Mario LГіpez, Jr. (born October 10, 1973) is a Mexican-American actor, born in San Diego, California, USA.

His first role was on the show Kids Incorporated in 1984, as the drummer. LГіpez is experienced in drums and has been shown in his many television roles playing the instrument. LГіpez became known in the early 1990s as A.C. Slater in the popular television sitcom Saved by the Bell. Slater was a muscular, athletic student, which helped LГіpez garner a sizeable teenaged girl fan base.

Lopez, after his stint on Saved by the Bell and the show's spin-offs, has enjoyed a career as a host of a variety of children's television contest shows. Like fellow Saved by the Bell actor Dustin Diamond, he was also featured as a celebrity guest in The Weakest Link. Currently, he hosts Pet Star on the channel Animal Planet and is the captain of the L.A. Armed Response on GSN's Extreme Dodgeball..

LГіpez also played the role of Olympic gold-medalist Greg Louganis in the made-for-television movie of Louganis's book Breaking the Surface.

Lopez is a notable graduate of Chula Vista High School (1991).

In 2004, he married long-time girlfriend, Ali Landry. Only two weeks after their marriage, the couple had their marriage annulled.

Later that year, after a speaking engagement for the students at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, he became very angry when he found out that the Student Government had decided to house him for the night inside a dormitory, instead of procuring a hotel room in town.

Lopez is currently the co-host of ESPN2's ESPN Hollywood.

Brief filmography

• America's Most Talented Kid (2003) (TV series)
• Pacific Blue (1995) (TV series) (1998-2000)
• Killing Mr. Griffin (1997) (TV)
• Saved by the Bell (1989) (TV series)
• Kids Incorporated (1984) (TV series) (1984-1986)

External links

• Official site
• Unofficial Kids Incorporated Website
• Mario LГіpez at the Internet Movie Database