Saved by the Bell heartthrob Mario Lopez, 53, looks worlds away from his iconic '90s mullet in brand new photos

Mario Lopez broke onto the scene in the '90s as A.C. Slater in the teen sitcom Saved by the Bell. Over 30 years later, he looks worlds away from his iconic role.

When he starred as the heartthrob alongside Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Tiffani Thiessen, Mario sported a curly mullet and bright '90s clothing. And while the mullet was fading in popularity by the time Saved by the Bell came along, Mario's character brought new life to the haircut.

Years later, Mario is now the co-host of Access Hollywood and sadly, no longer wears his hair in a mullet. In brand new photos, the 53-year-old posed with actor Glen Powell and showed off short hair with his iconic dimples.

"Glen is the man… Had a blast working with him on something that's gonna be a whole lot of fun," Mario wrote to his 3.3 million followers. Fans of both actors loved the post. One person wrote: "Such winning handsome smiles!" Another added: "Love both of you beautiful & talented men."

Mario Lopez and his mullet

Mario was just 16 when he landed the role of A.C. Slater in Saved by the Bell. He portrayed the heartthrob job for five years, including in the spinoff Saved by the Bell: The College Years. The character's mullet made him iconic.

Years later, Mario revisited the haircut when he guest hosted on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2021. He played a game called "Oh, Hair No, Mario!"

"While my dimples never really change, my hair — thank God — definitely has," Mario told the audience before sharing throwback photos showing off his bold styles from 1990 to 2003. He continued, joking: "Finally, you know how Ellen always makes fun of herself because she used to have a mullet? Well, she's not alone…" and shared a photo of himself from his Saved by the Bell days.

When did the mullet originate?

The mullet can be traced all the way back to the Ancient Greeks, but was made popular in the 20th century by Paul McCartney and David Bowie. By the '80s, it seemed like every major star was sporting the look. When Mario starred as A.C., the mullet had long been a staple of pop culture.

In 1994, the Beastie Boys popularized the term "mullet" in their song Mullet Head, and in 2001, the phrase describing the haircut as a "business in the front, party in the back" was coined in the film Joe Dirt.

Mario Lopez's life after Saved by the Bell

After Saved by the Bell wrapped in 1994, the actor went on to star as Olympic diver Greg Louganis in the television film Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story. In 2006, he joined Nip/Tuck and competed on the third season of Dancing with the Stars.

Mario has had a ton of success as a TV host – leading shows like America's Best Dance Crew, The X Factor, and now, Access Hollywood. Off-screen, Mario is married to Broadway dancer Courtney Mazza. The couple are parents to daughter Gia, 16, and sons Dominic, 13, and Santino, seven.