Jordan Karlesson
Saturday Night Live fans have four new faces to enjoy after the recent departures of high-profile SNL cast members Kyle Mooney, Pete Davidson, Aidy Bryant, and Kate McKinnon.
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Per Deadline, SNL creator Lorne Michaels said backstage at last night’s Emmy Awards: “There are four new people at least for now.” He reportedly didn’t provide their names, as the ink hasn’t dried yet on agreements for the new cast members.
‘SNL’ Undergoing ‘Transition Year’
“This will be transition year,” Michaels reportedly said. “Change years are always difficult but always exciting. There are new people. There are four new people at least for now.”
Mooney, Davidson, Bryant, and McKinnon said their final goodbyes in the last episode of Saturday Night Live Season 47 in May. About two weeks ago, SNL regulars Melissa Villaseñor, Alex Moffat, and featured player Aristotle Athari, are also gone.
“The pandemic sort of interfered with the national order of things,” Michaels said. “I think there was a bonding, people got very close. When we did those at-home shows, you got to see everyone’s apartment where and how they lived. There was an intimacy and connection between audience and group. I couldn’t imagine we could work without that whole team so we kept going.”
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.
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.
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.
Season 48 is set to premiere October 1, Variety reported Monday. Deadline specified that the new season will start with three consecutive new shows.
