Get “so excited” to read this! Tiffani Thiessen talked everything Saved by the Bell (minus the fab ’80s fashion) during a Reddit Q&A on Wednesday, Mar. 11.
The Dinner at Tiffani’s host, 41, was more than willing to delve into the Kelly Kapowski and Zack Morris days, Kelly’s much older boyfriend Jeff, and where her peppy character would be today. Plus, she gave some insight into her Beverly Hills 90210’s bad girl Valerie Malone.
Check out her 10 best answers below (as you turn up “Friends Forever” in the background):
1. Did you think Saved by the Bell would be so successful?
“Never. Ever ever ever. NEVER! Hahah! I don’t think you ever know what’s going to take off, or what’s not, when you’re auditioning for roles in film or TV. So it definitely exceeded any of our expectations on how much the show has become iconic over the years.”
2. Who was the biggest joker on set?
“The biggest joker on SBTB was Mark-Paul [Gosselaar], for sure. And he still is today.”
3. What’s your favorite Saved by the Bell episode?
“I would have to say probably my favorite episodes (and it was plural) was when we shot a few episodes on the beach. Those were my favorites. Definitely fondest memories there.”
4. Are you and Kelly Kapowski similar?
“I would definitely say that I share some similarities with Kelly. Being that I was portraying a young girl in high school, it was very much true to my heart in that sense. Dancing was a big part of my life, and even though she wasn’t a dancer, she was a cheerleader…She’s very close to her family, and I can say that’s a similarity.”
5. What did you think of Kelly dating her older boss Jeff?
“I think they were touching on a subject that is sometimes popular – with kids dating people that are older or younger. I didn’t find it to be that strange, maybe because growing up in the business, I think I was dating at the time someone who was a little older than me. So it didn’t feel that odd to me.”
6. Which character do you get recognized for most: Kelly Kapowski or Valerie Malone?
“It was a tossup between people recognizing me from SBTB or 90210. Probably the most memorable fan interaction was in Las Vegas, with a woman who had a little too much to drink, and thought that I was really Valerie Malone and wanted to pick a fight with me. As my mother taught me, I walked away like a lady.”
7. Who’s the best kisser: Mark-Paul Gosselaar or Jason Priestley?
“Oh gosh, that’s such a hard question. It depends on if you’re asking a 16-year-old little girl, or someone a little bit older! I can’t pick just one. I love them both.”
8. Was it surreal watching Lifetime’s Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story?
“I wouldn’t know, because I never watched the movie. I have no idea! I just know that it was based on a book that was completely unreal (from what I know, that people have told me of stories from the book).” (Her former costar Dustin Diamond executive produced the film, which was loosely based on his book Behind the Bell.)
9. What was the SBTB reunion like on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon?
“We all had a blast! I’m a huge fan of Jimmy Fallon, and it wasn’t too hard to be convinced to do something like that with him. I think they’d been pressuring us for the last couple years to do a reunion, and it felt like this was the right time to do it. I keep in contact with all three of those people – Mark-Paul, Mario [Lopez] and Elizabeth [Berkley] – and you’ll actually see Mario and Elizabeth on Dinner at Tiffani’s!”
10. Where would Kelly Kapowski be today?
“She’d probably be living in the Midwest somewhere, with five children probably — and Zack Morris, hahahaha!”
