As the longest-running Saturday Night Live cast member, Kenan Thompson has seen his share of castmates come and go throughout his two decades on the show. But last season saw the biggest exodus in years, as notable players like Kate McKinnon and Pete Davidson (among others) left the late-night sketch series. But while seeing castmates depart the show was nothing too unusual for Thompson, that doesn’t mean their exits were any less sad. Now in the middle of its 48th season, with several up-and-coming comedians having joined the sketch ensemble, the All That alum opened up about missing his old SNL co-stars.
The comedian reminisced about his former castmates while speaking with E! News. As happy as he is when former cast members move on to other successful projects, Thompson would still love for them to come back to the show on occasion, though he remains realistic about the possibility of that happening.
Yeah, all of them. If there was a way to keep them all there, that would be ideal. But I know the world doesn’t work that way. Maya [Rudolph] was my first big sister in the game.
Being SNL’s stalwart member, his castmates haven’t just been coworkers but family. The pressure of putting together a show weekly under insurmountable circumstances and ever-changing headline trends has sparked many a close bond among the all-star talent. Much like SNL alum Jason Sudeikis, Thompson views Maya Rudolph in a most glowing light, and championed her willingness to help others become acquainted with the weekly tasks when she was in the cast. Of course, that wasn’t surprising given she played a key role in one of his favorite SNL memories.
His praise for former SNL stars continued as he was asked about friend and former castmate Pete Davidson. Being around the comedy star for eight seasons, Thompson saw firsthand what made Davidson so appealing to women. While the Kenan and Kel star avoided the obvious package factor, he delved more into The King of Staten Island star’s character.
One’s obvious, but then they say what I say, ‘He’s a sweet young man. Very kind, endearing, and loves his mom and sister. Has hyper-adoration for his father. He’s generally just a kind-hearted person. He’s grown up rough, you know, streets of New York, and stuff like that or whatever. But inside I don’t think he’s out to harm a piece of cotton. He’s just a good kid.
It appears Davidson is more boyfriend material than the media had portrayed through his high-profile relationships with stars like Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande. Even SNL member Chole Fineman saw the comedian’s appeal as "deeply charming,” having acted alongside him for three seasons.
Kenan Thompson is currently in his 20th season on Saturday Night Live. After the cancellation of his sitcom Kenan, Thompson has moved more into hosting, including this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards, and this week's People’s Choice Awards. But the comedic actor hasn’t relegated himself to television as he and Good Burger co-star and close friend Kel Mitchell are gearing up for the long-awaited sequel.
That doesn't mean SNL is on the back burner at all, as veterans Steve Martin and Martin Short are returning to host on December 10, with country star Brandi Carlile as the musical guest. The new episode will premiere at 11:30 pm EST, with past episodes available to stream with a Peacock subscription.
