Heidi Gardner is leaving “Saturday Night Live” (“SNL”) after eight seasons, and she’s not the only one. Multiple cast members and writers have announced their departure in the days following Gardner’s exit,.
Variety reported the news on Thursday, as “SNL” gears up for its 51st season this fall.
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Lorne Michaels teases changes with few details
In a rare interview with Puck News on Aug. 22, “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels, 80, hinted at a major shakeup in the cast. However, he did not name names or give specifics.
“I wanted people coming back and being part of [the 50th season],” he said when asked about the changes. “So when Kate [McKinnon] hosted, Kristen [Wiig] and Maya [Rudolph] came back for it. And that meant there couldn’t be those kind of disruptions [to the cast], or anything that was going to take the focus off [the 50th season]. And we had an election.”
When asked if he felt “pressured to reinvent” the 50th season, Michaels said he does.
This reshuffling seems to have already begun, with several players confirming their exits.
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Cast turnovers at SNL are historically common, often occurring before landmark seasons or after special anniversary years.
Heidi Gardner marks a milestone, then exits
Season 50 was a big one for the long-running sketch comedy show, but it was especially meaningful for Gardner, who became the longest-tenured active female cast member on “SNL.”
Gardner was known for her quirky and emotionally intense personas. She also impersonated a wide range of celebrities and public figures like Taylor Swift, Drew Barrymore and Reba McEntire.
On Thursday, sources confirmed her exit to Variety.
Devon Walker posts cryptic farewell
On Monday, comedian Devon Walker, who joined the cast three years ago, announced his departure on Instagram. He shared a carousel of photos and a typed note titled “wait..did he quit or did he get fired?”
In the post, Walker reflected on the nature of jobs in entertainment. He said, “To me… jobs in this industry feel like a bunch of little marriages. Some of ‘em last for a long time if we’re lucky… but most of them are fleeting.”
He didn’t clarify whether he quit or was let go. However, he did allude to “toxicity” in the work environment: “Sometimes it was toxic as hell. But [we made] the most of what it was, even amidst all of the dysfunction. We made a f—-d up lil family.”
Emil Wakim also exits after one season
Just two days later, Emil Wakim shared his own departure news. Wakim, who was only on “SNL” for one season, wrote, “I won’t be returning to SNL next year. It was a gut punch of a call to get, but I’m so grateful for my time there.”
He noted that he was at Six Flags celebrating a friend’s birthday when he received the call.
“[I] went on a really emotional walk through bugs bunny park and stared out across daffy duck lake thinking about life,” he wrote.
Michael Longfellow out after recent promotion
On Thursday, multiple outlets confirmed that cast member Michael Longfellow will not return either. Longfellow joined the show in Season 48 and was promoted to the main cast for Season 50.
His exit marks another unexpected change in the roster, but the shakeup isn’t limited to cast members. Celeste Yim, the show’s first transgender writer, announced this week that they are leaving after five seasons.
“Lorne hired me over the phone when I was 23 and the job literally made all of my dreams come true,” they wrote. “BUT it was also grueling and I slept in my office every week BUT my friends helped me with everything BUT I got yelled at by random famous men BUT some famous girls too BUT I loved it and I laughed every day and it’s where I grew up.”
Additionally, writer Rosebud Baker is reportedly leaving, according to Rolling Stone.
Michaels hints at outside pressure
In his interview with Puck News, journalist Matthew Belloni asked Michaels whether outside factors influenced the shakeup — including the recent firing of Stephen Colbert at CBS and political pressure from President Donald Trump.
Michaels admitted that he felt pressure to reinvent the show going into Season 51.
“Saturday Night Live” returns October 4.
