Saturday Night Live is making a lot of changes to the cast for season 51.
Showrunner Lorne Michaels teased that there would be a casting shakeup following the variety show’s milestone 50th season.
“Last season, when we were at the party of the first show, quarter of four in the morning, Dana [Carvey, who played Joe Biden] comes over to me and says, ‘I don’t think anyone knows you called me June 4th [to play Biden].’ I wanted people coming back and being part of [the 50th season],” Michaels said in an August 24 interview with Puck. “So when Kate [McKinnon] hosted, Kristen [Wiig] and Maya [Rudolph] came back for it. And that meant there couldn’t be those kind of disruptions [to the cast], or anything that was going to take the focus off [the 50th season]. And we had an election.”
Michaels stated that casting news would be coming soon and confirmed that James Austin Johnson would return. The following day, Devon Walker was the first cast member to announce his departure. His post included a photo of him behind the scenes with the caption, “Me and baby broke up ❤️.”
SNL season 51 will premiere on NBC Saturday, October 4.
Keep scrolling to see who is returning — and who’s not — for SNL season 51:
James Austin Johnson — Returning
James Austin Johnson TheStewartofNY/WireImage
Michaels confirmed to Puck on August 24 that Johnson would continue his Donald Trump impression for season 51. Johnson has not addressed his return.
Devon Walker — Leaving
Devon Walker Taylor Hill/FilmMagic
Walker announced his SNL departure after three seasons via Instagram on August 25. In the slideshow, the comedian included a message to fans titled, “Wait … did he quit or did he get fired?”
“To me, jobs in this industry feel like a bunch of little marriages. Some of em last for a long time if we’re lucky, but most of them are fleeting,” Walker wrote. “Permanent until they’re not. That’s the deal. You know what it is when you sign up.”
He continued: “Me and the show did three years together, and sometimes it was really cool. Sometimes it was toxic as hell. But … we made the most of what it was, even amidst all the dysfunction. We made a f***ed up lil family.”
Emil Wakim — Leaving
Emil Wakim Taylor Hill/FilmMagic
After Walker’s shocking announcement, Wakim shared that he would not be coming back to the show following his first season.
“It was a gut punch of a call to get but I’m so grateful for my time there,” Wakim reflected via Instagram on August 27. “I was at Six Flags celebrating my friend’s 36th birthday and went on a really emotional walk through Bugs Bunny Park and stared out across Daffy Duck Lake thinking about life.”
Wakim also expressed his gratitude for the experience.
“Every time I scanned into the building I would think how insane it is to get to work there. It was the most terrifying, thrilling, and rewarding experience of my life and I will miss it dearly and all the brilliant people that work there that made it feel like a home. Thank u to Lorne for taking a chance on me and changing my life,” he continued. “I was so lucky to bring some of myself in there and say things I believed in and I’m excited for whatever chapter comes next. Here’s to making more art without compromise.”
Michael Longfellow — Leaving
Michael Longfellow Taylor Hill/FilmMagic
Deadline reported on August 28 that Longfellow was exiting SNL after three seasons. Longfellow has not addressed his departure.
Heidi Garnder — Leaving
News broke on August 28 that Gardner would not be returning for season 51 after starring on the series for eight years. Gardner did not immediately comment on the news.
