Meet Mario Lopez's Three Kids
For '80s and '90s kids, Mario Lopez is forever linked with his role as A.C. Slater on "Saved by the Bell." Almost 30 years after the show ended in the early '90s, Lopez went on to reprise this role for the "Saved by the Bell" reboot. He's also done voice acting and a variety of on-screen roles, including a recurring role as Dr. Christian Ramírez on "The Bold and the Beautiful" in 2006. Lopez has also been a longstanding host of thousands of episodes of "Extra" and "Access Hollywood."
In his personal life, Lopez has three children with his wife and fellow actor, Courtney Lopez. Besides performing in Broadway musicals, Courtney has guest-hosted with her husband on "Extra." The couple has also worked together on movies like "Feliz NaviDAD." However, since their kids were born, the couple have made sure their children come first, and they've worked diligently to balance work and family time.
In addition, all of the Lopezes' parents live nearby, and Lopez is grateful his children can spend time with their grandparents. Based on his own childhood experiences, Mario prioritizes teaching his kids the importance of work and self-improvement. "I've always loved kids and I've always been a family guy, but it's next-level when it happens to you," he revealed to Yahoo Life. Here's what we know about Gia, Dominic, and Santino Lopez.
Gia Francesca Lopez
Gia Francesca Lopez, oldest child of Mario and Courtney Lopez, was born on September 11, 2010. Mario was away from home and he had to travel quickly to get back to California in time. While he was awed at becoming a first-time dad, the actor was a little shocked by the visceral nature of childbirth. "It was like a CSI episode," Mario explained to "Extra" in 2010 (via Us Weekly). "The whole thing is so surreal, and it happened so quick." Since the couple wanted to choose names to celebrate Courtney's Italian heritage, Mario chose Gia after being inspired by a movie about the world's first supermodel, Gia Carangi.
As a newborn, Gia appeared briefly in her parent's reality series "Saved by the Baby." When she was 7, Gia followed in her parents' footsteps and voiced a character on "Elena of Avalor." Mario also had a role on the show, and he helped coach his daughter's performance. "I like working with Daddy because when I needed to laugh, my dad helped [by tickling me]," Gia explained to People in 2017. She also got to appear on TV by riding alongside Mario on a turkey float in the 2023 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Like her parents, Gia's a talented dancer. She's growing up fast, and in November 2023, Mario posted an Instagram video where he and Gia did a choreographed routine in their hallway. Gia's also a cheerleader, and she started competing in the sport in December 2023.
Dominic Luciano Lopez
Mario and Courtney Lopez's second child, Dominic Luciano Lopez, was born on September 9, 2013. Dominic was named after Courtney's great-grandfather, and his family likes to call him by various nicknames, including "Nico Suave." Like his big sister Gia Lopez, Dominic's got an early start on an acting career after being cast alongside his parents in the 2024 movie "My Grown-Up Christmas Wish." Dominic was cast as the younger version of his dad's character in the movie — and it's easy to see why. When Mario posted an Instagram photo to celebrate Dominic's 10th birthday in 2023, fans were blown away by their resemblance.
Besides acting, the father and son have other shared interests, like jiu jitsu. In 2022, Dominic persuaded Mario to compete in a tournament. "You're never too old to challenge your yourself & set goals," Mario posted after the competition, along with a photo of him and his son smiling and showing off the medals they earned at the event.
Like his dad, Dominic is also enthusiastic about wrestling. Mario began wrestling as a child, and he's very supportive of his son's wrestling activities. In 2021, the proud dad posted a photo montage on Facebook of Dominic winning first place at a match. In addition to sports, Dominic enjoys playing the piano. Around Christmas 2023, Mario posted a video of his son performing a rendition of the Backstreet Boys' hit "I Want It That Way."
Santino Rafael Lopez
On July 8, 2019, Santino Rafael Lopez, the youngest child of Mario and Courtney Lopez, was born. Similar to his siblings, Santino, or Sonny for short, has a name that reflects his mother's heritage. "Santino means little saint in Italian," Mario explained to Today. The couple was eager to have a third child, and when Santino was only a few months old, Mario admitted that he would love to have more children, if possible. However, by January 2024, the actor indicated that he and his wife feel their family is complete, but haven't completely closed the door on expanding their family.
Gia and Dominic Lopez were ecstatic when their little brother was born. As Santino started to learn to walk, the siblings developed a special game where they created obstacles that Santino had to navigate while he was riding around in his walker, as they detailed in an adorable family interview with "First 5 California." From early on, Santino has wanted to follow Dominic's footsteps, like when the two brothers dressed up in matching Wookie costumes.
Like his dad and brother, Santino's also a wrestling enthusiast. In March 2023, he and Dominic both won gold medals at the same event. While Santino hasn't had an opportunity to take on any acting gigs yet, he did get to accompany Mario and his brother at a premiere for "Kung Fu Panda 4" in 2024. At the event, all three Lopezes showed off their best martial arts moves alongside the film's star, Jack Black.