Mario Lopez’s Son Dominic Follows in His Acting Footsteps: “I’m Very Proud of Him”

Mario Lopez is getting a special look at his own childhood through his 12-year-old son, Dominic, who is beginning to build an acting career of his own.

Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE at Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood event on Aug. 5, the 52-year-old actor said he is proud to watch Dominic take his first steps in the entertainment industry.

“It’s a pretty special moment being that I was a former kid actor myself, and now getting to see my son sort of take this journey,” Mario said.

The father and son recently worked together on the upcoming holiday movie “Christmas at the Starlight,” which also stars Tony Danza. Mario said he recently watched a rough cut of the film and was pleased with how it turned out.

Danza plays Dominic’s grandfather, while Mario plays his father. The movie also gives Dominic a chance to share the screen with his dad while showing off several talents, including tap dancing and singing.

“It’s a lot of heart to it, family-oriented, so [I’m] happy with the way it came out,” Mario said. He also praised his son’s performance, adding, “Dominic did a really, really good job. I’m very proud of him.”

The movie is truly a family project. Mario’s wife, Courtney Lopez, 43, also appears in the film, performing a song. The couple are parents to three children: Dominic, daughter Gia, 15, and son Santino, 7.

Mario knows what it is like to start acting at a young age. He earned his first acting credit in 1984, when he was 10 years old, appearing as Tomás in the comedy series “a.k.a. Pablo.” He later appeared on “Kids Incorporated” and “The Golden Girls” before making his film debut in “Colors.”

His biggest break came in 1989 when he was cast as A.C. Slater on the hit teen sitcom “Saved by the Bell,” a role that helped make him a household name.

Dominic is already gaining experience beyond his work with his father. “Christmas at the Starlight” is his second consecutive holiday movie. He previously appeared in the 2025 television film “Chasing Christmas.”

He has also worked on the CBS drama “Matlock,” starring Kathy Bates, and the 2026 comedy “Bad Counselors,” which is set at a camp for middle schoolers.

Mario previously gave fans a glimpse of Dominic’s work on “Matlock,” sharing a behind-the-scenes photo of his son with Bates on Instagram. “Just Nico casually solving crimes with screen legend Kathy Bates on Matlock,” he wrote.

With “Christmas at the Starlight” set to premiere during the holiday season across Great American Family, Great American Pure Flix and GFAM+, Dominic appears to be following his father’s path into show business — with Mario cheering him on every step of the way.