Saved By the Bell is an American television sitcom. It was created by Sam Bobrick for NBC. It was first broadcasted in 1989. With four seasons, Saved by The Bell had the television on Saturday morning. Until then, the airwaves were dominated by cartoons. The cartoons did not appeal to the teens and tweens who were looking for something more on their level.
Originally packages as Good Morning, Miss Bliss, Saved by The Bell paved the way for other shows like Dawson’s Creek, Beverly Hills, 90210, The O.C., etc. by exploring mature themes that young people are typically grappling with. The upbeat theme song suggests that the show was mostly about the sympathetic exploits of a motley group of friends such as Zack, Lisa, Kelly, Screech, Jessie, and Slater.
Whatever Happened to The Cast of Saved by The Bell?
Under the supervision of the principal, Mr. Belding, Zack, and the company embarked on many adventures along the way. The cast of 89’s sitcom has been a bit older than they appeared on the screens in 89.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Zack Morris
As the breaker of monotony and fourth walls, Mark-Paul Gosselaar was the perfect Zack Morris. After reprising his role in Saved by The Bell spinoff for a long time, he was able to move away from the character of Morris and played in the 1996 TV Movie named She Cried No.
From there, he used sharp intelligence and business intelligence, he adapted as Morris to play sequential roles as a detective in NYPD Blue. Also, he played roles as a campaign advisor on Commander in Chief and attorney for defense on Raising the Bar. He continued in trend playing such as Peter Bash in the procedural drama Franklin & Bash.
Other projects played by Gosselaar include TV shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Pitch, The Passage, and Mixed-ish in 2019. Outside the spotlight of Hollywood, the father of four has a wild side. He competed in major competitions and won them. He won track cycling around the world.
The recent role played by Gosselaar is in an American documentary film named Kid 90. He is reprising his role in the Saved by The Bell 2020 TV series as Governor Zack Morris.
Mario Lopez as A.C. Slater
A.C. Slater was not Mario Lopez’s first television role. Before his big job, he appeared on AKA Pablo, Kids Incorporated, and The Golden Girls. After playing the role of Slater in Saved by The Bell, his million-dollar dimples led him to success as a radio and television host, author of fitness books, and professional actor. Also, he came secured the second position in the third season of Dancing with the Stars.
Soon after wrapping the gig in SBTB, he joined Pacific Blue as Bobby Cruz. Later on, he did a long stint on The Bold and The Beautiful in 2006. He played the role of Dr. Mike Hamoui on Nip/Tuck. Also, he provided the voice to a children’s program named The Chica Show.
The father of three is the host of the Access Hollywood Celebrity Gossip Factory and he is reprising his role as Slater in the Saved by The Bell 2020 TV Series.
Tiffani Thiessen as Kelly Kapowski
Zack Morris’ All-American Girl and Kryptonite, Tiffani Thiessen played the role of Kelly Kapowski. She had a knack for making hoarded of guys like famous cheerleader Kelly Kapowski pass out. It was never more evident than when Zack and Slater faced off for her love.
Thiessen’s charms were first noticed when she has crowned Miss Junior America in 1987. As recognizable as she is in Saved by The Bell, she is also known for playing the role of Valerie Malone on the sultry Beverly Hills, 90210. She did not confine to the two mega-roles to be popular.
She quickly moved on to a variety of TV movie roles and pursued an acting career in the film. Eventually, her film career landed her a role in Woody Allen’s Hollywood Ending in 2002. Since then, she has appeared on the TV shows such as Alexa & Katie, White Collar, and her cooking shoe named Dinner at Tiffani’s. Thiessen is having 2 children with her husband Brady Smith.
Brady Smith is also an actor who has played roles in CSI: Miami, White collar, Alexa & Katie, Charmed, etc. She will be reprising her role in the Saved by The Bell 2020 TV Series.
Elizabeth Berkley as Jessie Spano
More surprising than her love life with Slater on Saved by the Bell was Elizabeth Berkley’s transformation into a showgirl, Nomi Malone. Two years after playing Jessie Spano with a feminist spirit, Berkley took on the racy role in Showgirls as a way to shed her good-girl image and make it to the big screen. The movie did not go as planned and it turned out to be a huge flop at that time.
Once the image of Berkley was rediscovered, she landed on the supporting roles in Any Given Sunday and Woody Allen’s eccentric The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. Berkley has been the centerpiece of PETA’s campaigns and even earned the accolade of being nominated multiple times as Sexiest Vegetarian of the Year.
She launched her website and advice book, Ask-Elizabeth, where she helped teenage girls to solve the problems of life. She got married to an artist Greg Lauren in 2003. She starred in the 17th season of Dancing with the Stars. Berkley is reprising her role as Jessie in Saved by The Bell 2020 TV Series.
Lark Voorhies as Lisa Turtle
Saved by the resident Bell fashionista led all the screeches into the yard. It is easy to see why Lark Voorhies’s photogenic appearance landed her acting job at the age of two. After her stint as Lisa Turtle, Voorhies played various roles in several of the most beloved TV shows of the 90s. She had recurring roles in the Days of Our Lives and The Bold and The Beautiful, with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
She appeared on Family Matters and played love interests on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and In the House. During the mid-2000s, she was criticized for exhibiting strange behavior in television interviews. It was reported by The National Enquirer that she had a drug problem and she sued them for libel.
The allegations were denied by Voorhies and she continued to focus on her career by starting her own production company named Yo Soy Productions. She will be reprising her role in the Saved by The Bell 2020 TV series.
Dustin Diamond as Samuel Screech Powers
Every group of friends needs a nerdy and Dustin Diamon was played one of the television’s most iconic characters. By not expressing his unrequited love for Lisa Turtle, Diamond has had the gift of finding himself in precarious situations. It was much like his on-screen counterpart. In 2006, he returned to the media focus after posting a misnamed sex video.
Also, he made appearances on reality shows and contests such as The Weakest Link, Celebrity Boxing 2, and Celebrity Fit Club. He received a lot of criticism from his compatriot Saved by The Bell after he released his dirty laundry in a reveal called Behind the Bell. In 2015, he was sentenced to four months in the prison for carrying a concealed weapon and disturbing public order. Sadly, he passed away in February 2021 from carcinoma.
Dennis Haskins as Mr. Belding
In the beta incarnation of Saved by the Bell, Dennis Haskins also played the role of principal Mr. Belding. He then joined the spin-off Saved by the Bell: The New Class. In turn, made fun of Belding by participating in the projects like the karaoke album named Karaoke with Your Favorite Principal Dennis.
Haskins still pursues his acting career. He has been starring in small roles in How I Met Your Mother and Mad Men. It is hard not to associate Haskins with his timely slogan Hey, hey, hey – What is going on here?
In recent years, he has appeared in the episodes of Men of a Certain Age, The Bold and The Beautiful, New Girl, Victorious, and Hot in Cleveland. Also, he appeared in A Million Ways to Die in The West and Bennett’s Song.
Saved By the Bell Cast – Where Are They Now
Saved By the Bell, a sitcom where teens used to hang out in the halls of Bayside High. The cast that appeared in 1989 is now a bit older. Some of the main cast has been doing great while playing main roles in one of the hit television dramas or movies. Lark Voorhies was accused of using drugs but she denied them and started her own production company. Diamond passed away in 2021 due to carcinoma.