Where is the "Saved by the Bell" cast now? A look at the lives of the stars 37 years after the series premiere is a fascinating journey through time. The show, which aired from 1989 to 1993, was a cultural phenomenon, captivating the hearts of older millennials and younger Gen Xers alike. It chronicled the lives of a group of teenage friends attending Bayside High School, tackling subjects relevant to its young viewership, from universal themes like relationship drama and peer pressure to heavier topics like substance abuse. Now, on the 37th anniversary of its premiere, we're taking a closer look at the careers of the "Saved by the Bell" cast and what they've been up to since leaving Bayside.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack Morris)
Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who played the preppy high schooler Zack Morris, has had a diverse career since leaving "Saved by the Bell". After popping up in episodes of "The Twilight Zone", "The Wonder Years", and "Punky Brewster", Gosselaar landed a starring role on the show. He played the character for three years, also bringing Zack to the short-lived "Saved by the Bell: The College Years", "Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas", and an episode of "Saved by the Bell: The New Class". Gosselaar's memories of the show are fond, but he admits that he struggles to recall the actual episodes.
In the 2000s, Gosselaar joined "NYPD Blue" as Det. John Clark Jr., spending four years in the role. He followed it up with turns on "Commander in Chief", "John From Cincinnati", and "Raising the Bar". The actor starred as Peter Bash on "Franklin & Bash", Mike Lawson on "Pitch", and Paul Johnson on "Mixed-ish". He's also appeared on "Nobodies", "The Passage", and "Will Trent". Gosselaar reprised his role as Zack Morris (now governor) in the 2020 reboot of "Saved by the Bell".
Mario Lopez (A.C. Slater)
Mario Lopez, who played the resident jock A.C. Slater, found his spot in "Saved by the Bell's" Bayside High. He continued the role on "Saved by the Bell: The College Years", "Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas", and "Saved by the Bell: The New Class". Lopez's reflection on his time on the show is one of nostalgia, realizing that time is fleeting and cherishing the memories.
Soon after, he joined "Pacific Blue" as Bobby Cruz, wrapping the gig in 2000. He then had a recurring role on "The Bold and the Beautiful" in 2006, played Dr. Mike Hamoui on "Nip/Tuck", and lent his voice to the children's program "The Chica Show". Lopez has largely focused on unscripted television in his career, serving as a host, reporter, and correspondent on shows like "Entertainment Tonight", "America's Best Dance Crew", "The X Factor", and "Extra". However, he hasn't left the sitcom world behind, making appearances as himself in projects like "Girls5eva", "Hacks", "Heads of State (2025)", "Loot", and "Wonder Man".
Elizabeth Berkley (Jessie Spano)
Elizabeth Berkley, who played the involved student with big dreams, Jessie Spano, landed an early role on "Saved by the Bell". Her most enduring moment on the show is the episode in which Jessie gets hooked on caffeine pills, leading to an iconic breakdown. Berkley's reflection on the show highlights the emotional depth of the characters and the relevance of the issues they faced.
After saying goodbye to the character in the early '90s, Berkley hit the big screen in Paul Verhoeven's "Showgirls" (1995). The film, despite being maligned at the time, has since found a cult following. Nevertheless, Berkley "won" multiple Razzies for her performance. She would later appear in "The First Wives Club" (1996), "The Real Blonde" (1997), and "Any Given Sunday" (1999). In the 2000s, the actress popped up in episodes of "NYPD Blue", "Titus", "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation", "The L Word", and "CSI: Miami".
Berkley has continued to work on the small screen, competing on "Dancing With the Stars" in 2013 and appearing in episodes of "Melissa & Joey", "New Girl", "Cobra Kai", and "All’s Fair". Coming full circle, Berkley returned for the revival of "Saved by the Bell".
Lark Voorhies (Lisa Turtle)
Lark Voorhies, who played the popular, well-dressed Lisa Turtle, enrolled at Bayside High. She held the role in the series and its spinoffs, and later joined "Days of Our Lives" as Wendy Reardon. She continued her '90s soap opera work as "The Bold and the Beautiful's" Jasmine Malone, and went on to earn credits for "How to Be a Player" (1997), "How High" (2001), and episodes of "In the House" and "The Parkers".
She largely stepped back from acting in the early 2010s, instead devoting her time to writing books. In an appearance on "The Dr. Oz Show" in February 2020, Voorhies said she was "hurt" by being excluded from the reboot and not being invited when the "SBTB" cast got together, but surprise! She ended up returning for a cameo after all.
Tiffani Thiessen (Kelly Kapowski)
Tiffani Thiessen, who played the high school hottie Kelly Kapowski, landed her first major role on "Saved by the Bell". She played the character throughout the series and on the spinoff projects, also popping up in episodes of "Charles in Charge", "Married...With Children", and "Blossom". Thiessen's reflection on her time on the show is one of nostalgia, cherishing the memories and the friendships formed.
She then landed a mid-'90s gig as Valerie Malone on "Beverly Hills, 90210", and went on to earn credits for 2000's "Ivans Xtc" and "The Ladies Man", and episodes of "Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place"; "Just Shoot Me!"; "Fastlane"; "Good Morning, Miami"; and "What About Brian". Thiessen wrapped her five-year run as White Collar's Elizabeth Burke in 2014, and immediately kicked off a gig hosting her own Cooking Channel show, "Dinner at Tiffani's", from 2015 to 2017. In addition to reprising the role of Kelly on the "Saved by the Bell" revival, fans can also watch Thiessen on Netflix's "Alexa & Katie" — for which she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy — and MTV's food-related clip show "Deliciousness", which she hosted from 2020 to 2022.
Dustin Diamond (Samuel "Screech" Powers)
Dustin Diamond, who played the geeky Samuel "Screech" Powers, signed on to play the character on "Saved by the Bell". He continued the role on "Saved by the Bell: The College Years", "Saved by the Bell: The New Class", and "Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas". Diamond's career took a turn in the 2000s, picking up credits for independent films and playing himself in movies like 2003's "Pauly Shore Is Dead" and "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star".
The actor subsequently published a 2009 tell-all, "Behind the Bell", which he would later claim was ghostwritten. He ran into legal trouble after a 2014 barroom altercation, ultimately serving a short jail sentence. Diamond was not part of the revival, with the show explaining his absence by saying Screech was living "on the International Space Station" with his robot, Kevin. Diamond died on Feb. 1, 2021, from stage 4 lung cancer at age 44. Before his death, the actor's reps told EW he was in talks about reprising his role in season 2 of the revival series.
Dennis Haskins (Richard Belding)
Dennis Haskins, who played Bayside's principal, Mr. Belding, joined the show after kicking off the '80s with appearances in episodes of "CHiPs", "Knots Landing", and "The Dukes of Hazzard". He played the educator for more than 10 years, starring in the spinoff "Saved by the Bell: The New Class" after the original series wrapped. Haskins' reflection on his time on the show is one of nostalgia, cherishing the memories and the friendships formed.
In the 2000s, Haskins filled his résumé with smaller roles in "Max Keeble’s Big Move" (2001) and on "The West Wing" and "7th Heaven". He also popped up in episodes of "Men of a Certain Age", "The Bold and the Beautiful", "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia", "New Girl", and "Hot in Cleveland", in addition to appearing in films like "A Million Ways to Die in the West" (2014), "Clemency" (2019), and "A Bennett’s Song Holiday" (2020), which remains his most recent onscreen credit.
