Tag Archives: SNL featured players

‘SNL’ finds its new featured players for season 39

Out with the old, in with the new, as the saying goes. It has been confirmed that SNL vets Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, and Jason Sudeikis will not be returning to Studio 8H in September, and we know that Weekend Update host and head writer Seth Myers will be bowing out in the new year as he transitions to Late Night. Fresh blood is a needed this year as much as any and if recent reports prove true, Lorne Michaels has found his (potential) new stars.

Meet Beck Bennett, Kyle Mooney, Noël Wells, John Milhiser, and Michael Patrick O’Brien. The first four hail from the Upright Citizens Brigade, the well-established comedy house that fostered talent like Bobby Moynihan and Kate McKinnon. O’Brien, who might seem familiar to you, has been an SNL writer for four years now and he’s been featured in numerous sketches over the years in minor roles.

Thanks to the Internet, you can get to know the new SNL featured players by watching their sketches and improv on YouTube. Bennet and Mooney are part of a sketch comedy group called Good Neighbor; their video “Is my roommate gay?” is one to watch. You might recognize Bennet from those AT&T commercials with kids; fun fact: Lonely Island member and former SNL writer Jorma Taccone directs those spotsWells is a great impressionist; watch her do Zooey Deschanel and Dana from HomelandMilhiser can portray a wide range of emotions and like Mooney he’s great at being super weird; watch is encompassing acting reel and this subtle yet hysterical sketch called “Dress Code.” Thanks to his direct connection to SNL, O’Brien was able to make a really entertaining web series called 7 Minutes in Heaven and each episode features him improving with celebrities.

And there you have it. The four featured players coming to Saturday Night Live in its 39th season this fall. What do you think of the new crop of talent?

‘SNL’ adds three featured players, Jason Sudeikis staying on (for now)

As we inch ever so close to the 38th season premiere of Saturday Night Live, it’s been confirmed that three new featured players will take the place of the departed Kristin Wiig, Andy Samberg, and Abby Elliot. They are Aidy Bryant, Tim Robinson, and Cecily Strong and they all hail from Chicago’s Second City improv comedy club.

In other SNL news, although the most recent reports had Jason Sudeikis eyeing an exit from the late-night NBC show, head honcho Lorne Michaels informs us that the actor will remain on the show “at least until January” so that he can reprise his roles as presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Vice President Joe Biden as we head into election season.

And there’s one more thing: Michaels has shared that featured player Jay Pharoah will be replacing Fred Armisen as President Obama on the show this season. In an interview with the New York Times Michaels said, “Jay has been doing Obama in his act this summer, and Jay is coming into his own. I just thought it might be time to shake it up.”

SNL returns to NBC’s lineup this Saturday night (9/15) at 11:35PM with host Seth MacFarlane and musical guest Frank Ocean.

[Via EW; NYT 1, 2]