If you grew up in the nineties, Mark-Paul Gosselaar is probably frozen in your mind as Zack Morris. He’s the guy with the brick cell phone and the bleached blonde hair who could pause time just by saying "Time out!" But the real story of the Mark-Paul Gosselaar family is way more interesting than anything scripted for Bayside High. Honestly, it’s a story about reinvention, some pretty heavy heritage, and a guy who decided a long time ago that being a "husband and father" was a much better gig than being a teen idol.
The thing about Gosselaar is that he doesn't really live the Hollywood life anymore. You won't find him falling out of clubs or splashed across the tabloids for the wrong reasons. These days, he’s basically a suburban dad who happens to be really good at acting in shows like Found or Will Trent. He’s gone on record saying his day revolves around making sure his wife is good and his kids are set before he even thinks about going to work.
The Heritage Nobody Talks About
Most people assume he’s just your typical California beach boy. Wrong. He’s actually Dutch-American and has a heritage that’s surprisingly deep. His dad, Hans, was from the Netherlands. His mom, Paula, is of Indonesian and Dutch descent.
He’s even described himself as "half-Asian" in interviews, which was a huge talking point when he starred in Mixed-ish. It wasn't just a role for him; it was a reflection of his own life growing up with a mother who was born in Bali. He actually spoke Dutch at home as a kid.
Imagine Zack Morris speaking fluent Dutch. Kinda wild, right?
The Two Eras of the Mark-Paul Gosselaar Family
Mark-Paul has been married twice, and he’s got kids from both chapters. It’s a big, blended, modern situation that seems to actually work.
The First Chapter: Lisa Ann Russell
Back in 1996, at the height of his early fame, he married Lisa Ann Russell. They met on the set of Saved by the Bell: The College Years. They were married for about 14 years before things ended in 2011. They have two children together:
- Michael Charles Gosselaar: Born in 2004, Michael is now 22. He’s the oldest and mostly stays out of the spotlight.
- Ava Lorenn Gosselaar: Born in 2006, Ava is 20.
Interestingly, after the divorce, Lisa Ann married Jeff Probst—yeah, the Survivor host. Mark-Paul and Jeff actually get along great. They’ve even talked about how they co-parent, with Jeff calling Michael and Ava his "step-kids" in a way that feels like one big, slightly confusing, but happy family.
The Second Chapter: Catriona McGinn
In 2012, Mark-Paul married Catriona McGinn, an advertising executive. They tied the knot at a winery in Santa Ynez, California. Catriona is Scottish, and they even had a bagpiper at the wedding.
They have two kids together:
- Dekker Edward Gosselaar: Born in 2013, he’s now 12. He’s the math whiz of the family.
- Lachlyn Hope Gosselaar: Born in 2015, the youngest at 10.
Mark-Paul has joked that having four kids ranging from elementary school to their twenties makes him feel like an Uber driver. He’s basically a short-order cook most mornings.
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Growing Up with a Famous Dad
You’d think his kids would be obsessed with Saved by the Bell.
Nope.
He told Kelly Clarkson in early 2025 that his kids are "not impressed" by his '90s fame. They’re "screenagers." If it’s not on TikTok or YouTube and they can't watch it in five minutes, they aren't interested. To them, he’s just the guy who tells them to turn off the lights and finish their homework.
He’s very protective of their privacy. You won’t see him posting their every move on Instagram. He wants them to have a normal life, which is probably why the family moved out of the central Los Angeles area a few years ago. They wanted space. They wanted a "unit" feeling.
Why This Matters in 2026
In a world where celebrity families usually fall apart in public, the Mark-Paul Gosselaar family is a bit of an anomaly. He’s been very open about the fact that he goes to therapy, especially when a role gets too intense. He credits Catriona for pushing him to take care of his mental health so he can be a better father.
It’s not perfect—no family is—but it’s real.
He’s managed to bridge the gap between being a Dutch-Indonesian kid in Panorama City to a teen superstar, to a functional adult with four kids and a stable marriage. That’s a harder "Time out" to pull off than anything Zack Morris ever did.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you're looking to keep up with Mark-Paul's current work while he balances this hectic dad life, keep an eye on his latest series Found. It shows a much darker, more complex side of his acting that's a far cry from his teen idol days. Also, if you’re interested in his heritage, his interviews regarding Mixed-ish offer the best deep-dive into his real-world background.