With the premiere of Saturday Night Live‘s 51st season on the horizon, the iconic sketch show is poised for significant changes. Lorne Michaels, the show’s longstanding producer, revealed in a recent interview with Puck that the cast will see both departures and new faces as part of an effort to keep the show fresh and engaging.
Michaels expressed that the decision to alter the lineup comes as part of the natural evolution of the show, especially following the grand celebration of its 50th season. During this milestone, the show enjoyed reunions with past cast members like Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, and Maya Rudolph, which helped spotlight the legacy while minimizing major cast changes.
The past season featured a robust ensemble of 17 actors, including veterans like Kenan Thompson, who holds the record as the longest-serving cast member since 2003. Other notable members included Colin Jost and Michael Che, both of whom joined in 2014, as well as recent additions like Chloe Fineman and Bowen Yang from 2019. However, Heidi Gardner, a standout since 2017, has been confirmed to leave the show.
As ‘Saturday Night Live’ moves forward, fans are curious about which performers will not return and who the new talents are. Here’s an overview of the evolving cast for the upcoming season.