Instead of travelling home for Thanksgiving, we're going back to Bayside High in California! Well, at least, in our heads, as we will technically never be leaving the comfort of our own couch (read: we live here now) when the Saved by the Bell reboot [1] premieres Nov. 25! While we're super excited to see all the returning characters [2] (Mario Lopez still looks so good, TBH), there's one new character in particular who has already caught our attention: Mitchell Hoog, who plays Mac Morris [3], the charming son of California governor Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar).

While there's no doubt that Hoog looks good onscreen — have you seen this trailer [4]? — the man also is pretty fascinating in real life, too. From his mental, physical, and spiritual philosophy to what he did during quarantine, this Colorado native is really cool IRL. Read these fun facts about Hoog in the slides ahead as you're waiting for the show to premiere on Peacock on Nov. 25.

He Was a Competitive Snowboarder Who Turned to Acting After a Doctor Told Him to Stop

Acting wasn't Mitchell Hoog's first career choice. He was actually on a competitive snowboarding team in Colorado, until a doctor told him to stop because he kept getting hurt and having concussions. In an interview with VMan [5], Hoog said, "I started searching for something spiritual and tangible to get my hands on, to fill that void once I stopped snowboarding. I've always been a big reader and very curious about many things. My cousin, who is an actor, told me I should try acting."

He is Very in Tune With His Mental, Physical, and Spiritual Wellbeing

Because Mitchell Hoog is so in tune with his mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing, he doesn't allow anything in his life that doesn't fit one of those three things — right down to his bedsheets. In an interview with The Cold Balok Show [6], he said, "I always put my life into three different segments, if that's what you want to call it, mental stability, spiritual purpose, and physical health. If something does not fit into one of those three, it does not serve me. That includes food, that includes people, that includes the wall you have in your apartment, that includes everything around you. I think you can pinpoint it down to your bedsheets. I think if you do that, it will make you have a higher sense of purpose." I'm not sure what my bedsheets say about me, but I totally love this cognizance of his own well-being!

He Helped Write and Act in a Series During the Pandemic

Mitchell Hoog used his time wisely during the initial stay-at-home orders, writing and acting in a five-part anthology series, After Masks [8]. This film was written and directed by the actors themselves, and also includes Eric Roberts, Robert Picardo, Stefanie Estes, Frances Lee Mccain, Michael Welch, Lily Keene, Krista Allen, and more. The stories will focus on relatable moments during the COVID-19 pandemic, including isolation, uncertainty, fear, substance abuse and self-discovery.