It’s time to take a look back at one of our favorite ‘90s stars, one of the ultimate dream girls of the era, none other than… Tiffani-Amber Thiessen! She has been consistently busy throughout her career, but those who grew up in the ‘90s remember her best as Kelly Kapowski from Saved by the Bell. Today, we’re going to take a look back and celebrate some of her most memorable roles.
Born in Long Beach, California, Tiffani got her start in the entertainment industry by participating in beauty pageants, and was crowned Miss Junior America in 1987. The next year, she won Teen magazine’s “Great Model Search” and appeared on the cover, as well as inside the issue sporting swimwear, and in 1989 she was named Cover Girl’s “Model of the Year.” 1989 would prove to be a pivotal year for Tiffani as that is when she landed her iconic role of Kelly Kapowski.
Thiessen spent about half of the ‘90s dedicated to her Saved by the Bell role, but eventually was able to branch out to more risque characters, from her role as Beverly Hills, 90210 to a variety of made-for-TV movies. While you may feel like she disappeared for awhile, the truth is she has been working pretty consistently throughout the years, guest starring in various TV shows until her regular roles on White Collar in 2009, and Alexa and Katie in 2018. She also re-visited her iconic role of Kelly Kapowski in the Saved by the Bell reboot, which was hilarious and way too short-lived if you ask us.
Tiffani is also a big foodie, and has not only had her own Cooking Channel series, Dinner at Tiffani’s, where she cooked and had famous friends over to eat, but has also written her own cookbook, Pull Up a Chair, and has a website where she often posts recipes. She and her husband, Brady Smith, have also co-written a children’s book together, You’re Missing It.
Before we look back at some of her most memorable roles from the ‘90s and early ‘00s, take a look at some commercials she was in:
Saved by the Bell (1989 - 1993)
Of course, Kelly Kapowski on SBTB is Tiffani’s most iconic role – what girl didn’t wish she was Kelly? (I know I did.) Kelly was a popular cheerleader, and, of course, the love interest of main character, Zack Morris. The storylines revolving around Zack and Kelly’s relationship were often some of the best episodes of the series, and cemented them as one of the most memorable TV couples of the ‘90s.
Saved by the Bell: The College Years (1993 - 1994)
If you didn’t watch The College Years, honestly, why not? It’s actually not bad, and pretty funny at times. Tiffani wasn’t on the show in the pilot episode, but quickly appeared in the second episode and was part of the show from there on out. Can you imagine if she wasn’t on it?! It would have been completely different, and not in a good way, am I right?
Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas (1994)
Tiffani’s last role as Kelly prior to the reboot was in the wedding TV movie, where Zack and Kelly want to get married in Vegas. It’s basically a road trip movie where the girls and the guys both have problems making it to Vegas on time, causing the couple to wonder if they should get married at all. Luckily, true love wins out.
Beverly Hills, 90210 (1994 - 2000)
Tiffani did a 180 with her role as Valerie Malone on 90210. She had always been known as a clean cut good girl thanks to SBTB, and changed things up with this bad girl role. Tiffani joined the cast in season five after the departure of Brenda, and quickly starts mixing things up with the gang. Valerie was a main character up through season nine, when she departed the show, though she did come back for the finale.
The Stranger Beside Me (1995)
In The Stranger Beside Me, a TV movie, Tiffani stars as a young wife whose life is turned upside down when she starts to suspect that her husband is behind a string of rapes in the area. Eric Close co-stars as her husband.
She Fought Alone (1995)
Tiffani stars as a young woman who is date raped, and then humiliated and accused of instigating the rape in She Fought Alone. Brian Austin Green co-stars as her boyfriend (not the rapist, despite how the above picture makes it look) in the TV movie. Personally, I actually remember seeing this movie on TV back in the day. For some reason, the scene where she takes a shower until the water runs cold still pops into my head from time to time.
Hollywood Ending (2002)
Hollywood Ending is a Woody Allen film, but is widely known as one of Allen’s worst films. Thiessen was very excited to get this role at the time, as it was one of her first big roles not playing a teenager, and made her feel like a real actor.
Fastlane (2002 - 2003)
Fastlane was a dark, flashy, over the top action drama that Thiessen starred in as Billie Chambers, the handler of Peter Facinelli and Bill Bellamy’s cop characters. Basically, they infiltrated the seedy parts of Los Angeles to take down some bad dudes. This show was better than it had a right to be, thanks to how it would often incorporate a lot of humor into the action.
What were your favorite roles of Tiffani’s? Any we missed that you adored? Let us know in the comments!
- Tiffani always wanted to be in a James Bond movie, and got close to being in the 1999 Bond movie The World is Not Enough, but lost out on the role to Denise Richards.
- She was offered the role of Paige on Charmed in 2001, but turned down the role, which eventually went to Rose McGowan.
- Tiffani auditioned for the role of Rachel Green on Friends, but did not get the role as she was too young compared to the rest of the cast. It is reported that Tea Leoni was originally offered the role, but turned it down. Others who auditioned include Jane Krakowski and Lisa Whelchel, but of course it went to Jennifer Aniston.
- Tiffani has said that the two celebrity crushes she had growing up were Harry Connick Jr. and Rob Lowe.
- Her most embarrassing moment on-set was on Beverly Hills, 90210. She was supposed to drive her car into a scene, but wasn’t able to because she didn’t know how to drive a stick shift.
- Tiffani always wanted to be in a James Bond movie, and got close to being in the 1999 Bond movie The World is Not Enough, but lost out on the role to Denise Richards.
- She was offered the role of Paige on Charmed in 2001, but turned down the role, which eventually went to Rose McGowan.
- Tiffani auditioned for the role of Rachel Green on Friends, but did not get the role as she was too young compared to the rest of the cast. It is reported that Tea Leoni was originally offered the role, but turned it down. Others who auditioned include Jane Krakowski and Lisa Whelchel, but of course it went to Jennifer Aniston.
- Tiffani has said that the two celebrity crushes she had growing up were Harry Connick Jr. and Rob Lowe.
- Her most embarrassing moment on-set was on Beverly Hills, 90210. She was supposed to drive her car into a scene, but wasn’t able to because she didn’t know how to drive a stick shift.
