From A.C. Slater to Screech, where are the ‘Saved by the Bell’ stars now?
Welcome back to Bayside.
“Saved by the Bell” returns with a revival series on NBC streamer Peacock, premiering Wednesday, Nov. 25.
Classic characters from the original sitcom such as jock A.C. Slater (Mario Lopez) and feminist go-getter Jessie Spano (Elizabeth Berkley) walk the school’s halls again, along with a brand-new generation of students.
But what has the original cast been doing since the show aired from 1989 to ’93 — and what are some of the actors who didn’t return for the revival up to?
Here’s where everyone is now.
Mario Lopez
Lopez, 47, reprises his role of A.C. Slater for the “Bell” revival. (The former jock is now Bayside High’s athletic director, naturally.) Aside from that, the notoriously fit Lopez is one of the most prolific “Bell” cast members, best known for his TV hosting on shows such as “Extra,” “Access Hollywood” (his current gig), “The Wendy Williams Show” and the Miss America pageant. He also co-created the Netflix show “The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia,” which has a Christmas special coming on Dec. 9 and plans to relaunch the classic Latin boy band Menudo. He’s currently married to — and enjoying a great quarantine sex life with — actress and producer Courtney Mazza, 38, and they have three kids.
Elizabeth Berkley
Berkley, 48, reprises her role as former class president Jessie Spano, who is now Bayside High’s guidance counselor. Aside from returning for the “Bell” revival, she’s also best known for the 1995 movie “Showgirls,” which briefly stymied her career after it flopped — although the stripper flick has since made a cult-status comeback. She eventually bounced back, with appearances in a range of TV shows, spanning from an episode of “New Girl” in 2016 to “CSI: Miami” (2008-2009) and “The L Word” (2009), as well as a 2013 stint on “Dancing With the Stars.” She’s married to artist and actor Greg Lauren, and they have one son.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar
Gosselaar, 46, returns to “Saved by the Bell” as likable scoundrel Zack Morris — only now, he’s the governor of California. He’s had a robust post-“Bell” career with leading roles on a range of network shows, including “NYPD Blue,” “Franklin & Bash” and “The Passage.” He’s currently on ABC’s “Black-ish” spinoff, “Mixed-ish.” He’s married to advertising exec Catriona McGinn, and they have two kids (in addition to two he has from his first marriage to Lisa Ann Russell).
Dustin Diamond
Diamond, 43, who starred as geeky “Screech,” is the only member of the gang who won’t be returning for the revival — possibly because he published a tell-all book in 2009 called “Behind the Bell,” alleging drug use and hookups that his castmates denied. He’s expressed his disappointment with his exclusion since the revival’s announcement. In 2016, he served time in jail for stabbing a man during an altercation at a bar. Since then, he’s done some scattered appearances on shows such as “Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell” in 2017 and Funny or Die’s “Saved by the Bell” spoof “Zack Morris Is Trash.”
Tiffani Thiessen
After playing Bayside cheerleader Kelly Kapowski, Thiessen, 46, went on to star in “Beverly Hills, 90210″ and “White Collar.” Most recently, she was on three-season Netflix show “Alexa & Katie,” where she played title character Alexa’s mom. Thiessen also authored a cookbook, “Pull Up a Chair: Recipes From My Family to Yours,” and co-authored a children’s book with her husband, actor Brady Smith, “You’re Missing It.” The couple has two kids.
Lark Voorhies
After starring as Lisa Marie Turtle, Voorhies, 46, has since appeared on soap operas such as “Days of Our Lives” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” as well as shows such as “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and music videos including Boyz II Men’s “On Bended Knee.” In recent years, she’s had sporadic appearances on shows such as “Robot Chicken.” Earlier this year, Voorhies confessed on the “Dr. Oz” show that she felt snubbed when producers did not reach immediately out to her for the revival amid her public battle with mental health issues.