The long running sitcom Saved by the Bell is officially getting the reboot many fans have been waiting for. The series will air on NBCUniversal’s newly-named streaming service, Peacock, and will return with some of the show’s original stars, including Mario Lopez (A.C. Slater) and Elizabeth Berkley (Jessie Spano).
There’s just one small twist.
New to the cast will be transgender actor, Josie Totah who has been cast in the lead role for the reboot of hit sitcom. The 18-year-old, who came out as transgender in August 2018 in an article for Time, will also produce in the show, according to Daily News.
In the article, Totah wrote, “My pronouns are she, her and hers. I identify as female, specifically as a transgender female. My name is Josie Totah, and I’m ready to be free.”
The former Disney Channel star explained they were put in the “wrong body,” but that “God made me transgender. I believe that I am transgender to help people understand differences. It allows me to gain perspective, to be more accepting of others.”
Totah will play Lexi, the most popular girl at Bayside High who is feared and favored by her classmates.
Original cast members include Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Tiffani Thiessen, and Dennis Haskins as Principal Belding.
Saved by the Bell originally aired on NBC from 1989 to 1993, followed by one season of the spin-off Saved by the Bell: The College Years, which wrapped in 1994. The show will stream on NBCUniversal’s upcoming streaming platform, Peacock. A premiere date has not been announced.
