“Saturday Night Live” is gearing up for its 51st season with some major cast changes you need to know about.
Five new featured players are joining the iconic NBC sketch comedy show. Ben Marshall, part of the comedy trio Please Don’t Destroy, is stepping into a featured role after four seasons with the group. This is a big moment for Marshall, who’s helped shape the unique humor of the show since joining. Meanwhile, fellow Please Don’t Destroy member John Higgins is exiting “SNL,” though writer Martin Herlihy remains with the team.
Joining Marshall this season are Veronika Slowikowska, Jeremy Chanel, Kam Patterson, and Tommy Brennan. Slowikowska has made a name for herself on Instagram with viral comedy clips and has acting roles on Netflix’s “Tires” and FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows.” Jeremy Culhane is a familiar face in comedy circles, performing regularly with the Upright Citizens Brigade in L.A. and on Dropout TV.
Kam Patterson, a stand-up comic, is known for his guest spots on Tony Hinchcliffe’s podcast “Kill Tony” and is set to appear in Kevin Hart’s upcoming Netflix film “72 Hours.” Tommy Brennan, recognized as a Just for Laughs New Face of Comedy in 2023, has also been featured on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
As the new faces arrive, some familiar ones are saying goodbye. Heidi Gardner, an “SNL” veteran with eight seasons, is leaving the show. Michael Longfellow and Devon Walker, each with three seasons under their belts, are also departing, along with Emil Wakim, who leaves after only one season.
Walker took to Instagram to reflect on his time with “SNL,” describing it as a rollercoaster of highs and lows but ultimately appreciating the “fucked up lil family” he found there. Wakim echoed the sentiment, calling his “SNL” experience “the most terrifying, thrilling, and rewarding” of his life.
The highly anticipated Season 51 of “Saturday Night Live” kicks off on NBC on October 4. It follows a huge 50th anniversary season packed with documentaries, a concert special at Radio City Music Hall, and a star-studded three-hour telecast featuring “SNL” legends.
