Ahead of SNL Season 51, five cast members have confirmed not be returning for the new season. Their departure left fans worried, especially with five new comedians joining the roster.
SNL creator Lorne Michaels revealed at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards that it’s all a part of the process and evolution of the late-night show.
“The show has always brought people in from different ages and different generations, and it has to,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “It’s how it revives itself.”
The 51st season will premiere on October 4 without Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim, and Devon Walker. Some have publicly announced their departure, with details of it being time to move on from SNL and go on to new opportunities in their careers. Gardner and Nwodim were the longest-running members of the group, having been on SNL for eight and seven seasons.
“It’s always hard when people leave, but there’s a time for that,” added Michaels about the departing cast.
He added that “change is good,” and is excited to see what the new group of fresh new comedians will bring to the table.
“Our audience has always stayed relatively young, and more so now with TikTok,” he said.
The new season of SNL will inaugurate TikTok sketch comedian Veronika Slowikowska, Kill Tony regular Kam Patterson, stand-up Tommy Brennan, and Dropout star Jeremy Culhane. Fans will also see Please Don’t Destroy member Ben Marshall as a featured player, whose group has made SN video shorts for four years since 2021.
SNL is notorious for its changing cast members, some of whom have gone on to become Hollywood stars like Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and Maya Rudolph. Since the show’s inception, there have been 172 cast members who made their mark on the SNL stage.
At the 77th Emmy Awards, Michaels won for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for SNL50: The Anniversary Special.
