With any new season of Saturday Night Live, the cast is bound to go through some changes. Unfortunately, the upcoming 47th season is no exception, as it'll mark the departure of a longtime cast member. Beck Bennett, who has been with NBC’s enduring sketch show since 2013, has confirmed his departure, alongside featured cast member Lauren Holt.
With the Season 47 premiere of Saturday Night Live swiftly approaching, it was likely that some casting changes would be announced, but there's likely still shock amongst fans. TV Line reported that Beck Bennett, a series regular with eight seasons under his belt, had made the decision to exit the show prior to its upcoming season. Bennett also responded to the news on his Instagram, where he posted multiple photos from his tenure at Saturday Night Live. Check out his post below:
Beck Bennett joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2013 alongside his longtime friend and collaborator Kyle Mooney. The pair gained recognition for their creation of Good Neighbor, a comedy group that primarily posted content to YouTube. Bennett created a variety of memorable characters on SNL, including Weekend Update guest Jules, a guy who "sees things a little differently," Casey, the teenaged co-host of Inside SoCal, and Baby Boss, a grown man with the motor functions of an infant. He also regularly lampooned political figures like Mike Pence, Wolf Blitzer, and, perhaps most notably, Vladimir Putin (who most often appeared shirtless).
Featured cast member Lauren Holt hadn't been on the show nearly as long as Bennett had. The Upright Citizens Brigade alumni had only been a company member for one season. This hardly signals the end of the road for her, however - SNL's list of one-season wonders includes names Sarah Silverman, Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr., who are all household names now.
The roster of returning regular cast members includes Kate McKinnon, Cecily Strong, Pete Davidson, Aidy Bryant, Mikey Day, Colin Jost, Michael Che, Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, Kyle Mooney, Alex Moffat, Chris Redd, Melissa Villaseñor, and Kenan Thompson. In addition, Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman have both been promoted to series regulars. Meanwhile, the featured ensemble will consist of returning members Punkie Johnson and Andrew Dismukes, alongside newcomers Aristotle Athari, Sarah Sherman, and James Austin Johnson.
The Season 47 premiere of Saturday Night Live will air on NBC on October 2. With host Owen Wilson (fresh off of Loki) and Grammy-winning musical guest Kacey Musgraves, the premiere is sure to start the season on the right foot. There’s a lot to look forward to: upcoming Season 47 hosts will include Kim Kardashian, Rami Malek, and SNL veteran/Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis. CinemaBlend will be sure to keep you apprised of any new host announcements!
