Dustin Diamond seems to think the upcoming “Saved By the Bell” reboot could come screeching to a halt without him.
In a two-minute interview with TMZ, the now-scruffy 43-year-old actor said his geeky character, Samuel “Screech” Powers, is essential to the show, which is headed to NBC Universal’s upcoming Peacock streaming network.
“It’s something we put so much time and effort into,” says Diamond, adding that he was in every episode of the original 1989-1993 series, plus two spinoffs, “The College Years” and “The New Class,” and the 1988-1989 Disney Channel show “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” which first introduced the characters. “How do you have ‘Saved By the Bell’ without Screech? Right? I mean, it seems like there’s a missed opportunity there.
“For all the cast members, I think that everyone should be thinking the same thing, as far as I’m concerned. We should all be thinking, ‘We should all be part of this,’ ” he continued. “You can’t have ‘Saved By the Bell’ without Zack. Can’t have ‘Saved By the Bell’ with Screech. Can’t have ‘Saved By the Bell’ without Kelly and Slater. You have to have all the cast members, you know?
“It’s a reboot of the entire series; bring back all the staples.”
So far, the show will feature original stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar, 45, who played Zack Morris and is also a producer this time around; Mario Lopez, 46, as A.C. Slater and Elizabeth Berkley, 47, as Jessie Spano. Tiffani Thiessen, 46, who played Kelly Kapowski, is reportedly in talks to join the series, too.
Diamond, who has been plagued by legal issues since the show ended, also weighed in on what Screech would be up to so many years later.
“I think right now Screech would be dealing with parenthood and dealing with his kids and finding out he’s got a little Screech of his own now,” he said, adding, “and that maybe he wasn’t a barrel full of roses to deal with growing up and realizing, ‘Was I ever this difficult?’ ”
Diamond ended the interview by bringing his camera to his face and imploring, “Bring Screech back, buddies — I’m ready!” and punctuating it with a laugh.
Of course, reuniting with the cast could be easier said than done. Last year, Gosselaar told Andy Cohen that he hadn’t spoken with Diamond since 1994. In 2016, Diamond also distanced himself from his 2009 book, “Behind the Bell,” which he said was done by a ghostwriter and left him “shocked and appalled” about the negative light it shined on his fellow cast members.
Diamond isn’t the only one feeling left in the dust. Lark Voorhies, 45, who played Lisa Marie Turtle in the show, was reportedly not asked to return and suggested her mental health issues — including bipolar disorder — may have played a factor in being dissed.
“I have to admit I did feel a bit slighted and hurt when I was not invited to be part of the ‘Saved By the Bell’ reunion, as well as other cast members events. Yet, I also realized that having this puzzling disorder may have played a major part in that factual decision,” Voorhies told Dr. Oz last week. “With that in mind, I am truly thankful for having had the chance to work on a show that has been so successful.”