close
close

The new actors, prominent presenters and political impressions to be expected this year

Every season of Saturday Night Live introduces the world to a lot of viral cultural moments, but this year the show is celebrating a big milestone: its 50th season.

The live sketch comedy show starts the new season with a bang: A film about the first episode, Saturday night, will be in cinemas in October. SNL will also address a monumental presidential election in November. The first episode will air on September 28 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Here's what we know about 'SNL's 50th season so far.

Emil Wakim holds a microphone during a stand-up comedy performance.

Emil Wakim, a new SNL Actor performs at the Stress Factory Comedy Club in New Brunswick, NJ, in 2021. (Bobby Bank/Getty Images)

As always a new season of SNL means a new generation of comedians. This year's newcomers are Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim and Jane Wickline.

Padilla hails from the Los Angeles comedy troupe Groundlings, which also brought us Will Ferrell, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig. She has appeared in several shows, including HBO's Curb your enthusiasm and NBC's Night Court Restart.

Wakim is a stand-up comedian who was named the “New Face of Comedy” at the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal in 2022. He has opened for Roy Wood Jr., Nikki Glaser, Hasan Minhaj and Neal Brennan.

Wickline is a TikTok sensation with nearly 1 million followers.

Returning main cast members include Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson and Bowen Yang. Marcello Hernández, Michael Longfellow and Devon Walker, who were main cast members last season, move up to the main cast.

Chloe Troast, Punkie Johnson and Molly Kearney have all left the show.

Jean Smart on the red carpet at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards.Jean Smart on the red carpet at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Jean Smart, who just won an Emmy for her role in the comedy series hacks, will host the first SNL episode of the season. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)

SNL announced the presenters and musical guests for the first five episodes of the season:

  • 28 September: Jean Smart and Jelly Roll

  • October 5: Nate Bargatze and Coldplay

  • October 12: Ariana Grande and Stevie Nicks

  • October 19: Michael Keaton and Billie Eilish

  • November 2: John Mulaney and Chappell Roan

We have long been obsessed with casting celebrities as public figures SNL, and the rumors about who will run against whom in the presidential election are getting louder and louder.

Maya Rudolph will definitely play Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the presidential nominee. Although a number of people have played former President Donald Trump over the years, that job went to James Austin Johnson for the past four seasons, and it will most likely stay that way.

Steve Martin, a fan favorite for the role of Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, told the Los Angeles Times he is “not an impersonator.” Other possible candidates include John Goodman, Danny DeVito, Jim O'Heir and Jim Gaffigan.

Trump's running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, is also likely to appear in the series – fans have suggested that Taran Killam, Zach Galifianakis or Shane Gillis could try a chance.

Cast member Chloe Fineman told Variety that this season might finally be her chance to try out her impersonation of former First Lady Melania Trump. The jury is still out on who should play Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, but he jokingly suggested in an interview with Esquire, “Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Chris Hemsworth – you know, people who look exactly like me.”

The film Saturday night, The film, which will be shown in select theaters on September 27 before hitting theaters on October 11, follows the chaotic 90 minutes leading up to the show's premiere in 1975. It is not a product of SNL or his network, but has an ensemble of authors, actors and producers who brought everything together on the first evening.

Director Jason Reitman and casting director John Papsidera told The Hollywood Reporter how they cast these familiar roles with both familiar faces and up-and-coming talent, from Dylan O'Brien to Gabriel LaBelle.

Lorne Michaels in a black suit.Lorne Michaels in a black suit.

SNL Creator and producer Lorne Michaels. (Taylor Hill/WireImage)

In 2020, showrunner Lorne Michaels suggested that he would step down from SNL after the 50th season, but now he plans to stay here.

“I just know that this is what I do and as long as I can keep doing it, I'll keep doing it. There are no immediate plans,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in September.

A three-hour special broadcast in honor of the five decades of SNL will air on February 16, 2025.

Looking for more recommendations? Check out our Guide to the best fall entertainment.

You may also like...