TV personality, host, and actor Mario Lopez (“Access Hollywood”) chatted about turning 50, his latest endeavors, and his upcoming star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Lopez became a household name thanks to his portrayal of A.C. Slater on the hit ’90s teen TV series “Saved By The Bell.”
More recently, Lopez stars in, as well as serves as a producer on the wildly popular “Saved By The Bell” reboot on Peacock.
‘Access Hollywood’
On being a part of “Access Hollywood,” he said, “I love it. It’s a dream job. I love the world of entertainment: movies, TV, and music. I talk to the most talented and most interesting people, and it never gets old. It always keeps me on my toes.”
“It is the best entertainment news show on TV,” Lopez said. “Trust me with your information, and I won’t let you down,” he said with a sweet laugh.
Daily motivations
On his daily motivations, he said, “I am motivated by my family. I have people to be responsible for other than myself, so they motivate me, and they make me want to work hard every day.”
Balancing a family life with his career
In his personal life, he is a husband to Courtney and a father to three children: Gia, Dominic, and Santino.
When asked how he balances a family life (being a husband to Courtney with his entertainment career, Lopez said, “I have a very understanding wife, who is supportive, and my kids know what is going on… I am very blessed by it all.”
Mario Lopez on turning 50
Most recently, on October 10, Lopez celebrated his birthday, where he turned 50 years old. “That felt great,” he admitted. “I was a little scared, depressed but then I leaned into it, and I feel good now.”
“I beat the alternative,” Lopez said with a sweet laugh.
Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Lopez expressed that he feels “blessed” to be getting his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the future. “I will be doing that next year on my birthday so that will make that birthday just as special,” he said. “So, I will be having two very special birthdays back-to-back.”
He described it as a surreal experience, and he is excited for his parents to be there along with his family and friends. “I am really looking forward to it,” he said.
Christmas Con and 90s Con
Lopez opened up about being a part of Christmas Con and 90s Con. “Those are fun,” he said. “I like to be able to meet people that support me. I’ve done a lot of Christmas movies, and I did a lot of things in the ‘90s, so they worked out well for me.”
“It is neat to be able to meet people from all over the world, really, that come out there,” he said. “Those are always a lot of fun.”
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, at a time when streaming, technology, and social media are so prevalent, Lopez said, “It is just what it is. You roll with the times. You don’t really have a choice… you either adapt or die, and I try to adapt as best as I can.”
Advice for hopefuls in the entertainment industry
For hopefuls that wish to go into the entertainment business, he said, “Do it for the right reasons. Do it because you love it and because you can’t see yourself doing anything else.”
“Be as prepared as you can, try to create your own identity and brand online first. Try to take as much advantage as you can of that first,” he said.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Lopez said, “50 and Thriving.”
Career-defining moments
“I think once I started leaning into hosting a lot more, those moments defined me. I started doing that on a daily basis in 2008, and it put me on my path to be the ‘Latin Dick Clark’.”
Greg Louganis
Lopez had kind words about four-time Olympic gold medalist diver Greg Louganis, whom he played in the sports film “Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story,” which is about the trials and tribulations that he endured on his way to becoming one of the best divers in the world.
“Greg is a great guy. I was honored to play him,” Lopez recalled. “Even though that was a long time ago, I am glad to see that Greg is continuing to do well,” he said.
Future plans
Regarding his future plans, Lopez said, “Hopefully, to continue doing what I am doing, and more of it. Also, producing more content, and maybe my kids and family will get involved.”
On his dream collaboration partners to someday work with, Lopez said, “There are a lot of people that I would like to work with. At this point, I would like to continue working with my friends and family, as do as much of that as I can.”
New shoe line
Lopez is also stoked about his new sneaker collection. “My sneaker collection is great,” he admitted. “The shoes are stylish, fun, and most importantly, they are affordable. I urge people to check them out. We have a great variety, and I am really proud of the way they came out.”
Gratitude this holiday season
This upcoming holiday season, Lopez stressed that he is thankful for his “health, family, the work that he is doing, and good people in his life.”
The best advice that he was ever given
On the best advice that he was ever given, he shared, “There are no shortcuts. Just try to work hard, stay focused, and do the right thing. Hopefully, the right things will happen for me.”
When asked what he envisioned the high school version of himself doing at this stage of his life, Lopez responded, “I thought I would be a news anchor, where I would be more involved in news, which I kind of am so I am not too far off.”
Favorite mottos to live by
On his favorite mottos to live by, he remarked, “Don’t take anything for granted; put God first, and the rest can follow.”
Top-notch physical shape
He also discussed staying in top-notch physical shape. “I always try to say that I work out more for sanity rather than vanity, and I feel more awake and alive when I do,” he said.
“I always say that if you take a shower, you are clean on the outside and when I work out, I feel clean on the inside, so that helps me feel better about myself,” he added.
‘The Masked Singer’
If Lopez were to ever go on “The Masked Singer,” he revealed that he would dress up as a “French bulldog.”
Superpower of choice
His superpower of choice would be ‘teleportation,” and that would allow him to get to places quicker. “I could get to New York in one second,” he said.
In sports, he is a fan of all of the Los Angels teams: The Lakers, The Dodgers, LAFC, and the Chargers. He enjoys doing boxing and jiu-jitsu.
Cheat meal
His favorite cheat meal is “tacos” and “pizza.” “I like a lot of tacos, and a good pizza,” he admitted.
Music
He noted that he is a fan of music, and he enjoys “all forms in general.” “I listen to all different kinds of playlists,” he said.
Success
On his definition of the word success, Lopez said, “Success means getting to do what you love, and you are getting paid for it.”
Fans
For his fans, Lopez said, “I have a great team that I work with, and I am very grateful for them. They know I’m appreciative and I try to express that all the time. They have been with me for a long time and hopefully, that will continue to be the case.”
Walt Disney once said: “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Mario Lopez embodies this wise quote by the cartoon legend.
For more information on Mario Lopez, follow him on Instagram.
