Which ‘Saved by the Bell’ Stars Stayed in Touch With Dustin Diamond Before His Death?

Erin Maxwell May 4, 2026, 7:00 pm

SAVED BY THE BELL: THE NEW CLASS, Dustin Diamond (as Screech), 1994-2000 — Everett Collection

What To Know

Dustin Diamond faced personal struggles and controversies after his TV career ended.
Only one main cast member reached out to Diamond during his final illness, leaving him a heartfelt voicemail.
Others reflected on Diamond’s legacy and their connection to him in the ID docuseries.

Dustin Diamond will always be remembered as Samuel “Screech” Powers, the adorkable sidekick to Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) on Saved by the Bell, whose offbeat charm, loyal heart, and endless one-liners made him a standout in the halls of Bayside High.

But after his stay at Bayside High, Diamond had a far more complicated path, navigating a mix of reality TV appearances, stand-up comedy, and personal controversies that often overshadowed his early success. After his TV success, Diamond had a series of run-ins with the law and served time in jail in 2016 in connection with a stabbing during a street fight.

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However, he had one loyal friend from his days at Bayside: Lark Voorhies, who spoke about her deceased costar in the latest episode of Hollywood Demons: After the Bell. In the installment, former Saved by the Bell belle Voorhies, who played rich girl Lisa Turtle on the iconic ’90s series for most of its run, spoke openly about her relationship with Diamond and his final days, revealing that she appeared to be the only cast member to reach out to him when he was gravely ill.

Like Diamond, Vorhees played her character beginning from 1988’s flagship show Good Morning, Miss Bliss, which ran for four seasons and eventually became Saved by the Bell, which ran from 1989 to 1993.

“When he died of cancer, that hurt. Even with Dustin gone, we still carried it on, in the name of Saved by the Bell, Peter Engel, all of the writers and producers, and Dustin. When we all got to celebrate him, I’m glad we got that on footage, because he matters,” Voorhies shared.

“She was a really good person, and she left a voicemail for him,” said friend Dan Block in the docuseries. “We played it for him before he died, and he enjoyed it. She was the only one who really reached out to him and was really heartfelt. And I know they had a special connection.”

Hollywood Demons, May 4, 9/8c, ID