26. LARK VOORHIES
Lark Voorhies played Lisa Marie Turtle on the hit NBC show “Saved By The Bell.” She was once considered no only the prettiest girl on television but was one of the first African-American girls on a major network that was considered everyone’s All-American high school sweetheart — breaking boundaries regarding interracial dating during the 1980s and early 90s.
There were a string of real projects that she worked on like “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Def Jam’s How to Be a Player,” “How High,” “Civil Brand,” and “The Next Hit.”
Yet, after being diagnosed with a Schizoaffective Thought Disorder (she notes that her mom and daughter both suffer from bipolar disorder), being on camera many shied away from casting her. Acting was her first love.
But who knew, beyond her beautiful face, touching story, and impenetrable spirit, Ms. Voorhies had a love for writing. This love helped her shape a new vocation — though she still engages her cult following with various pop-ups and signings— as an author. In two years, 2010 and 2011, she released three consecutive books. Her novels “Reciprocity,” “Trek of the Cheshire,” and “A True Light” are all self-published. She is happy and living well.