Silke Jasso
Bad news Saturday Night Live fans, three more SNL members are exiting the show. Regulars Melissa Villaseñor, Alex Moffat and featured player Aristotle Athari are leaving ahead of the premiere of season 48. The show is set to return this fall.
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The announcement comes after it was announced that Kyle Mooney, Pete Davidson, Aidy Bryant and Kate McKinnon were departing. They each said their final goodbyes in the last episode of season 47 back in May.
Bryant announced her departure on Instagram posting several photos of her time on the show.
hi! i started on snl when i was 25, i had never been on camera, never produced, and had a lot to learn. in my 10 years at the show there are so many people who helped me in so many ways,” she caption her Instagram post. “Gena, Chris, Wally, Jodi, Tom, Eric, Dale, Audrey, Amanda and all of the crew whose long hours and laughs in rehearsal meant the most. the cast and writers that i got to work with over the years made me laugh harder than i knew was possible. i love you and thank you from my whole heart. 💕”
Aidy Bryant Says Goodbye
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Senior producer Lindsy Shookus is also departing for the show. She worked for the show since the early 2000s and was in charge of talent relations.
Both Villaseñor and Moffat joined SNL featured performers back in 2016. They were then promoted to repertory players 2 years after. Moffat is well known for playing President Joe Biden in several sketches before James Austin Johnson took over. He also had a recurring “Weekend Update ” as Donald Trump’s son, Eric Trump and played “Guy Who Just Bought a Boat.”
Villaseñor is known for her wild and wacky impersonations including one of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Athari was with SNL for one season, joining the show as a featured player alongside Johnson and Sarah Sherman in 2021.
Three Cast Members Leave The Show
SNL has yet to comment on the departures, but they typically announce the return of old and new cast members a few weeks before the show begins. The network hasn’t set an official premiere date for the new season as of yet.
The returning cast for season 48 includes Mikey Day, Chloe Fineman, Andrew Dismukes, Michael Che, Heidi Garner, Chris Redd, Colin Jost, Ego Nwodim, James Austin Johnson, Kenan Thompson, Bowen Yang, and Punkie Johnson.
