‘Saved by the Bell’: How Old Are the Original Main Cast Members Today?

6 min readDec 12, 2020

With the Saved by the Bell reboot on Peacock — and the former teenagers now playing guidance counselors, governors, gym teachers, and parents — the original series is gaining public attention once more. So, how old are the original kids that schemed in school today? And, what have they been up to since stealing hearts in Saved by the Bell?

SAVED BY THE BELL — Season 1 — Pictured: (top, l-r) Elizabeth Berkley as Jessie Spano, Lark Voorhies as Lisa Turtle (middle, l-r) Mario López as A.C. Slater, Tiffani Thiessen as Kelly Kapowski, Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Zachary ‘Zack’ Morris, (front) Dustin Diamond | NBCU Photo Bank

Elizabeth Berkley played the whipsmart social justice warrior Jessie Spano in the original Saved by the Bell series. Her character also boasted a romantic arc with Mario Lopez’s Slater. Today, Elizabeth Berkley is 48 years old; she was born on July 28, 1972. She is well known for starring in the contentious and risque movie Showgirls, as well as Any Given Sunday and Lucky Christmas.

Mario Lopez played A.C. Slater — the wrestling master and dance king who battled Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar for Kelly Kapowki’s (Tiffani Thiessen) attention in the early years of the show. Mario Lopez is 47 years old (though he doesn’t look a day over 35). He was born on October 10, 1973. Following Saved by the Bell, he became one of Extra’s main hosts; he currently stars in a new Lifetime Christmas movie A Recipe for Seduction.

Zack Morris / Mark-Paul Gosselaar

Mark-Paul Gosselaar portrayed Zack Morris: the kid who paused the show to talk directly to the audience — cueing them into his ideas and manipulative schemes. Today, Gosselaar is 46 years old and well known for his former leading role in Franklin & Bash. He also starred in 2019’s The Passage and Pitch.

Kelly Kapowski / Tiffani Amber Thiessen

Tiffani Thiessen portrayed the popular cheerleader Kelly Kapowski who wound up married to Zack Morris way down the line in The College Years. She is also known for her roles in Beverly Hills, 90210, Alexa & Katie, and Dinner at Tiffani’s. Thiessen is 46 years old; she was born on January 23 in 1974.

Samuel “Screech” Powers / Dustin Diamond

Dustin Diamond portrayed the nerdy and loveable Samuel “Screech” Powers in Saved by the Bell. The actor went on to release a tell-all book about what went on behind the scenes of the show years later — some stories have been confirmed, while others remain pure rumors. Today, Diamond is 43 years old, making him one of the youngest original cast members from the show.

In Saved by the Bell, Lisa Turtle was the most fashionable of the bunch, and she was often found fending off Screech’s advances. Lark Voorhes has a small appearance in season 1 of the reboot. Voorhes is 46 years old; she was born in March of 1974. Voorhes also appeared in 2001’s How High, 1997’s How to Be a Player, 2002’s Civl Brand, and more. She has also published two books: Trek of the Cheshire and True Light.

What Will the ‘Saved by the Bell’ Reboot Be About?

Saved by the Bell — though a spinoff series from Good Morning, Miss Bliss — went on to become the more successful, and ultimately, the more memorable show, as its focus on high school teenagers helped catalyze quite the network television trend. Would we have ever been gifted with the innumerable, award-worthy, and all completely unique shows about high school if it weren’t for shows like Saved by the Bell?

Jimmy Fallon, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley, and Mario Lopez during the ‘Saved by the Bell’ skit | Douglas Gorenstein/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Saved by the Bell — to refresh your memory and deep dive into those nostalgic flashes floating around up there — followed Zachary Morris and his motley crew of friends as they confronted the various trials tribulations tied to life at Bayside High…where Principal Richard Belding was always (conveniently) just two feet away.

From cheerleader Kelly and wrester Slater to academic Jessie, the geeky Screech, and fashionista Lisa, the show focused on the relationships between its leads — romantic and otherwise. The question is, all these years later, what will the show be about? Who is returning? Now that our leads are no longer in high school, what narrative should fans of the original expect?

So far, we know that AC Slater is coming back to Bayside High; meaning, the handsome Extra and Access Hollywood host Mario Lopez will be returning to the small screen to take on the wrestling stud once more. However, whether he will be seen taking guys down yet again is up in the air.

The man behind Zachary Morris — Mark-Paul Gosselaar — is also set to reprise his original role. Even though some scheduling conflicts nearly got in the way, the actor will be returning for a handful of episodes. Elizabeth Berkley is also set to return as Jessie. The two recently prepared to film a promo, and you can watch what Mario Lopez posted to Instagram below:

Tiffani Thiesen (the actress behind Kelly Kapowski) is also reportedly in talks to reprise her role across from Mark-Paul Gosselaar, as the two were in a very long relationship (infused with some Slater jealousy here and there) throughout the show. So, with all these characters coming back on the screen, what will the show be about?

With the former teens all grown up, it looks like Mr. Morris somehow became a governor, and it looks like that governor has stirred some controversy in the community. Fans will return to Bayside High with a new teenage lead, as the former leads take on the parents and community figures. You will be able to watch the show via NBC’s streaming service, Peacock.

‘Saved by the Bell’: How Old Are the Original Main Cast Members Today?

Zack Morris / Mark-Paul Gosselaar

Kelly Kapowski / Tiffani Amber Thiessen

Samuel “Screech” Powers / Dustin Diamond

What Will the ‘Saved by the Bell’ Reboot Be About?

Written by triple g fight