At one point in time, if you said Tina Fey or Amy Poehler, the other name likely wasn’t far behind. From their days on Saturday Night Live as the co-anchors of the Weekend Update, the writers/actresses were a comedy force as their careers intertwined, from Fey and Poehler's touring life to outstanding individual projects, all because their long-standing friendship predated widespread fame. Surprisingly though, the Inside Out star revealed that her standing as a "nepo friend" had a direct impact in her rise to stardom.
While the two Baby Mama costars visited The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, they chatted about the second leg (pun intended) of their Restless Leg Tour as well as all things SNL. Via the show’s YouTube page, the trio of Studio 8H alums launched into their beginnings and how Fallon met the Parks & Recreation star at a sketch show she was a part of (Upright Citizen’s Brigade). After the TV show host recounted the anecdote, he and Fey praised Poehler, saying that her landing on the SNL cast was because of her work.
The Blades of Glory alum was quick to say the reason she bagged the gig was because she had a friend (Fey) on the inside, and wouldn’t stand a chance today, stating:
No, I got cast because I was technically a nepo friend. Tina got me the job, 100%, vouched for me in every way. And I was joking backstage, SNL feels like college to me. Like 'I would never get into it now.'
True to form, The House actress sharing the credit, and love, with her longstanding comedy partner doesn’t come as a surprise. While much of their careers are intertwined and affected by one another, and Fey’s best films and shows overlap with some of the most iconic Amy Poehler movies and TV quotes, both shine just as well on their own. There’s no doubt, at least in my mind, that the Moxie alum would’ve found her way into the historic sketch show, with or without her Sisters costar.
As the upcoming SNL 50 hosts and musical guests continue to light up the historic season on our 2025 TV schedule, we’re heading into a weekend full of special reunion events. Between the Friday night homecoming concert, red carpet Saturday and the actual reunion special, Poehler and Fey are likely to make multiple appearances. The pair is on the top of my list to see during this celebratory weekend and I’d be happy to see them a part of anything, though, my fingers are crossed for a special Weekend Update segment.
Both Wine Country actresses have been busy walking down memory lane at Rockefeller Plaza, though. Fey's impending Four Seasons reboot is slated to premiere on our 2025 Netflix movie and TV schedule while Poehler's life-changing Inside Out franchise continues to make waves for Pixar and Disney. And that’s not even mentioning the Disney Pixar star’s organization she co-founded, Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls, which aims at helping young people cultivate a future they’d like for themselves.
I think it’s pretty safe to say, that regardless of whether Amy Poehler believes she is a nepo pal or not, she’s more than made a name for herself beyond Tina Fey’s work. And their longstanding friendship seems to be more important to her than how she wound up on SNL all those years ago.
Stream the Amy Poehler and Tina Fey Saturday Night Live years with a Peacock subscription. Watch the titular show on Saturday evenings at 11:30 pm EST or stream it the following day with an active Bird account.
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