'Saved by the Bell' Star Was the Only Cast Member to Contact Dustin Diamond Before His Death
Dustin Diamond, best known for playing Screech in Saved by the Bell, died in 2022 following a cancer diagnosis. In the latest installment of ID's docuseries, it was revealed that fellow co-star Lark Voorhies was the only cast member to reach out to the late actor before his death.
ID's Hollywood Demons: After the Bell, Voorhies made a surprise guest appearance to talk about Diamond and continuing his legacy on the show after his death. Voorhies played the role of Lisa Turtle since the teen sitcom's inception from 1988's Good Morning, Miss Bliss through all four seasons of Saved by the Bell. Per the documentary, Diamond and Voorhies had a close bond all the way through.
"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 said in the docuseries about the reboot series in 2025.
After Saved by the Bell, Diamond appeared in guest roles on TV, published a memoir in 2009, and faced scrutiny over a sex tape. He also dabbled in professional wrestling, competition series and was arrested in 2014 for carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct.
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In 2021, it was announced that Diamond had been diagnosed and was battling stage 4 small-cell carcinoma of the lungs. It was reported that the Saved by the Bell star went to the hospital for a checkup due to extreme pain from shingles and general unease. He was given a cancer diagnosis and started chemotherapy.
ID's Hollywood Demons: After the Bell revealed that Voorhies was the only cast member to reach out to the actor. Diamond's friend, Dan Black, revealed, "She was a really good person and she left a voicemail for him. 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."
Despite having completed one round of treatment, Diamond died in early February. He was 44 when he died.
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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 12:59 PM.