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How the Original Saved By the Bell Stars Mentored the New Generation of Actors

Saved By the Bell is back in action with a new crop of students returning to the halls of Bayside High. Find out what lessons the original members gave to the new students.

By Vannessa Jackson Nov 24, 2020 2:00 PMTags
Watch: Dexter Darden & Belmont Cameli Tease New "Saved By the Bell"

Time to pass the torch.

On Wednesday, Nov. 25 a new crop of students will enter Bayside High for the first time on the new Saved By the Bell series on Peacock. The reimagined version will follow the lives of a group of young teens as they juggle family, school and friendships.

Fans can look forward to seeing some of the original Saved By the Bell cast members reprising their famous characters as adults.

E! News sat down with the new cast to get all the details on the series, and they even shared some stories about how the O.G. cast helped guide them into this new era and mentored them in the process.

Belmont Cameli, who will be playing the son of Elizabeth Berkley's character Jessie Spano, shared how she's helped him learn more about his craft and the entertainment business.

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All the Information on the New Saved By the Bell

"It was super cool meeting the original cast," he shared. "Elizabeth was actually in the room for a couple of my auditions. So it was so wonderful to meet with her before I even booked the role and then to work with her once I had." 

Belmont revealed that his new on-screen mom also acted like a surrogate mom for him once he mad the move to L.A. for the role.

"She really took me under her wing," he shared of their bond. "I had just moved to Los Angeles so she helped me get acquainted with the business and television, and gave me a lot of tips. She's been so fantastic. Mario just the same. They did a phenomenal job with helping us get acquainted with Bayside."

Watch: Haskiri Velazquez & Alycia Pascual-Pena Talk "Saved By the Bell"

Haskiri Velazquez, who plays Daisy, shared of the O.G. stars, "They created a space where they allowed us to ask questions. It was a really fun space...It wasn't odd in any way. It was like we were always a part of the show in a sense. They were very helpful, especially in table reads."

Actor Mitchell Hoog might have some of the biggest shoes to fill on the new series, considering he's playing Mac Morris, the son of Zak Morris played by Mark-Paul Gosselaar. However, Mitchell shared the original cast welcomed him with open arms.

"It was so much fun," Mitchell shared. "I think because I didn't watch the original too much I knew the weight of them, that they were a really big deal, but when I met them they were just good people at the end of the day."

Chris Haston/Peacock

The group is of course rooting for a second season, and hope to be back at Bayside High soon, especially considering how close they became.

"Off the bat when we first met we went and had a conversation for five or six hours," Mitchell shared about meeting his new cast-mates. "We went into depth on multiple topics. It's a great crew and I would call ourselves a family."

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Check out our full interviews with Belmont, Haskiri, Mitchell, Alycia Pascual-Pena and Dexter Darden above for more scoop before Saved By the Bell premieres on Peacock tomorrow, Nov. 25!

Scroll down for more fun facts about the reimagined series.

Peacock is live now! Check out NBCU's streaming service here.
Governor Zack Morris

Mark-Paul Gosselaar initially wasn't involved in the series despite Zack Morris factoring into the plot. However, the mixed-ish star ultimately heard from the powers that be and signed on—according to the Hollywood Reporter he'll appear in three episodes and have a producer credit. The best part? Zack is now the governor of California.

Kelly Kapowski

Fans were initially uncertain whether or not Tiffani Thiessen would be joining the reboot, but thankfully, Kelly Kapowski is back! Making her return even sweeter is that she's now married to Zack and serving as California's first lady.

A.C. Slater

Mario Lopez is reprising his role as A.C. Slater, who's now Bayside High's athletic director! He's at a point in his life where he really wants a win, so he sees this new group of kids coming in as that potential opportunity.

Jessie Spano

Like Slater, Jessie Spano, played by Elizabeth Berkley, is back at Bayside as an employee. She's the school counselor, and her son, Jamie, is a student and current captain of the football team. 

Lisa Turtle

Lark Voorhies is set to make a special appearance, reprising her role as Lisa Turtle.

Principal Toddman

Bye-bye Belding—Principal Toddman, played by John Michael Higgins, is the new sheriff in town, which means he's constantly being pranked by his privileged students and yelled at by their entitled parents. But this all changes when Bayside gets an influx of new students and Toddman gets a second chance to really make a difference.

Mac Morris

Mitchell Hoog, whose credits include Harriet and Richard Jewell, will play Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski's son, Mac. He's described as handsome, charming and privileged.

Jamie Spano

Belmont Cameili is Jamie Spano, son of Jessie Spano. Jamie is the captain of the Bayside football team and described as a "sensitive man-child." His other credits include Empire and My Evil Stepdad.

Daisy

Haskiri Velazquez will play Daisy, an ambitious sophomore who is excited to attend Bayside High after her local school gets shut down. Velazquez's other credits include Blue Bloods, The Birch and The 40-Year-old Version.

Devante

Dexter Darden, who starred in all three Maze Runner films, is Devante, another new student at Bayside. A bit of a loner, he might just end up using the fresh start as an opportunity to reinvent himself.

Lexi

Josie Totah is Lexi, the most popular girl and cheerleader at Bayside. She's as loved as much as she's feared. Her other credits include The Other Two, Champions and No Good Nick.

During Peacock's TCA summer press tour, Totah expressed, "Getting to play just a transgender role on screen is obviously very rare. There is almost zero representation of people in the trans community. Which, growing up as a young trans girl, I feel like never seeing myself made me never feel truly accepted by the world."

The trans actress called the role an "incredible opportunity," especially since Lexi's identity isn't all about her being transgender. "My character is so many things. She's in theater, she's like evil. She's the popular girl in school," Totah added. "But she just happens to be transgender."

Aisha

Alycia Pascual-Pena plays Aisha, Daisy's ultra-competitive best friend who grew up playing on boys' sports teams and causes a stir when she tries to play football at Bayside. Her other credits include MOXIE on Netflix.

Zack Attack Is Back!

Luckily for O.G. fans, it looks like we'll get to see all four original co-stars perform a number together as their group Zack Attack during season one!

The Max Lives on

Much like the original, the new students at Bayside spend every day eating at Saved By the Bell's favorite hangout The Max! And yes: owner and original co-star Ed Alonzo still works there.

Peacock is live now! Check out NBCU's streaming service here.