The actor's son has dreams of showbiz, but he's going to have to wait until he turns 18!
He found fame as a teen pinup on Saved by the Bell, but Mark-Paul Gosselaar has admitted he won’t be encouraging his son, Michael Charles, to follow in the same footsteps.
In an exclusive interview with ET, the 43-year-old star of new baseball drama Pitch revealed that his 12-year-old already has his sights set on a career in entertainment.
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“I think he has a future as something in the industry,” responded Gosselaar, when asked whether he would rather Michael pursue a career in sports or acting.
“He has athletic ability, but doesn't want to be an athlete,” the actor continued. “He wants to do something in this business, so I will support that.”
However, Gosselaar is reluctant to encourage Michael’s showbiz dreams just yet, saying he will get more on-board when he’s older.
“I think I would be more supportive when he turns 18. I wouldn't want him to go through it as a child, but when he becomes 18 he can do whatever he wants.”
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Gosselaar’s teenage years on Saved by the Bell left him with the legacy of his character, Zack Morris, a role which still “follows” him.
He credits Pitch creator Dan Fogelman for presenting a character that would firmly set him apart from that iconic role.
“Dan was really the first to say, ‘I want to break that. I don’t want people to recognize you right away,’” Gosselaar told reporters at the 2016 TCA Summer Press Tour. “That's the beard.”
The beard is part of Gosselaar’s look as San Diego Padres catcher Mike Lawson on the show, which centers on the first female pitcher in Major League Baseball.
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Gosselaar added that his wife Catriona McGinn wasn’t so thrilled about his new facial fuzz. The couple have two children, in addition to Gosselaar’s two kids from a previous relationship.
“My wife hates it,” said the Franklin & Bash star of the beard. “She says, ‘I didn't buy you with a beard. I want the model without the beard.’ We have four children and I think it'll remain at four children. It's a home-grown contraceptive!”
See Gosselaar face off with Bruce Willis in his latest film Precious Cargo below.