“The Passage” breakout star, 11-year-old Saniyya Sidney, is taking acting tips from her co-star Mark-Paul Gosselaar — and is watching his early ’90s sitcom “Saved By the Bell” for notes.
Sidney was asked Thursday at the Television Critics Association summer 2018 press tour if Gosselaar, now 44 years old, was able to impart knowledge about beginning an acting career at a young age.
“By the way, I wasn’t a child performer… I was a child star,” Gosselaar joked, garnering laughs from the room of reporters.
But, yes, Sidney “did get words of wisdom” from her new co-star. “I’m actually watching ‘Saved by the Bell’ right now,” she said.
“I know, that’s a lot of wisdom. You can learn a lot,” Gosselaar added.
But that joking back-and-forth is actually just what Sidney said she’s learned from Gosselaar.
“Just to — you know, whenever I go to work, I just want to have fun,” she said, then imitating a method actor who might tell everyone to leave them alone on set, saying that’s not what she wants to do. “Just be a kid, and have fun, and enjoy your work.”
The premiere date for Fox’s “The Passage” has not yet been announced.