'Saved by the Bell' stars react to latest cast member death
Saved by the Bell actor Dennis Haskins, who played Mr. Belding, passed away Sept. 26 at the age of 75.
Haskins played the role of the strict but caring and constantly exasperated principal on the hit NBC show, which ran from 1989 to 1993, and the spin-off, Saved by the Bell: The New Class, from 1993 to 2000.
For a generation of viewers, though, Mr. Belding wasnāt just Baysideās principal ā he was our principal, too.
Canadians tuned in to NBC every Saturday morning to watch Zack, Kelly, Slater, Jessie, Lisa, Screech, and Mr. Belding get into all sorts of shenanigans, while countless reruns on channels like YTV and MuchMusic kept the show in our lives throughout the 2000s.
NostalgiaĀ plays a big role in whyĀ Saved by the Bell remains so beloved, especially amongĀ millennials who grew up watching the show.
Now, Haskinsā former co-stars are speaking out about his passing and remembering the man behind one of televisionās most recognizable principals.
āDennis was the biggest kid on the SBTB set,ā wrote Mario Lopez, who played A.C. Slater, on X. āIām grateful for the laughs, the memories, and the friendship we shared all these years.ā
Heartbroken to hear about my old friend Dennis Haskins. He played the principal, but Dennis was the biggest kid on the SBTB set. If you knew him, you loved himāand if there was karaoke, you knew Dennis was getting on that mic! Iām grateful for the laughs, the memories, and theā¦ pic.twitter.com/6jNHDIuCQD
ā Mario Lopez (@mariolopezviva) September 29, 2026
Lark Vorhees, who played Lisa Turtle, was among the first to pay tribute to Haskins when the news broke Monday night.
“Knowing Dennis Haskins for almost 40 years has been one of the truest blessings of my life, which makes losing him hurt so deeply,” read the caption on her Instagram post.
The actress went on to call Haskins a loyal friend with a kind, gentle heart.
View this post on Instagram
Tiffani Thiessen, who played the ultimate girl-next-door Kelly Kapowski, dedicated several Instagram Stories to Haskins, remembering him as a āsteady presenceā throughout her teenage years.
āHe was the kind of figure who kept us in line while making sure we knew he was in our corner,ā Thiessen wrote.
āI will always remember his kindness and be grateful for the memories we as a cast got to share with him,ā she added.
Other Saved by the Bell cast members, including Elizabeth Berkley, who played Jessie Spano, and Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who played lead hunk Zack Morris, have not yet released public statements.
Haskins is the second actor from the original cast to have died. In 2021, Dustin Diamond, who played Zackās quirky best friend, Screech Powers, died from lung cancer at the age of 44.
Other celebrities are paying their respects to Principal Belding’s actor, including WWE wrestler Matt Cardona, who shared that he and Haskins had become close friends in real life over the years.
RIP Dennis Haskins. He was a huge part of my childhood as Mr. Belding from Saved by the Bell. Years later we became friends. He will be missed! pic.twitter.com/ZkRiHqlirJ
ā Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) September 29, 2026
Meanwhile, another pro wrestler, Mike āThe Mizā Mizanin, also publicly mourns the loss of Haskins, writing on X, “Growing up, I watched Dennis Haskins on TV and never imagined that one day Iād get to call him my friend.”
“Iāll miss the friend I got to know, and Iāll always be grateful that someone who was part of my childhood became part of my life,” he continued.
This is crazy 3 of these posts in 2 days. Man, this is sad. Growing up, I watched Dennis Haskins on TV and never imagined that one day Iād get to call him my friend.
When I finally met him, he was even better in person. He had this infectious laugh, and no matter when I sawā¦ pic.twitter.com/nyoFCPsjwM
ā The Miz (@mikethemiz) September 29, 2026
An official cause of death has not been announced; however, according to Entertainment Weekly, the 75-year-old actor had been battling Parkinsonās disease for the last eight years.