"Saved by the Bell" Star has Bipolar Disorder, Mom Says - East Idaho News
Arts & Entertainment

“Saved by the Bell” Star has Bipolar Disorder, Mom Says

  Published at

77176626?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1349372293633Michael Bezjian/WireImage(NEW YORK) — Lark Voorhies, who rose to fame as fashionable teen Lisa Turtle in the 90′s sitcom Saved by the Bell, has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, according to the actress’ mother.

In an interview taped for Yahoo! this spring that quickly went viral, Voorhies talks about her current projects and her days playing Lisa Turtle on Saved by the Bell. But her ashy makeup and staring off while stumbling through her answers caught a good amount of attention.

After the video hit, People magazine conducted a series of interviews with the 38-year-old, and reported that while speaking with the interviewer she would stop mid-sentence and stare off while mumbling to herself. The magazine refers to the Jehovah’s Witness actress’ recent past as a “sad spiral.”

Lark’s mother Tricia, who was also interviewed, told People that she is had been diagnosed as bipolar, a disorder where individuals alternate between mania and depression.

“There are things that have traumatized her,” Tricia, 64, told People. “I care deeply about my daughter and I want her to resume her life.”

Lark, however, told People that she does not have the disorder, and that her “over-loving” mother worries about her. She explained that her mumbling during the interviews was actually praying and was misinterpreted.

“I have a strong spiritual sense,” she says. “You caught me in moments of pray [sic].”

Lark has worked as an actress sporadically in the last few years, doing voice work in the animated series Robot Chicken and appearing in the independent film Jessica’s Journey this year.

The mother and daughter have shared a home in Pasadena, Calif. Lark divorced actor/producer Miguel Coleman in 2004.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

SUBMIT A CORRECTION