Mario Michael Lopez, Jr. was born in San Diego, California, on October 10th, 1973, to Mario Sr. and Elvira.

He is best known for his portrayal of A.C. Slater on Saved By The Bell, which he also portrayed as a regular on Saved by the Bell: The College Years. He has appeared in numerous projects since, including the third season of Dancing with the Stars and as a celebrity guest host for the syndicated entertainment news magazine show Extra. He has also hosted America's Best Dance Crew for MTV, and as of 2012, he co-hosts the reality show of the U.S. version of the singing competition, The X Factor.