Thick as thieves! Mario Lopez doesn’t need a class reunion to reconnect with his Saved by the Bell castmates. The series alum revealed that he has continued to keep in touch with his former costars over the years.
“I like that I’ve maintained friendships with all of them. I think that’s what’s most special,” Lopez, 45, exclusively told Us Weekly. “I was at Tiffani [Thiessen]’s house the other day, and seeing how the kids play together was really cool.”
Lopez was also in awe that the teen sitcom, which first debuted in 1989, will celebrate its 30th anniversary on Tuesday, August 20. “I just can’t believe it’s still around. That’s the most surprising, special thing,” he noted to Us.
Lopez appeared as A.C. Slater on the popular teen show with Thiessen (Kelly Kapowski), Mark‑Paul Gosselaar (Zack Morris), Elizabeth Berkley (Jessie Spano), Lark Voorhies (Lisa Turtle) and Dustin Diamond (Samuel “Screech” Powers). When looking back on his time on the series, the X Factor host has a hard time recalling his favorite episode.
“I don’t really have a favorite. They’re all kind of a blur,” he told Us. “… I guess it was cool when we did the beach episode or the Hawaii [and] Palm Springs [episodes]. Any time we got to get out of the classroom was kind of fun and cool.”
Lopez’s career blew up after his Saved by the Bell days. While he still dabbles in acting here and there, the multi-hyphenate transitioned into hosting and spokesman duties. He formerly served as the host for Extra, but he will make the move over to Access Hollywood beginning Monday, September 9.
Lopez, who has two school-aged children and an infant with wife Courtney Mazza, recently partnered with Office Depot’s “Back to School Proud” campaign, which aims to aid in students’ academic success through essential supplies. “Both our kids go to the same school this year, and we want them to feel prepared and confident. We felt that Office Depot makes you do just that,” he shared with Us.
With reporting by Marc Lupo
