List of Saturday Night Live cast members
, the late-night live variety series Saturday Night Live has featured 153 cast members. The ensemble was originally referred to as the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players."
Complete list
The list below includes both repertory and featured players past and present, but omits SNL writers and others who were not listed as cast members during the show's credits. The dates given are those of the years they were part of the cast. The chart also shows whether the cast member has served as a guest host, appeared as the anchorperson of the "Weekend Update" segment, or has been the subject of their own "Best of" home video collection. Many of the cast members were writers as well. "Middle group" performers are introduced after the main cast by the announcer saying "...with" and reading off these performers before ending with featured players.Table
Timeline
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bar:Moffat from:10/01/2016 till:09/28/2018 color:pink
bar:Moffat from:09/29/2018 till:end color:red
bar:Villaseñor from:10/01/2016 till:09/28/2018 color:lightorange
bar:Villaseñor from:09/29/2018 till:end color:orange
bar:Gardner from:09/30/2017 till:09/27/2019 color:limegreen
bar:Gardner from:09/28/2019 till:end color:green
bar:Null from:09/30/2017 till:05/19/2018 color:skyblue
bar:Redd from:09/30/2017 till:09/27/2019 color:lavender
bar:Redd from:09/28/2019 till:end color:purple
bar:Nwodim from:09/29/2018 till:end color:pink
bar:fineman from:09/28/2019 till:end color:lightorange
bar:yang from:09/28/2019 till:end color:limegreen
Tenures
Longest tenures
Cast members with the longest tenures include:| Performer | No. of seasons | Years on the show | Notes |
| Kenan Thompson | 17 | 2003–present | Thompson, born in 1978, is the first cast member born after the show's premiere in 1975 to have joined the show. |
| Darrell Hammond | 14 | 1995–2009 | Hired after a cast overhaul, he was the last cast member hired in the 1990s to leave the show, and the oldest cast member to leave the show. At the time of his departure, he held the record for the longest tenure with the show, a record that lasted for eight years until broken by Thompson. In 2014, Hammond returned to the show as the announcer following the death of longtime announcer Don Pardo. |
| Seth Meyers | 13 | 2001–2014 | Meyers anchored Weekend Update from 2006 to 2014, making him the longest-serving Weekend Update anchor. He left the show to become the host of Late Night. |
| Fred Armisen | 11 | 2002–2013 | |
| Al Franken | 10 | 1977–1980; 1986 ; 1988–1995 | Worked as a writer the first two seasons, and promoted to cast member in Season 3. He left the show in 1980, but returned when Lorne Michaels came back in 1985, regaining his writing and on-air featured status until 1995. Despite the long tenure, he was only credited for about 90 episodes. Franken later served as a United States Senator from Minnesota from 2009 until 2018. |
| Tim Meadows | 9½ | 1991–2000 | Meadows joined the show in the second half of season 16, and left at the end of season 25. At the time of his departure, he held the record for the longest uninterrupted tenure as a cast member. |
Shortest tenures
Two people have been publicly announced as having been hired to the cast, but never performed as cast members:- Catherine O'Hara, hired in 1981 but quit before ever appearing on air. She has subsequently hosted the show twice.
- Shane Gillis was announced as a cast member in 2019, but the offer was withdrawn due to controversies surrounding his past use of racial slurs.
- Emily Prager was hired as part of Ebersol's temporary season six cast following the termination of Jean Doumanian. She was credited for one episode even though she did not appear on the show, as her skit was cut after dress rehearsal. She was not chosen for season seven of the show. Prager had worked as a writer on the show, and also made several appearances on the show, prior to being officially named as a member of the cast.
| Performer | No. of episodes | Notes |
| George Coe | 1 | He was one of the original "Not-Ready-for-Primetime Players", because NBC wanted someone older in the cast. He was credited as a cast member for only the first episode, though he continued to make several uncredited appearances throughout the first season. He was later known for voicing the valet Woodhouse in the animated series Archer. |
| Laurie Metcalf | 1 | She was hired as part of Ebersol's temporary season six cast following the termination of Jean Doumanian, and appeared on-camera in a Weekend Update piece. When the show was put on hiatus for retooling, she was not chosen to return to the show for season seven. |
| Dan Vitale | 3 | Hired as an on-and-off featured player for season 11, he was only credited with appearing in three episodes throughout the season. |
| Morwenna Banks | 4 | She was hired as a repertory player for the last four episodes of season 20, but was let out of her contract as part of a major cast overhaul Lorne Michaels had planned for season 21. |
| Ben Stiller | 4 | Before becoming a cast member, he submitted a short film – a parody of the film The Color of Money – that was shown on the season 12 episode hosted by Charlton Heston. He was hired during season 14, but quit after four episodes due to creative differences. Despite this, he returned to host in 1998 and 2011 and later had a recurring role as Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's ex-lawyer. |
| Fred Wolf | 4 | He's been a writer since 1992. However, he became a featured player in near the end season 21 for the last four episodes, however, he only appeared and was credited for episodes 17, 18, and 20. His last episode was in the 3rd episode of the 22nd season. After that episode, he decided to leave the show for good. |
| Tom Schiller | 7 | One of the show writers who was upgraded to cast member status during season five, he left the show at the end of the season. |
| Patrick Weathers | 7 | Hired as a featured cast member for season six, he was fired along with many of Doumanian's cast. |
| Yvonne Hudson | 8 | She was a recurring extra during season five, and became the first black female cast member in season six. Like many of Doumanian's cast, she was fired mid-season. |
| Jim Downey | 9 | He was hired as one of many writers-turned-feature players in season five, and though he left the cast after the season, he returned to the show as a writer in the mid-1980s and has remained with it. |
| Matthew Laurance | 10 | Hired as a feature player during season six, he was fired as part of the mid-season overhaul. |
| Alan Zweibel | 11 | A writer for the show before joining the cast in season five, he left after the season finale. |
| Gilbert Gottfried | 12 | He joined the cast for season six and was fired as part of the mid-season overhaul. |
| Michael O'Donoghue | 12 | One of the original "Not Ready for Primetime Players" and the show's first head writer, he was dropped as a cast member after a few episodes. He remained with the show as a writer and occasional on-screen performer. |
| Ann Risley | 12 | She joined the cast for season six and was fired as part of the mid-season overhaul. |
| Charles Rocket | 12 | He joined the cast for season six and was fired as part of the mid-season overhaul, after having said "fuck" one episode prior. |
| Damon Wayans | 12 | Hired for season 11 as a featured player, he was fired mid-season for improvising on the air. He returned as a guest to perform stand-up comedy on season 11's last episode and hosted SNL in 1995. |
| Beth Cahill | 13 | She joined the show during season 17 as an off-and-on featured player. She did not return the following season, as she was fired along with castmate Siobhan Fallon. |
| Denny Dillon | 13 | She joined the cast for season six and was let go after the finale as part of the cast overhaul. She auditioned for the show's first season, but did not make the cut. |
| Gail Matthius | 13 | She joined the cast for season six and was let go after the season ended. |
| Paul Shaffer | 13 | After being the band's pianist for the first five seasons, he joined the cast during season five, but left after the finale. He hosted SNL in 1987, making him the only member of the house band to do so. |
| Janeane Garofalo | 14 | She joined the cast during season 20, but quit mid-season due to creative differences. |
| Michaela Watkins | 15 | She joined the show on the first episode after the 2008 United States presidential election, then was let go before the start of season 35. |
| Peter Aykroyd | 16 | He joined the show midway through season five, but left at the end of the season, after only 16 episodes. |
Youngest cast members
| Performer | Age when joined show | Tenure |
| Anthony Michael Hall | 17 years, 6 months | 1985–1986 |
| Eddie Murphy | 19 years, 8 months | 1980–1984 |
| Robert Downey Jr. | 20 years, 5 months | 1985–1986 |
| Pete Davidson | 20 years, 10 months | 2014–present |
| Abby Elliott | 21 years, 5 months | 2008–2012 |
| Julia Louis-Dreyfus | 21 years, 8 months | 1982–1985 |
| Sarah Silverman | 22 years, 9 months | 1993–1994 |
| Jay Pharoah | 22 years, 11 months | 2010–2016 |
Oldest cast members
| Performer | Age when joined show | Tenure |
| Leslie Jones | 47 years | 2014–2019 |
| George Coe | 46 years, 155 days | 1975 |
| Michael McKean | 46 years, 147 days | 1994–1995 |
| Darrell Hammond | 39 years old, 11 months | 1995–2009 |
| Garrett Morris | 38 years, 8 months | 1975–1980 |
| Phil Hartman | 38 years, 1 month | 1986–1994 |
| Mike O'Brien | 37 years old | 2013–2014 |
| Michaela Watkins | 36 years, 11 months | 2008–2009 |
| Don Novello | 36 years, 10 months | 1979–1980; 1985–1986 |
| Colin Quinn | 36 years, 9 months | 1996–2000 |
After 14 seasons, Hammond left as the show's oldest active cast member, ending his tenure at 53 years during his final season in 2009. Leslie Jones is the oldest female cast member to have left the show, having left at age 51.
President of the United States impressionists
Portraying the sitting President of the United States is considered "about as high an honor that can be bestowed upon a cast member."| Sitting President | Performer |
| Gerald Ford | Chevy Chase |
| Jimmy Carter | Dan Aykroyd Joe Piscopo |
| Ronald Reagan | Charles Rocket Joe Piscopo Harry Shearer Randy Quaid Phil Hartman |
| George H. W. Bush | Dana Carvey |
| Bill Clinton | Phil Hartman Michael McKean Darrell Hammond |
| President | Performer |
| George W. Bush | Will Ferrell Chris Parnell Darrell Hammond Will Forte Jason Sudeikis |
| Barack Obama | Fred Armisen Jay Pharoah |
| Donald Trump | Alec Baldwin |
Darrell Hammond had the longest tenure portraying a U.S. president, portraying Bill Clinton from 1995–2001, and George W. Bush during 2003. This makes him one of only three cast members to have portrayed two sitting presidents, with Joe Piscopo and Phil Hartman being the others.
There was a sketch featuring Chris Farley, David Spade, Chris Elliott, Adam Sandler, and Tim Meadows auditioning for the role of Clinton. There was also a gag in a 2001 sketch with Tracy Morgan filling in for Will Ferrell as George W. Bush.
The web short Presidential Reunion, released in 2010 and produced by Funny or Die, reunites six SNL cast members who have portrayed sitting presidents. The cast members span all the sitting presidents that have been portrayed on SNL up to 2010 with the exception of Ronald Reagan. Jim Carrey portrayed Ronald Reagan in the web short because two of the actors who had portrayed Reagan had died, and the remaining three had declined to appear in the reunion. Although he was never a cast member for SNL, Carrey did audition to be a cast member for the 1980–81 season and has hosted the show in May 1996.
George H. W. Bush grew fond of Dana Carvey's impersonation of him. Carvey was invited to headline a White House Christmas party in 1992, during the lame duck period after Bush had lost the elections. Two years later, on October 22, 1994, when Carvey hosted the show for the first time, Bush appeared in pre-recorded videos in both the cold open, as well as the opening monologue critiquing Carvey's impersonation of him.
Presidents are not usually portrayed on Saturday Night Live after they leave office. Exceptions are limited to the portrayal of president Richard Nixon who left office prior to the launch of the show in 1975. Dan Aykroyd portrayed Nixon from 1975–79, and Darrell Hammond portrayed Nixon on episode 12 of season 34.
Impersonation of Donald Trump
, having been a public figure before being president, was portrayed by several cast members over the years. He was portrayed by Phil Hartman, Darrell Hammond, Jason Sudeikis and Taran Killam. Alec Baldwin started impersonating Trump as a guest during the 42nd season in late 2016, when Trump was the Republican nominee during the 2016 United States presidential elections. Baldwin continued with the guest impersonations of Trump after the elections when Trump was President-elect of the United States, as well as after Trump was sworn in as president. Baldwin continues to impersonate Trump as of season 45.Alec Baldwin's impersonation of Donald Trump earned him an Emmy award in 2017, in spite of his public declaration that he "loathes the role." At the end of season 44, Baldwin publicly announced that he would cease impersonating Trump, but changed his mind prior to the beginning of season 45 after SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels convinced him to continue with the impersonation. Traditionally, presidents do not comment on their portrayal by Saturday Night Live. However, Trump has criticized Baldwin's portrayal of him on multiple occasions. In response, Baldwin taunted Trump with statements such as "release your tax returns and I'll stop."
Trump himself hosted the show on April 3, 2004 and November 7, 2015. Trump's hosting in 2015 occurred while he was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. On that episode, Trump praised Killam's and Hammond's portrayal of him.
Emmy Awards
The Primetime Emmy Awards are presented by the American Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. These are the cast members who won or were nominated for an Emmy for their work while in the cast.| Year | Performer | Category | Result | |
| 1976 | Chevy Chase | Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Supporting Actor | ||
| 1977 | Chevy Chase | Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Supporting Actor | ||
| 1977 | John Belushi | Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Supporting Actor | ||
| 1977 | Gilda Radner | Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Supporting Actress | ||
| 1978 | Dan Aykroyd | Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Supporting Actor | ||
| 1978 | John Belushi | Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Supporting Actor | ||
| 1978 | Jane Curtin | Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Supporting Actress | ||
| 1978 | Gilda Radner | Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Supporting Actress | ||
| 1984 | Eddie Murphy | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 1984 | Joe Piscopo | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 1985 | Billy Crystal | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 1986 | Jon Lovitz | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 1987 | Jon Lovitz | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 1989 | Dana Carvey | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 1990 | Dana Carvey | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 1991 | Dana Carvey | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 1992 | Dana Carvey | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 1993 | Dana Carvey | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 1994 | Phil Hartman | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 1994 | Mike Myers | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 2000 | Molly Shannon | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 2001 | Will Ferrell | Performance in a Variety or Music Program | ||
| 2008 | Amy Poehler | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2009 | Amy Poehler | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2009 | Kristen Wiig | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2010 | Kristen Wiig | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2011 | Kristen Wiig | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2012 | Kristen Wiig | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2012 | Bill Hader | Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2013 | Bill Hader | Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2014 | Kate McKinnon | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2015 | Kate McKinnon | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2016 | Kate McKinnon | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2017 | Kate McKinnon | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2017 | Vanessa Bayer | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2017 | Leslie Jones | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2017 | Alec Baldwin | Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2018 | Aidy Bryant | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2018 | Leslie Jones | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2018 | Kate McKinnon | Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2018 | Kenan Thompson | Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series |
Returning to host
Several former SNL cast members have returned to host the show. The first former cast member to come back and host the show was Chevy Chase in February 1978. While the majority of cast members who also hosted the show were first cast members and then hosted after leaving the show, there have been two cast members who have hosted the show prior to joining the cast: Billy Crystal and Michael McKean.Eddie Murphy is the only cast member to have hosted the show while still a cast member. He also holds the distinction of having the longest gap between successive hosting of the show. There was a 35 year and 6 day gap between his second and third hosting of the show.
Adam Sandler and Dan Aykroyd tie the record of the longest gap between leaving the show as a cast member and returning as a host. Both hosted the show for the first time nine days shy of 24 years from last appearance as cast. However, both made appearances on the show during the gap. On the flip side, Kristen Wiig holds the record for having the shortest gap between leaving the show and returning to host. Wiig first hosted the show only 357 days after leaving the cast.
"''SNL'' Curse"
Although SNL is best known as the launchpad for many successful careers, nine former cast members have died before the age of 60. This has given rise to a superstition known as the "Saturday Night Live Curse".| Cast member | Age | Date of death | Cause of death |
| 33 | March 5, 1982 | Belushi died of a drug overdose from a speedball injection. His death led to the conviction of Cathy Smith for administering the fatal injection. | |
| 42 | May 20, 1989 | Radner died from ovarian cancer. She was originally scheduled to host the season 13 finale, a first for a former female cast member. However, SNL was canceled due to a Writer's Guild of America strike. Radner's health worsened the following year. Moments before the season 14 finale, news broke of Radner's death. In lieu of the opening monologue Steve Martin, visibly shaken, introduced a replay of the "Dancing in the Dark" sketch he and Radner had performed in a 1978 episode; her ex-husband G. E. Smith performed a musical tribute to Radner with the SNL Band. | |
| 40 | August 21, 1994 | Vance died of breast cancer, which had returned after a remission three years earlier. | |
| Michael O'Donoghue | 54 | November 8, 1994 | O'Donoghue died from cerebral hemorrhage after suffering from severe chronic migraine headaches for most of his life. Bill Murray honored O'Donoghue's memory in an appearance on a season 20 episode by replaying his sketch "Mr. Mike's Least Loved Bedtime Stories: The Soiled Kimono" from 1977. |
| 33 | December 18, 1997 | Similar to Belushi, Farley died of a drug overdose from a speedball. His death occurred less than two months after he came back to host SNL, which turned out to be his final television appearance. | |
| 49 | May 28, 1998 | Hartman was murdered by his wife, Brynn, while he slept in his Encino, California, home. Before committing this crime, Brynn had allegedly consumed a combination of cocaine, alcohol, and the antidepressant drug Zoloft, and later killed herself. During SNLs 25th anniversary special in 1999, several of Hartman's peers honored his memory by replaying his sketch "Love is a Dream" from 1988. | |
| 56 | October 7, 2005 | Rocket was found dead in his Canterbury, Connecticut, backyard. Local police concluded his death a suicide; Rocket had allegedly taken his own life by slashing his throat with a box cutter. | |
| 59 | July 19, 2012 | Davis died from head and neck cancer. | |
| 57 | October 9, 2014 | Hooks died of throat cancer after a long illness. |