Saturday Night Live has finalized its cast for Season 51, with a slate of veteran performers returning to Studio 8H and five new featured players set to make their debuts when the NBC sketch series returns Oct. 4, Variety and other outlets reported Monday.
Among those confirmed to return are Bowen Yang, Ego Nwodim and Chloe Fineman, while Kenan Thompson will return for a record-breaking 23rd season. Colin Jost and Michael Che are also expected to resume their roles at the “Weekend Update” desk for a 12th year together, after reports that creator Lorne Michaels had screen-tested potential new anchors. The Post reported that Scarlett Johansson, Jost’s wife, indicated he was "going back to work" in the days before the finalized lineup was revealed.
The returning ensemble includes Mikey Day, Sarah Sherman, Marcello Hernández, Andrew Dismukes and James Austin Johnson, along with Season 50 newcomers Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline. Variety and other reports said five new featured players will join the show for the landmark season: Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Please Don’t Destroy’s Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska. NBC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Several cast members who appeared in Season 50 will not return. Devon Walker announced his departure last month, saying on Instagram that his three years on the show had been “really cool” at times and “toxic as hell” at others, adding that the group had become a “f–ked up lil family.” Emil Wakim wrote that working on SNL had been “the most terrifying, thrilling and rewarding experience of my life,” and that he would miss the people who made it feel like home. Michael Longfellow confirmed in a social media post that he would not be returning for a fourth season.
Heidi Gardner, who had been the longest-tenured woman on the show with eight seasons, also departed after her contract was not renewed, an insider told The Post. The reported exits follow remarks from Michaels that hinted at a broader cast reshuffle ahead of the new season.
The finalized roster reflects a mix of established players and newer voices, a pattern SNL has used in recent seasons to refresh its ensemble while maintaining continuity in its marquee roles. The announced additions join an existing group that includes sketch mainstays and performers elevated from featured status in previous years.
Season 51 will mark another milestone for Thompson, whose long tenure has made him one of the show’s most enduring cast members. Producers have regularly adjusted the roster in response to cast departures, career moves and the show’s ongoing efforts to introduce new performers to its live-comedy format.
The sketch show, which has aired on NBC since 1975, will return to Studio 8H on Oct. 4 for its next season with the newly announced lineup. Variety first reported the finalized cast. The New York Post reached out to NBC for comment on the reported roster and departures.