As one of television’s most established series, Saturday Night Live has been a massive breeding ground for the comedy world. And while a sizable number of actors only end up sticking around the show for a few years (or even just one season) before guiding their careers to other areas, some performers stick around longer than most TV series are even on the air.
Some of the most iconic former SNL actors can even say they were part of the cast for at least a decade. The following are the nine Studio 8H alumni who have earned that honor, so far.
10. Colin Jost (10 Years)
Years Active: 2014-Present
Even though his primary contribution to SNL on camera has been sitting behind a desk as Michael Che’s co-anchor, Colin Jost still counts as a cast member and one of the few who has made it to ten years on the show. In fact, the husband of two-time Academy Award nominee and Five-Timers Club member Scarlett Johansson holds the record as “Weekend Update's" longest-running host, having surpassed Seth Meyers in 2021. Jost’s time at Studio 8H is actually double what we have seen on camera, having first been brought on as a writer in 2005 and later serving as a co-head writer from 2012 to 2015 and again from 2017 to 2021.
9. Tim Meadows – 10 Years
Years Active: 1991-2000
A Second City vet who worked alongside Chris Farley, Tim Meadows joined the cast and writing staff in Season 16 and, when he left the show in 2000, he was the most established repertory performer at the time. He was responsible for hilarious and/or frightening impressions of such celebs as Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, and Sammy Davis Jr. – the latter of which he also played in Wayne’s World 2. In fact, the Mean Girls cast member’s film career started out with just SNL movies, and he topped that off with the big screen debut of his popular hornball Leon “The Ladies Man” Phelps in 2000, which coincided with him leaving the show.
8. Aidy Bryant (10 Years)
Years Active: 2012-2022
After a decade on SNL, Aidy Bryant exited (a little later than she initially intended, due to Covid) alongside fellow heavy-hitters from one of the strongest ensembles in the show’s history – Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson, and Kyle Mooney – in 2022. Some of the actor’s most notable highlights include playing Sen. Ted Cruz, a bit in which she is the object of host Oscar Isaac’s desires called “The Sexual Woman,” and the current most popular SNL sketch on YouTube: “Porn Teacher.” Outside of Studio 8H, Bryant earned an Emmy nomination leading her Hulu original series, Shrill, and lent her voice to Netflix’s Human Resources cast, more recently.
7. Fred Armisen – 11 Years
Years Active: 2002-2013
Though his early career saw him in the music field, Fred Armisen joined the Saturday Night Live cast in 2002, becoming a repertory player in 2004. During his long tenure, he succeeded in churning out dozens and dozens of hilarious impressions – including Barack Obama, Prince, and Steve Jobs – and gut-busting original characters like Stuart from “The Californians,” which he helped create. To be expected, several of Armisen’s other recurring characters are music-related, such as his Sid Vicious spoof Ian Rubbish and Garth of Garth & Kat. The Wednesday cast member is also one-half of the sketch series Portlandia, in which much of his SNL-honed talents are showcased.
6. Kate McKinnon (11 Years)
Years Active: 2012-2022
Many of the funniest SNL sketches in recent memory could also be categorized as the best sketches starring Kate McKinnon – such as “Close Encounter,” in which her otherwise harrowing alien abduction story had host Ryan Gosling in stitches. The comedian essentially snuck onto the show very late into the 37th Season as Paul Brittain’s replacement, but by 2013, her one-of-a-kind sense of humor, flawless impersonation skills, and hilarious characters earned her repertory status and, in 2015, an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Even before leaving in 2022, McKinnon launched a successful movie career that included joining the Barbie cast, most recently.
5. Cecily Strong (11 Years)
Years Active: 2012-2022
The longest-running female cast member in SNL history is Cecily Strong, whose twice-Emmy nominated tenure ended with a duet of “Blue Christmas” with host and Elvis star Austin Butler. Many of her most famous characters – such as “The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started A Conversation With At A Party” – could be found behind the desk during “Weekend Update,” which she also co-hosted with Colin Jost for a season. Her accomplishments outside Studio 8H so far include leading Apple TV+’s Schmigadoon cast alongside Keegan-Michael Key and starring in the upcoming Garfiled movie.
4. Al Franken – 12 Years
Years Active: 1977-1980, 1985-1986, 1987-1995
One of the funniest political writers out there, Al Franken is the one performer on this list whose writing gig overshadowed his acting, since he never made it to the repertory player stage. However, he’s also the only one whose career years weren’t completely contiguous, having joined the staff as a writer for Season 1 (alongside comedy partner Tom Davis) and, later, as a featured player in 1977. He left the show when executive producer Lorne Michaels did (temporarily) in 1980, and returned for the 1985-86 season before leaving and returning again from 1987-95. The former U.S. Senator’s most popular character was “Daily Affirmations” host Stuart Smalley, whom he reprised in the 1995 film, Stuart Saves His Family.
3. Seth Meyers – 13 Years
Years Active: 2001-2014
With an early comedy career in improv, Seth Meyers joined Saturday Night Live in 2001 and his writing contributions became as significant as his performances (most notably as a “Weekend Update” anchor), as he ended up becoming the show’s head writer in 2006 once Tina Fey left. With such impersonations as Anderson Cooper and Osama Bin Laden, Meyers seemed likely to become the cast member with the longest career, if not for his choice to follow SNL vet Jimmy Fallon as the host of NBC’s Late Night and, eventually, becoming one of the most respected late night hosts of his time.
2. Darrell Hammond – 14 Years
Years Active: 1995-2009
Roll out the red carpet for celebrity impersonator extraordinaire Darrell Hammond, who was on the show as a regular performer for 14 years, amassing a whopping 107 impressions (a record which was later beaten by Kenan Thompson). Joining the show in 1995, Hammond immediately made a name for himself with impressions of Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Sean Connery, along with George W. Bush, Donald Trump, and over 100 others coming over the years. Though he retired from the show after Season 34, Hammond couldn’t leave Saturday Night Live in his rear view completely, as he returned for guest spots several times and even rejoined the show officially in 2014 as a replacement announcer after the legendary Don Pardo died.
1. Kenan Thompson – 21 Years
Years Active: 2003 – Present
After establishing himself as a strong comedic talent when he was still a child while starring in All That, Kenan & Kel, and Good Burger, Kenan Thompson joined the SNL cast in 2003 and hasn’t looked back since, still getting excited for each new season without fail. It is hard to pick which is his single funniest sketch as there are so many classics to choose from, such as “Black Jeopardy!” or “What Up With That?” In 2022, the Emmy winner celebrated his 1500th sketch and, after more than 20 years, is still enjoying his astonishing record as the series' longest-running cast member – an honor he could very likely hold forever, especially if his prediction to end SNL after 50 seasons came true.
To this day, there are still people who believe no SNL star has surpassed the quality of the original Not-Ready-For-Primetime Players, who consisted of Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, the late John Belushi, and other icons. Regardless, none of them can say they had a tenure surpassing five seasons, can they?
