her role as unclear, and the studio has not issued a statement about it.
What costume did Brooks Nader wear on the Playmates set?
She wore the classic Playboy Bunny costume. It included a black bodysuit, a bow tie, bunny ears and a fluffy tail. The photos were taken at a mansion in Beverly Hills during a shoot that lasted about five hours.
Who is directing Playmates?
The film is written and directed by Lorraine Nicholson, the daughter of Jack Nicholson. It is loosely based on her own experience of growing up around the Playboy Mansion, and it is her first feature as a writer and director.
Why did Hugh Hefner’s widow speak out about the film?
Crystal Hefner spoke out after Jessica Biel was cast as Hugh Hefner’s wife in the film. She asked Biel in public to reconsider taking the role. Biel’s character is fictional and is not based on any one of Hefner’s real life wives.
Sources
Page Six reported the set photos and the details of Nader’s five hour shoot in Beverly Hills: Brooks Nader transforms into Playboy Bunny on Playmates set. Just Jared reported on the sighting and the speculation around her possible casting: Has Brooks Nader Been Cast In the Playmates Movie?. iHeart reported the casting of Jessica Biel as Hefner’s wife and the wider cast: Jessica Biel Joins Playmates As Hugh Hefner’s Wife.
Final Thoughts
The set photos of Brooks Nader tell a simple story. A working actress spent five hours on a film set in Beverly Hills, wearing a costume that millions of people recognise at once. Behind that picture sits a larger film with a personal director, a strong cast, and a subject that already divides opinion. Playmates is still early in production, and the main question remains open: what part does Nader actually play? The pictures from November 4 are the best public clue so far.
