Saturday Night Live Season 50: All Confirmed Hosts & Musical Guests
In the movie Saturday Night, audiences get a sneak peek into the chaotic process of putting the first episode of Saturday Night Live on the air, but there's curiousity about what happened to the original cast afterward. Saturday Night is a historical comedy directed by Jason Reitman and led by a massively star-studded cast, including Gabriel LaBelle, Dylan O'Brien, Rachel Sennott, Willem Dafoe, J.K. Simmons, and more. The movie revolves around the real life sketch comedy show, Saturday Night Live, which has been airing consistently since 1975. The film shows Lorne Michaels' struggle to make the show happen.
A major aspect of Saturday Night is the cast. Nowadays, audiences recognize members of Saturday Night Live's cast to be some of the best comedians of their generation. However, this was not the case during the show's first season. Michaels hired relatively unknown performers who NBC had very little faith in. They were known as the "Not Ready for Prime-Time Players." Yet, these actors eventually became household names and did amazing things beyond Saturday Night Live. To do this, they eventually had to leave the show altogether.
Chevy Chase Left SNL During Season 2
Chase's Fiancée Didn't Want To Move To New York
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The first member of SNL's original cast to leave the show was Chevy Chase. Chase was originally hired as a writer but became a full-time cast member before the show's premiere. In Saturday Night, he is portrayed by Cory Michael Smith as arrogant but also incredibly funny. Chase was the very first host of Weekend Update and helped set the tone for the rest of SNL's 50 seasons. However, Chase only remained with the show for a season and a half before exiting. Apparently, this decision was made by his fiancée, Jacqueline, who didn't want to move to New York.
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Aside from his partner's wishes, Chase likely also felt confident about leaving SNL because he had several opportunities waiting for him. His success on SNL led to his casting in projects like Foul Play, Caddyshack, and National Lampoon's Vacation. He also began collaborating with other popular comedians, including Martin Short and Steve Martin in Three Amigos. Ultimately, Chase became a big name in comedy and continued to work into his old age on Community and Hot Tub Time Machine. Currently, Chase hasn't been on-screen since 2015.
Dan Aykroyd Left SNL After Season 4
Aykroyd Had Bigger & Better Opportunities
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Similar to Chase, Dan Aykroyd was another comedian who was hired by SNL as a writer but eventually became a cast member. He quickly became known for his wide range of impersonations and his youthful, energetic spirit. Notably, Aykroyd was the youngest member of SNL's original cast. Dylan O'Brien's portrayal of Aykroyd depicts the comedian as a goofy and flirtatious young man who has a joke for just about any situation. Aykroyd ended up leaving SNL at the end of season 4 to pursue bigger and better roles.
Many did speculate that Aykroyd only left because his close friend, John Belushi, was also leaving and wanted to take Aykroyd with him.
Once again, Aykroyd's career followed a similar trajectory as Chase's. After SNL, he took on roles in iconic comedy projects such as The Blues Brothers, Coneheads, and the Ghostbusters franchise. Aykroyd has enjoyed quite a fruitful career ever since. He has performed on-screen as recently as 2024 in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. In this way, it seems like a good decision that Aykroyd left SNL when he did. Many did speculate that Aykroyd only left because his close friend, John Belushi, was also leaving and wanted to take Aykroyd with him.
John Belushi Left SNL After Season 4
Belushi Wanted To Pursue A Film Career
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John Belushi was another pivotal member of SNL's original cast. Belushi's main draw was his physical humor and his ability to create unique and hilarious characters. For example, Belushi and Aykroyd's Blues Brothers characters were originally meant just to warm up the studio audience but eventually expanded into an actual musical act and film franchise. In Saturday Night, Belushi is played by Matt Wood. He is showcased as an unpredictable and fairly angry character who must be worked with to access his incredible talent.
Unfortunately, Belushi's life after SNL was not as fortunate as Chase or Aykroyd. After his exit from the show in season 4, Belushi did take on roles in major films such as Animal House and The Blues Brothers. However, Belushi struggled with substance abuse issues which led to serious health issues. In 1982, Belushi passed away from a drug overdose at the age of 33. Belushi's death was a huge upset for the comedy community and to those who enjoyed watching him. Although his death occurred decades ago, he is still remembered for his amazing talent.
Gilda Radner Left SNL After Season 5
Radner Left Along With Lorne Michaels
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Only one season after Aykroyd and Belushi left SNL, Gilda Radner followed. Radner was the first performer to be cast in SNL's freshman cast, and was well-known for originating popular characters such as Roseanne Roseannadanna and Baba Wawa. Played by Ella Hunt, Radner's character in Saturday Night appears to be quirky, enthusiastic, and optimistic. However, she does seem to struggle with the fact that she is always cast as the little sister, and never the sexy female character. Regardless, Radner is another comedian whose performances have stayed with audiences for years afterward.
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Ultimately, Radner left SNL because Lorne Michaels was leaving. Michaels was interested in pursuing other projects, but NBC refused to put SNL on hiatus for him. Thus, Michaels exited the series and much of the main cast left with him, including Radner. Luckily, like the rest of the freshman cast, Radner had various opportunities presented to her, including a one-woman show on Broadway and a play. She did not build a movie career like her other castmates. Unfortunately, Radner passed away in 1989 from ovarian cancer.
Laraine Newman Left SNL After Season 5
Newman Followed Radner & Michaels
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Another SNL cast member to follow Michaels out was Laraine Newman. Newman was the founder and an original member of The Groundlings, ultimately leading to her casting in SNL. Newman's greatest talents were her ability to improvise and her unique characters like Connie Conehead, though she usually didn't repeat characters as often as her peers. In Saturday Night, Newman is played by Emily Fairn and appears to be a relatively quiet and observant young woman, though wildly funny. This makes sense, as Newman has spoken about her unhappiness while working on SNL.
Laraine Newman's daughter is Hannah Einbinder who has recently gained popularity for her role in Hacks.
After Michael's SNL exit, Newman followed and tried to pursue a movie career. She was not nearly as successful as some of her other castmates, presumably because of her struggle with drug addiction and depression. Yet, by the 1990s, Newman became sober and found her niche in voice acting. She has performed in countless animated series and movies, like Danny Phantom, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Rugrats, Finding Nemo, and more. Most recently, Newman appeared in 2024's Despicable Me 4 and is set to perform in the upcoming animated film, Dog Man.
Garrett Morris Left SNL After Season 5
Morris Also Left With Michaels
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Yet another SNL cast member to follow Michaels was Garrett Morris. Morris was the only African American cast member in the first season of SNL, and was notable for his singing performances and his writing abilities. Before SNL, Morris was a playwright. As portrayed by Lamorne Morris in Saturday Night, Morris struggled to find his place at SNL, unsure of why he had been chosen as a cast member. In real life, Morris often felt as though he was put into stereotypical roles because of his race. This led to some unhappiness with the series.
Morris' treatment on SNL eventually led other BIPOC actors on the series to question the roles they were given, leading to beneficial changes for the sketch show.
After his departure from SNL, Morris took on a variety of TV and movie projects, with some of the most notable being The Jeffersons, The Jamie Foxx Show, Martin, and 2 Broke Girls. Morris has continued his acting career into the present day, appearing in 2015's Ant-Man, the 2018 drama series This Is Us, and the 2019 sketch comedy show, A Black Lady Sketch Show. Morris' treatment on SNL eventually led other BIPOC actors on the series to question the roles they were given, leading to beneficial changes for the sketch show.
Jane Curtin Left SNL After Season 5
Curtin Followed Michaels & The Rest Of The Cast
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The final SNL cast member to leave the show was Jane Curtin, who also followed Michael, Radner, Newman, and Morris. Curtin typically played the "straight-woman" in sketches, acting opposite more unpredictable characters like Belushi and Radner. Behind the scenes, she has also been described as being more put together and focused than her peers. Played by Kim Matula, Curtin gives off the same energy in Saturday Night, though her talent for deadpan comedy and characters is also put on display.
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Unlike her castmates, Curtin did not attempt to start a movie career, but instead stayed on television. She appeared in two long-running TV shows, Kate & Allie and Working it Out. She also showed up on series like 3rd Rock from the Sun and did voice work for Recess and Cyberchase. Curtin continues to act to this day, with her most recent projects being 2023's sci-fi movie Jules, and an episode of the comedy series, Bupkis. Ultimately, her return in Saturday Night, along with the rest of the original cast, is a welcome gift for modern audiences.
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Saturday Night (2024)
Biography
Comedy
Drama
As the clock ticks down to the first-ever broadcast of "Saturday Night Live" on October 11, 1975, a group of young comedians and writers hustle behind the scenes, navigating chaos and creative pressures. Set in NBC Studios, the film offers a dramatic and comedic look at the birth of an iconic television show.
Director Jason Reitman
Release Date October 11, 2024
Writers Gil Kenan , Jason Reitman
Cast Finn Wolfhard , Willem Dafoe , Dylan O'Brien , J.K. Simmons , Ella Hunt , Rachel Sennott , Matthew Rhys , Lamorne Morris
