While Mark-Paul Gosselaar’s mom on Found may be the worst mom ever, his mom IRL, was the complete opposite. Gosselaar’s mother, Paula van den Brink, a former hostess for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, served as his manager until he was 19 years old. He got his start doing print modeling and commercials at just five years old thanks to his mom’s friend, who got him an agent, Gosselaar told THR in 2019. He was 14 when he landed the role of Zack on the Disney Channel series Good Morning, Miss Bliss in 1988. After the cancellation in 1989, that would then turn into Saved by the Bell on NBC that same year, which ran from 1989 to 1993. He also returned for the short-lived The College Years spinoff, which aired in 1994.
Gosselaar told the outlet that he decided to professionally part ways with his mom, who was evidently collecting 10 percent of his earnings. “It was an uncomfortable conversation,” Gosselaar explained. “It was rocky for a little bit, but then she understood… I don’t think a parent should be compensated for just being a parent… I don’t think you need 10 percent to sit on set, to basically chaperone your son and daughter… That’s a conversation I had to have at the age of 19.”
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Despite their rocky relationship, Mark-Paul Gosselaar admitted on Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum in 2022 that his parents were very supportive of him and his career. “I had nothing but love from my parents,” Gosselaar shared. “I heard that word, ‘I love you,’ every day.” Since Saved by the Bell, Gosselaar has gone on to star in Franklin & Bash, NYPD Blue, Law & Order: SVU, Pitch, and The Passage, among several other roles. While it’s unknown how things could have gone if van den Brink had stayed on as his momager, it seems like that decision was for the best. It might not have been easy, but it was definitely right. The two have since reportedly reconciled.
After starring on mixed-ish, Gosselaar is back and better than ever. He now stars on NBC’s freshman drama Found alongside Shanola Hampton. As one of the few new shows airing on the fall 2023 schedule, the series has had a solid debut. NBC recently renewed , solidifying that it is here to stay. New episodes premiere on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.
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