Running from 1989 to 1993, Saved By The Bell was an immensely popular teen sit-com based in a high-school, and followed the lives of six very different, yet all very memorable, friends who may have been leading even more ludicrous and unbelievable lives behind the scenes of the NBC show; something which may soon be uncovered, as Lifetime are planning a new TV movie “The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story.”
Likely spurred on by the 2009 release of Dustin Diamond’s biography (the man forever known as Saved By The Bell’s Samuel “Screech” Powers); which gives credence to a huge amount of Saved By The Bell controversy; suggesting drug use, rampant sex (between almost all of the main cast members, often together, and often involving threesomes), and even a studio-covered-up rape, the new Saved By The Bell movie will not be a direct adaptation of his book, but derived from a number of brand-new interviews attempting to piece together the real story of what happened backstage at Bayside High.
Whilst possibly having the potential to condemn any future Saved By The Bell re-runs, and ruin the way many a fan looks back at the show, the movie has been cast by the original series’ casting director (Robin Lippin), and will see Dylan Everett (The Degrassi: The Next Generation) taking on the role of Mark-Paul Gosselaar (better known as SBTB’s Zack Morris), Sam Kindseth (Shameless) playing Dustin (Screech) Diamond, Julian Works (Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones) as Mario Lopez (SBTB’s AC Slater), unknown actress Alyssa Lynch as Tiffani-Amber Thiessen (SBTB’s Kelly Kapowski), Tiera Skovbye (Supernatural) as Elizabeth Berkley (SBTB’s Jessie Spano), and Taylor Russell McKenzie (Blink), as Lark Voorhies (SBTB’s Lisa Turtle).
Currently filming in Vancouver, the Lifetime movie is set to premiere on September 1st, is being directed by Jason Lepeyre (Restless Virgins), and aims to expose the actors’ challenges of growing up under public scrutiny while trying to maintain the squeaky-clean image of their popular characters both on and off-screen.
Matt Wheeldon – @TheMattWheeldon.
Source: Deadline.
