Lark Voorhies: ‘Saved by the Bell’ Star Has Bipolar Disorder, Her Mother Says After Bizarre ‘People’ Interview

Lark Voorhies is suffering from a mental illness, the mother of the former Saved by the Bell star said after the actress conducted a bizarre interview with People magazine.

After appearing on the Yahoo! series The Yo Show last spring, many people noted a drastic difference in her appearance, with the former Lisa Turtle in dyed red hair and heavy makeup. The appearance sparked a series of interviews with People magazine, which reported on the “sad spiral” of the former child star.

The report noted even more drastic changes with Lark Voorhies than were initially seen. The 38-year-old actress had “once sparkling brown eyes” that turned “disturbingly vacant.” During the interview she struggled to keep focus as she maintained a “near-constant dialogue – by turns mournful, frenetic, and angry – with unseen figures.” and

Lark Voorhies denied that she has a mental illness, but Yahoo! TV notes that her behavior in the interview says otherwise. At one point the devout Jehovah’s Witness answered a question by saying, “Oh no. We’re alive in a major time of all-in-all prophecy.”

Lark Voorhies mother, who lives with her and was also interviewed, said the actress is suffering from bipolar disorder, for which she has been prescribed medication.

“I care deeply about my daughter and I want her to resume her life,” her mother, Tricia, told People. But she noted that finding an effective treatment, and getting Lark Voorhies to cooperate, has been difficult.

Her mother noted that Lark Voorhies suffered a lot of stress when he career stalled after Saved by the Bell, and her 2001 divorce from Miguel Coleman was “kind of a break” for the actress.