“Saved By The Bell” star Lark Voorhies has made a rare onscreen appearance to remember her former castmate Dustin Diamond in a behind-the-scenes documentary.
The two actors rose to fame together starring as Lisa Turtle and Samuel “Screech” Powers on the popular teen series. Diamond passed away in 2021.
Voorhies And Diamond Remained Close Until The End
Voorhies made a rare appearance in the Investigation Discovery documentary “Hollywood Demons: After the Bell,” and discussed the legacy Diamond had left on the show, PEOPLE reported.
The cast paid tribute to Diamond in the second series of the “Saved By The Bell” reboot.
“When he died of cancer, that hurt. Even with Dustin gone, we still carried it on, in the name of ‘Saved by the Bell,’ Peter Engel, all of the writers and producers, and Dustin,” she revealed.
“When we all got to celebrate him, I’m glad we got that on footage, because he matters.”
Diamond’s friend, Dan Black, also appeared in the documentary, and disclosed more details about the close relationship between the co-stars.
“She was a really good person and she left a voicemail for him. We played it for him before he died and he enjoyed it,” he shared.
“She was the only one that really reached out to him and was really heartfelt. And I know they had a special connection.”
Voorhies’ kindness also made an impact on Diamond’s family. In the documentary, his father Mark Diamond remembered being disappointed when Voorhies was not cast in 1993’s short-lived “Saved By The Bell: The College Years.”
“They said they don’t want Lark, and I told [creator Peter Engel], I said, ‘This is the first time I no longer believe in the show,’ because… I’m almost ready to cry, but it hurt her. It was a stupid decision,” he recalled.
Cast Member Claims Diamond Was “Trapped” In Screech Role
GettyVoorhies was not the only “Saved By The Bell” cast member to shed light on Diamond’s struggles behind the scenes.
Ed Alonzo, who played Max in the sitcom, believed Diamond became “trapped” in the role of the eccentric Screech.
“I think that Dustin was trapped in a place where that’s all he really knew, that loveable, dorky character,” he said in the documentary, per FOX News.
“Even the movies and TV shows that he did after that, they always had him depicting the same type of character, or they would have him play himself, the actor who played the dorky kid. I think that was really difficult for him to find his own way.”
Black also revealed that in 2022, Diamond received a residual check for only $12.74 for his “Saved By The Bell” role.
“We were paid so low on the show,” Alonzo claimed. “I remember being on the set and talking to some of the other parents [of the cast members]. They were all kind of shocked at the amount of money that the kids were making.”
Alonzo also remembered Diamond as a “nice, friendly, loveable guy.”
“I never saw anything that would make me think that his future was going to be dark,” he said. “Never would’ve suspected that.”
The “After the Bell” episode of “Hollywood Demons” will air May 4, 9pm, on Investigation Discovery.
