Mark Paul Gosselaar
| Name | Mark-Paul Gosselaar |
| Image |  |
| Caption | Gosselaar at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2023 |
| Birth Name | Mark-Paul Harry Gosselaar |
| Birth Date | 1974-03-01 |
| Birth Place | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Education | William S. Hart High School |
| Spouse | Lisa Ann Russell (1996 – 2011) Catriona McGinn (2012 – now) |
| Children | 4 |
| Years Active | 1986–present |
| Occupation | Actor, model |
Mark-Paul Harry Gosselaar (ˈɡɒslər; born March 1, 1974) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Zack Morris in the NBC series Saved by the Bell (1989–1993), its sequel Saved by the Bell: The College Years (1993–1994), and the next-generation revival on Peacock (2020). For this role, he won three Young Artist Awards in 1991 and 1993, and a YoungStar Award in 1995, as well as other accolades.
He was the lead in the film Dead Man on Campus (1998). He played Detective John Clark Jr. in the ABC police drama NYPD Blue (2001–2005), Peter Bash in the TNT legal series Franklin & Bash (2011–2014), and Paul Jackson in the ABC sitcom series Mixed-ish (2019–2021). He starred in the single-season Fox series Pitch (2016) and The Passage (2019). He was the main antagonist in the weekly NBC procedural drama Found (2023–2025).
Early life
Gosselaar was born in Panorama City, Los Angeles, the son of Paula Gosselaar ( van den Brink) – a flight attendant for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines – and Hans Gosselaar – a plant supervisor for Anheuser-Busch. He is the youngest of four children, and was the only one not born in the Netherlands.
His Netherlands-born father is of German and Dutch Jewish ancestry. His Jewish paternal great-grandparents Hartog and Hester Gosselaar were killed at the Sobibor extermination camp during the Holocaust. His Dutch-Indonesian mother was born in Bali. He has described himself as "half-Asian”. He speaks Dutch, and was fluent for a time, at home. His parents later separated.
Gosselaar's mother was his manager. He began modeling at the age of five, and appeared in commercials for Cookie Crisp cereal and Smurf merchandise, later being cast in guest spots on television series. He spent his teenage years in the Santa Clarita Valley in Southern California, where he attended Hart High School.
Gosselaar has said that his natural hair color is brown, but he was "blondish" as a kid. His hair was bleached blond throughout his run on Saved by the Bell.
Career
Gosselaar first came to public notice as the star of the hit television comedy series Saved by the Bell, which aired on NBC from 1989 to 1993. His character, Zack Morris, was adapted from the short-lived Disney Channel sitcom Good Morning, Miss Bliss; although that show was cancelled after one season, NBC executives believed that a similar show, with Zack Morris as the lead, had potential for success. He reprised the role in two TV movies and a less-successful spin-off, Saved by the Bell: The College Years. In 1994, he appeared as Zack Morris in a second spin-off series Saved by the Bell: The New Class in the episode "Goodbye, Bayside – Part 2", along with Mario López as A.C. Slater and Lark Voorhies as Lisa Turtle.
In 1996, he appeared in the TV-film She Cried No, as a college student who date-rapes his best friend's sister at a fraternity party. In 1998, he starred in the feature film Dead Man on Campus. Later that same year, Gosselaar played the central character in the TV drama Hyperion Bay, which lasted 17 episodes. In 2001, he starred in the movie The Princess and the Marine, with Marisol Nichols. He also starred in the short-lived WB series D.C. From 2001 to 2005, he played Detective John Clark on ABC's NYPD Blue. During his time on the show, he appeared in Atomic Twister in which he played Jake Hannah, a deputy who is traumatized over his mother's death and must help after a series of tornadoes hits a nuclear power plant in a small Tennessee town; the movie also stars fellow NYPD Blue alum Sharon Lawrence, who plays Corrine Maguire. After the series ended, he joined the cast of ABC's Commander in Chief, which lasted only one season. He appeared on the HBO series John from Cincinnati. He then gained the starring role of defense attorney Jerry Kellerman in the Steven Bochco-produced Raising the Bar, which debuted on September 1, 2008, on TNT, then it was canceled in November 2009 after two seasons.
On June 8, 2009, Gosselaar appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in character as Zack Morris to promote his show Raising the Bar, indicating that the name Mark-Paul Gosselaar is his stage name and declaring, as Zack, that he would participate in a Saved by the Bell "Class" reunion that is being spearheaded by Fallon. On February 4, 2015, Gosselaar reunited with Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, Dennis Haskins and Tiffani Thiessen on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where they appeared in a Saved by the Bell sketch with Fallon.
In October 2009, he made his off-Broadway stage debut in Theresa Rebeck's play The Understudy with The Roundabout Theatre Company. The show extended its limited New York run until January 17, 2010.
Gosselaar began filming the TNT series Franklin & Bash on March 28, 2010. The series premiered on June 1, 2011. On November 11, 2014, it was announced that the series was canceled, after four seasons. The FOX series Pitch cast Gosselaar in the main role of Mike Lawson, star catcher and team captain, in February 2016, and premiered on September 22, 2016. On May 1, 2017, it was announced that the series was canceled, after one season. He appeared in two episodes of Tiffani Thiessen's cooking show, Dinner at Tiffani's.
In 2019, Gosselaar began playing the lead role of Paul Jackson (Rainbow's father) in ABC comedy series Mixed-ish (spin-off and prequel series of Black-ish). He took over the role from Anders Holm, who played the character in the pilot episode. Gosselaar also reprised his role as Zack Morris in the 2020 sequel series Saved by the Bell.
Personal life
In a July 2009 interview with People, Gosselaar revealed that while Saved by the Bell was in production, he dated, at different times, his three female co-stars: Lark Voorhies, Tiffani Thiessen, and Elizabeth Berkley. He remains friends with his Saved by the Bell castmates.
In 1996, Gosselaar married former model Lisa Ann Russell. Together, they have two children: a son (b. 2004) and a daughter (b. 2006). After 14 years of marriage, Gosselaar and Russell announced their separation in early June 2010. Gosselaar filed for divorce June 18, 2010, and it became final in May 2011.
Gosselaar was engaged to advertising executive Catriona McGinn in August 2011. They married July 28, 2012, at the Sunstone winery in Santa Ynez, California. They have a son (b. 2013) and a daughter (b. 2015).
Gosselaar is a sports car enthusiast, race car driver, track cyclist, dirt biker, and pilot. In 2005, he competed in the Far West Championships for track cycling. He won the Category 4/5 Sprint Championship event at the Encino Velodrome.
Gosselaar is friends with Greg White, the voice and play-by-play announcer for the MotoAmerica Championship. The two toured the West Coast of California on Honda motorcycles in 2010.
Among his many sports and athletic accomplishments, Gosselaar is also a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brown belt, having trained under Rafael Ramos and Nelson Montiero.
Gosselaar sold his Sherman Oaks home in February 2022 and currently resides in Los Angeles.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II | Scott James |
| 1994 | St. Tammany Miracle | Carl |
| 1995 | Twisted Love | D.J. |
| 1996 | Freshman Fall | Scott |
| Sticks & Stones | Dale | |
| Kounterfeit | Paco / Danny | |
| 1998 | Dead Man on Campus | Cooper Frederickson |
| 2002 | Atomic Twister | Deputy Jake Hannah |
| 2011 | Hide | Alex Wilson |
| 2011 | 12 Dates of Christmas | Miles Dufine |
| 2015 | Heist | Marconi |
| 2016 | Precious Cargo | Jack |
| 2021 | Kid 90 | Himself |
| 2023 | The Portrait | Brookes |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Highway to Heaven | Rolf Baldt | Episode: "The Torch" |
| Stingray | Eric Murray | Episode: "Below the Line" | |
| 1985 TV series | Tim Conrad | Episode: "What Are Friends For?" | |
| 1988 | Necessary Parties | Chris Mills | TV movie |
| Wonder Years | Brad Gaines | Episode: "Dance with Me" | |
| Punky Brewster | Walker Wimbley | Episode: "One Plus Tutor Is Three" | |
| Charles in Charge | Philip | Episode: "Runaround Charles" | |
| 1988–89 | Good Morning, Miss Bliss | Zack Morris | Lead role (13 episodes) |
| 1989–93 | Saved by the Bell | Lead role (86 episodes) | |
| 1990 | Murphy Brown | Wes | Episode: "I Want My FYI" |
| 1992 | Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style | Zack Morris | Movie |
| Blossom | Kevin | Episode: "Losing Your... Religion" | |
| 1993–94 | Saved by the Bell: The College Years | Zack Morris | Lead role (19 episodes) |
| 1994 | For the Love of Nancy | Tommy Walsh | Movie |
| Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas | Zack Morris | Movie | |
| Saved by the Bell: The New Class | Episode: "Goodbye Bayside" | ||
| 1996 | Brothers of the Frontier | Hiram Holcomb | TV movie |
| She Cried No | Scott Baker | TV movie; also known as Freshman Fall | |
| Specimen | Mike Hillary | TV movie | |
| 1997 | Dying to Belong | Steven Tyler | Movie |
| Born Into Exile | Chris | Movie | |
| 1998–99 | Hyperion Bay | Dennis Sweeny | Main role (17 episodes) |
| 2000 | D.C. | Pete Komisky | Main role (7 episodes) |
| 2001 | Princess and the Marine | Jason Johnson | Movie |
| Beer Money | Tim Maroon | Movie | |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Wesley Jansen / Peter Ivanhoe | Episode: "Sacrifice" | |
| 2001–05 | NYPD Blue | Det. John Clark Jr. | Main role (87 episodes) |
| 2002 | Alikes | Chris | Movie |
| Atomic Twister | Deputy Jake Hannah | Movie | |
| Hitched | Michael | Unsold pilot | |
| 2005 | Over There | John Moffet | 2 episodes |
| 2005–06 | Commander in Chief | Richard 'Dickie' McDonald | Recurring role (10 episodes) |
| 2006 | 2006 film | Kim | Movie |
| 2007 | Law Dogs | Evan Marlowe | Unsold pilot |
| John from Cincinnati | Jake Ferris | 3 episodes | |
| 2008 | Robot Chicken | Zack Morris / Improv Employee (voice) | Episode: "Boo Cocky" |
| 2008–09 | Raising the Bar | Jerry Kellerman | Main role (25 episodes) |
| 2010 | Rizzoli & Isles | Garrett Fairfield | Episode: "Money For Nothing" |
| Weeds | Jack | Episode: "Gentle Puppies" | |
| 2011–14 | Franklin & Bash | Peter Bash | Lead role (40 episodes), also directed episode: "Honor Thy Mother" |
| 2011 | 12 Dates of Christmas | Miles Dufine | Movie |
| 2012 | Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 | Himself | Episode: "A Reunion" |
| 2013 | Men at Work | Tim | Episode: "Weekend at PJ's" (uncredited) |
| Happy Endings | Chase | Episodes: "The Ex Factor", "Un-sabotagable" | |
| 2014 | Flipping Out | Himself | Episode: "Due Date" |
| 2014–15 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Jared Briscoe / Paul Winthrop | Recurring roles (4 episodes) |
| 2015 | Truth Be Told | Mitch | Main role (10 episodes) |
| 2016 | Pitch | Mike Lawson | Main role (10 episodes) |
| Dinner at Tiffani's | Himself | Episode: "Christmas at Tiffani's" | |
| Celebrity Name Game | Himself | ||
| Family Guy | Zack Morris (voice) | Episode: "Chris Has Got a Date, Date, Date, Date, Date" | |
| 2018 | Nobodies | Mark-Paul Gosselaar | Recurring role (12 episodes) |
| 2019 | The Passage | Brad Wolgast | Main role (10 episodes) |
| 2019–21 | Mixed-ish | Paul Johnson | Main role (Two seasons) |
| 2020–21 | Saved by the Bell | Zack Morris | Recurring role, also producer (10 episodes) |
| 2022 | Barry | Himself | Episode: "ben mendelsohn" |
| 2023 | Will Trent | Paul Campano | 4 episodes |
| 2023–25 | Found | Hugh "Sir" Evans | Main cast |
Director
| 2014 | Franklin & Bash | Episode: "Honor Thy Mother" |
| 2016 | Murder in the First | Episode: "Daddy Dearest" |
| 2021 | Saved by the Bell | Episode: "The Gift" |
| 2025 | Found | Episode: "Missing While Manipulated" |
Audio
| 2021 | The Coldest Case | Ari | 5 episodes |
Awards and nominations
- 1989: Nominated, Best Young Actor in a Cable Family Series – Good Morning, Miss Bliss
- 1990: Nominated, Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast – Saved by the Bell
- 1991: Best Young Actor Starring in an Off-Primetime Series – Saved by the Bell
- 1992: Nominated, Best Young Actor Starring in an Off-Primetime Series – Saved by the Bell
- 1993: Nominated, Best Young Actor Starring in an Off-Primetime Series – Saved by the Bell
References
- NLS Other Writings: Say How, Library of Congress, September 24, 2017
- Rose, Mike, March 1, 2024, Famous birthdays list for today, March 1, 2024 includes celebrities Justin Bieber, Lupita Nyong'o, www.cleveland.com, July 18, 2024, en
- To Bell and Back, Scott-Gregory, Sophronia, Rizzo, Monica, October 12, 1998, People, August 11, 2014, dead, November 9, 2014
- Lee, Luaine, Gosselaar, now all grown up, back on TV, The Bulletin, Bend, Oregon, June 3, 2011, August 11, 2014, October 29, 2013, dead
- Hertog Gosselaar, Yad Vashem, Central Database of Shoah Victims' Names, August 11, 2014
- Hester Gosselaar, Yad Vashem Central Database of Shoah Victims' Names, August 11, 2014
- Staff, Distractify, September 24, 2019, A Look at Mark-Paul Gosselaar's Parents Before He Takes on the Role of Dad in 'Mixed-ish', October 22, 2022, Distractify, en-US
- Catching up with...Mark-Paul Gosselaar, The Washington Post, October 15, 2008, August 11, 2014, Mark-Paul, Gosselaar
- Rohit, Parimal M., Mark-Paul Gosselaar Discusses Franklin and Bash, Santa Monica Mirror, March 3, 2011, August 11, 2014
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar...From Outrageous Con Man To Reluctant Icon!, Mark-Paul Gosselaar.net, 2005, August 11, 2014, October 31, 2020, dead
- A Look at Mark-Paul Gosselaar's Parents Before He Takes on the Role of Dad in 'Mixed-ish', 2021-09-09, Distractify, September 24, 2019, en-US
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar on His Time as Zack Morris, September 30, 2015, en, October 24, 2022
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar: Biography, TV Guide, August 11, 2014
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Teen Star of NBC's Saved by the Bell Learns That Fame Takes a Toll, Kaufman, Joanne, Tomashoff, Craig, April 16, 1990, People, August 11, 2014, dead, August 12, 2014
- Barbuti, Angela, What You Never Knew About Mark-Paul Gosselaar, TheList.com, March 10, 2022, January 7, 2022
- 'Celebrity True or False' with Mark-Paul Gosselaar , , The Rich Eisen Show, YouTube, March 10, 2022, February 21, 2019
- Messer, Lesley, Mark-Paul Gosselaar: I Dyed My Hair Blonde Constantly for 'Saved By the Bell', March 10, 2022, ABC News, August 4, 2014, en
- TNT Cancels Mark-Paul Gosselaar's Raising the Bar, E! News, November 30, 2009, Godwin, Jennifer
- Zack Attacks Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, Finn, Natalie, June 8, 2009, E! News, August 11, 2014
- Watch a Glorious Saved by the Bell Reunion Courtesy of Jimmy Fallon, Time, Kevin, McSpadden, February 20, 2015
- Jimmy Fallon assembled the cast of 'Saved by The Bell' for an epic reunion, Mallory, Schlossberg, February 5, 2015, Business Insider, February 20, 2015
- Jimmy Fallon reunites most of the 'Saved by the Bell' cast, Los Angeles Times, Patrick Kevin, Day, February 5, 2015, August 8, 2020, subscription
- The Understudy, Starring White, Kirk and Gosselaar, Extends, November 12, 2009, Broadway Buzz, August 11, 2014
- Franklin & Bash' Cancelled By TNT After Four Season, dead, November 11, 2014, Nellie, Andreeva, November 11, 2014, Deadline Hollywood
- Pitch Cancelled By Fox After One Season (No Season Two), TVSeriesFinale, Cindy, McLennan, May 2, 2017, August 8, 2020
- 'Mixed-ish' at ABC Adds Mark-Paul Gosselaar in Recasting, Joe, Otterson, Variety, June 19, 2019
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar Returning as Zack Morris in Peacock's Saved by the Bell Revival, Dela Paz, Maggie, January 10, 2020, Comingsoon.net, March 9, 2020, November 15, 2020, live
- Barbuti, Angela, December 29, 2021, What You Never Knew About Tiffani Thiessen, March 23, 2022, TheList.com, en-US
- Ingrassia, Lisa, August 9, 2009, Saved by the Bell, People, 76, 6, August 11, 2014
- dead, March 3, 2007, People, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Wife Have a Girl, May 7, 2006, August 11, 2014
- People, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Wife Split, June 3, 2010, August 11, 2014, Dahvi, Shira
- dead, June 28, 2010, People, Mark-Paul Gosselaar Files for Divorce, June 25, 2010, August 11, 2014, Eunice, Oh
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar Is Engaged, Leonard, Elizabeth, Monica, Rizzo, August 10, 2011, People, August 11, 2014
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar Is Married!, Messer, Lesley, July 28, 2012, People, August 11, 2014
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar Welcomes Son, Leon, Anya, September 30, 2013, People, September 30, 2013, October 1, 2013, dead
- February 18, 2015, Mark-Paul Gosselaar Welcomes Daughter Lachlyn Hope, Anya, Leon, Aili, Nahas, People, August 8, 2020
- Barbuti, Angela, January 7, 2022, What You Never Knew About Mark-Paul Gosselaar, March 23, 2022, TheList.com, en-US
- Encino Velodrome: 2005 Far West Championships, September 4, 2005, October 13, 2008, May 12, 2008
- West Coast Motorcycle Road Trip with Mark-Paul Gosselaar, 2010-08-19, Greg White, 2025-03-03, YouTube
- Jones, Phil, Actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar Talks About His Love For Jiu-Jitsu: ‘It’s Chess On The Mat’, Jits Magazine, 30 October 2024
- David, Mark, February 9, 2022, 'Saved by the Bell's' Mark-Paul Gosselaar Sheds Sherman Oaks Home, March 23, 2022, DIRT, en-US
- 'Franklin & Bash' Reunion: Mark-Paul Gosselaar Joins Breckin Meyer's 'Men at Work' (Exclusive), The Hollywood Reporter, November 14, 2018, en
- Weiss, Josh, Aaron Paul On His Immersive Audible Project ‘The Coldest Case’ And Whether He’d Return To ‘Breaking Bad’, October 6, 2024, Forbes, en
- The Coldest Case with Aaron Paul of "Breaking Bad" , , Award-Winning Crime Thriller by Aaron Tracy, October 6, 2024, Parallax, en-US
External links
Category:1974 births
Category:Living people
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:American child models
Category:American male child actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male models
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:American people of Dutch descent
Category:American people of Dutch-Indonesian descent
Category:American people of Dutch-Jewish descent
Category:American people of German descent
Category:American television directors
Category:Barber Pro Series drivers
Category:Male actors from Los Angeles
Category:Male models from Los Angeles
Category:People from Panorama City, Los Angeles
Category:Racing drivers from Los Angeles