Just as the summer sun was warming up, a cold front of existential dread rolled through 30 Rockefeller Plaza. In the span of a single week, Saturday Night Live shed cast members like a nervous golden retriever sheds fur in the vet’s office. The departures have left fans asking the big questions: Why? How? And is Lorne Michaels okay? (He’s fine. He’s always fine.)
Below, we break down the chaotic, tear-stained, and vaguely cryptic world of the latest SNL cast departures.
Is SNL Ending?
No, the show is not ending. Season 51 is still premiering on October 4, 2025. The show will go on, likely with a sketch about the political candidate you’re already tired of hearing about and a Please Don’t Destroy video filmed in a suspiciously empty hallway.
The Great Cast Purge of 2025: Who Got the Axe (Or Grabbed the Parachute)?
The following comedians are packing up their wigs and saying goodbye to the “f**ked up lil family”:
-
Heidi Gardner: The silent but deadly exit. After eight seasons of making us snort-laugh, she’s outta there without a public word. Did she escape through a ventilation shaft? Is she living in a prop closet, waiting for her moment? The world may never know.
-
Devon Walker: He left us a beautiful, confusing note on Instagram that was basically the breakup text of the century. It was like, “We had some good times, sometimes it was toxic, I love you, I hate you, wait did I dump you or did you dump me?” Classic.
-
Marcello Hernández: Also gone. Presumably to start a much less stressful career, like defusing bombs or becoming a parenting influencer.
-
Molly Kearney: Departing. Probably to finally get a full night’s sleep on a Saturday.
-
Michael Longfellow: Got the “gut punch” call but was an absolute class act about it, thanking Lorne for even putting his mom on TV. A true mother’s boy. We stan.
-
Sarah Sherman: SHARON! IS! OUT! (We assume she left to finally complete her transformation into a humanoid worm creature).
Why Are They Leaving? The Reasons Are… Hazy
The reasons for the exits are about as clear as a sketch that got cut at 1 a.m. on Saturday.
Devon posted a note that basically said, “It’s complicated,” leaving everyone to speculate if he quit or was fired. Then Emil Palmieri clarified things by revealing he was told he wouldn’t be returning, which is corporate-speak for “You can’t quit, you’re fired!”
Michael Longfellow confirmed his release was a major bummer, but he’s grateful for the experience, the friends, and the fact that his mom now has a better IMDB page than he does.
In the midst of this chaos, Ego Nwodim peace’d out back in September on her own terms, like the smartest kid in class who finished the test early and is already at the beach. She didn’t say why, but we assume it was to go be magnificent somewhere with better hours.
Who’s Left Standing?
In a shocking twist, Lorne Michaels himself has only confirmed that one man, the impeccable impression machine James Austin Johnson, will be returning. The rest of the season 50 cast is presumably still there, cautiously peeking out from behind the Weekend Update desk.
The cast, for now, likely includes:
-
Kenan Thompson (He has seen empires rise and fall. He is eternal.)
-
Mikey Day
-
Bowen Yang
-
Chloe Troast
-
Please Don’t Destroy (They’re locked in a writing room. Send snacks.)
So fear not! SNL will return. It will just be… a lot roomier backstage.