“Saturday Night Live” will be debuting its landmark 52nd season this fall, and fans of the venerable late-night sketch show can expect to see some changes.
That includes longtime cast members who won’t be back, those who will, and new arrivals as the annual “SNL” auditions shape up.
Here’s what’s known about the upcoming season so far.
Goodbye to Chloe Fineman
Last month, cast member Chloe Fineman announced she wouldn’t be returning, bringing her “SNL” run to an end after seven seasons.
Fineman announced the news on Instagram on July 16. “After 7 wonderful seasons at SNL, I have decided it’s time for my next chapter,” she wrote in her post.
Almost immediately after that announcement, Netflix announced that she’d joined the cast of “Myron Bolitar,” the upcoming series based on hit-making novelist Harlan Coben‘s books.
Who’ll (Probably) Be Back
NBCSo far, none of Fineman’s fellow cast members have indicated they’ll be leaving.
At this point, it’s expected that “SNL” stars James Austin Johnson, Sarah Sherman, Andrew Dismukes, Mikey Day, Marcello Hernández, Devon Walker, Ashley Padilla and Michael Longfellow will all be back. Also expected to return is Kenan Thompson, the longest-serving cast member in the show’s history, with Season 52 marking his 24th season on the show.
Also expected to return are last season’s new arrivals, featured players Ben Marshall, Jeremy Culhane, Veronika Slowikowska, Kam Patterson and Tommy Brennan. It remains to be seen if any or all will be bumped up from feature player status to full-fledged repertory players.
Rumored Newbies
As for who could be joining the show, Deadline reports that auditions have been underway, and several up-and-coming performers are gaining an inside track.
According to buzz, contenders for the show’s coveted featured-player spots include Trenton Mason and Saidah Belo-Osagie Claire Riffle, Grace Reiter, Devin Bockrath, Olivia Puckett, Ismael Loutfi, Rachel Coster, Russell Daniels and Ana Fabrega, among others.
At the moment, “SNL” reps are declining to comment until the final decisions have been made.
A Behind-the-Scenes Ouster
Earlier this month, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that longtime music booker Brian Siedlecki won’t be returning for the 52nd season.
A 30-year veteran who started as an intern, Siedlecki had been instrumental in ensuring that “SNL” remained “one of the most-coveted music bookings in entertainment, a must-stop for artists plugging their new records and a major milestone in establishing burgeoning acts as superstars.”
Per THR, the choice to exit the show was apparently not his, with “SNL” opting not to renew his contract.
What About Lorne?
NBCThe biggest question about the new season rests with the show’s creator, guiding light and longtime producer Lorne Michaels.
In November 2026, Michaels will celebrate his 82nd birthday, and rumors have been rife that he’ll soon be passing the torch.
While Michaels has stated his intention to continue in his role for the upcoming season, when he does decide to anoint a successor, two names have stood out: Tina Fey and Seth Meyers.
Both served as head writers “SNL” in addition to performing, and both went on to their own successful post-“SNL” careers.
For now, though, Michaels’ plan is to stay the course.
“I’m going to do everything I can to see it carry on and carry on well,” Michaels said during a 2021 interview with “CBS Mornings” (via People), at that point indicating he planned to exit after the 50th season.
He reversed course on that, however, and in a subsequent interview with The New York Times he admitted that retirement was not on his bingo card.
“I have no plans to retire,” he bluntly declared.
Meanwhile, Fey stated during a “Today” interview that “He’s not gonna retire. No ma’am. He has an elixir and he will live forever.” Speaking with Deadline, Meyers insisted he had no intention of stepping into his former boss’s shoes. “It is not a job for me,” he said. “I really think everybody underestimates the idea that Lorne Michaels might just be irreplaceable.”
