As we approach the premiere of Saturday Night Live Season 50 – on NBC on September 28, 2024 – we know that this is a landmark year in the legacy of one of the most influential comedy shows in history now that it is nearly half a century old. In addition to the release of Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night movie – which dramatizes the events of the series’ first show – the sketch comedy series has a killer line-up of upcoming SNL hosts and musical guests.
Based on who's confirmed so far, this latest season of one of the greatest sketch comedy TV shows is chock-full of amazing celebrity guests, and that is not just including former cast member Maya Rudolph returning to Studio 8H to play presidential candidate Kamala Harris. We also have updates to the SNL cast to report so, not-live from wherever you are reading this, let’s get into it!
Upcoming SNL Season 50 Hosts And Musical Guests
Let's take a look at who is going to follow in the footsteps of the all-time greatest SNL hosts and musical guests by taking a deeper look at who is taking Studio 8H stage for Saturday Night Live Season 50.
Jean Smart/Jelly Roll
Date: September 28, 2024
Host: Jean Smart
# Of Previous SNL Hosting Gigs: 0
Musical Guest: Jelly Roll
# Of Previous SNL Performances: 0
Both making their Studio 8H debuts in the premiere episode of SNL Season 50 are host Jean Smart and country rock star Jelly Roll. Smart, who recently earned her third Emmy Award (and sixth overall) for Hacks, said that she was excited to cross this item off her bucket list in an Instagram post. Jelly Roll also reacted enthusiastically on Instagram, calling the sketch comedy series his “favorite show ever.”
Nate Bargatze / Coldplay
Date: October 5, 2024
Host: Nate Bargatze
# Of Previous SNL Hosting Gigs: 1
Musical Guest: Coldplay
# Of Previous SNL Performances: 7
A year after comedian Nate Bargatze made a stellar debut on SNL (with help from veterans like Pete Davidson and Jerry Seinfeld), he is returning to the stage to host Season 50’s October show. Also coming back for their eighth appearance is Coldplay, whose latest album, Moon Music, will be released the day before.
Ariana Grande / Stevie Nicks
Date: October 12, 2024
Host: Ariana Grande
# Of Previous SNL Hosting Gigs: 1
Musical Guest: Stevie Nicks
# Of Previous SNL Performances: 1
Two of the most iconic singers in music history will take the stage for the second October show of SNL Season 50. Hosting for the second time is Ariana Grande (star of the upcoming Wicked movie), who will make her fourth Studio 8H appearance overall, having performed solely as a musical guest twice. Someone who also played a witch once on American Horror Story, former Fleetwood Mac member Stevie Nicks, returns for her first SNL gig since 1983.
Michael Keaton / Billie Eilish
Date: October 19, 2024
Host: Michael Keaton
# Of Previous SNL Hosting Gigs: 3
Musical Guest: Billie Eilish
# Of Previous SNL Performances: 3
Following his second time playing Betelgeuse in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Michael Keaton will host SNL for the fourth time on October 19th. Musical guest Billie Eilish, who released her latest album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, in May, will also be one step away from joining SNL’s Five Timer’s Club after that night.
John Mulaney / Chappell Roan
Date: November 2, 2024
Host: John Mulaney
# Of Previous SNL Hosting Gigs: 5
Musical Guest: Chappell Roan
# Of Previous SNL Performances: 0
Already part of the Five Timer’s Club is comedian John Mulaney, who is coming back to host the first SNL Season 50 episode before the 2024 presidential election. His pairing with first-time musical guest Chappell Roan of “Pink Pony Club” fame caused a massive wave of social media posts commenting on the artist’s popularity.
THE SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SEASON 50 CAST
The SNL Season 50 cast is going to look a little different, with a few featured members getting promoted to series regulars, a few favorite performers exiting Studio 8H, and a few new faces joining in on the fun. We cover them all below but, first, here is the full list:
- Michael Che
- Mikey Day
- Andrew Dismukes
- Chloe Fineman
- Heidi Gardner
- Marcello Hernandez
- James Austin Johnson
- Colin Jost
- Michael Longfellow
- Ego Nwodim
- Sarah Sherman
- Kenan Thompson
- Devon Walker
- Bowen Yang
- Ashley Padilla
- Emil Wakim
- Jane Wickline
New SNL Season 50 Cast Members
Now, let's introduce you to the newcomers on the SNL Season 50 cast.
Ashley Padilla
Following in the footsteps of many Groundlings members who became SNL stars, Ashley Padilla is a Los Angeles-based comedian who grew up in the Bay Area. Audiences may recognize her from her guest spots in Season 2 of NBC’s Night Court revival and the final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, as well as her supporting role in the 2024 movie, Summer Camp.
Emil Wakim
According to NBC.com, Emil Wakim is a Lebanese-American comedian who has opened for Hasan Minaj and Nikki Glaser and has performed on The Tonight Show. He will be making his acting debut as a member of the SNL Season 50 cast.
Jane Wickline
Similar to the sensational comedy trio, Please Don’t Destroy, Jane Wickline began making a name for herself by posting sketches on TikTok, which is also the home of a comedy series she stars in called Stapleview. She also goes on live performance tours and can be seen in the 2024 drama, My First Film.
Full List Of SNL Season 50 Cast Members
After a successful two seasons as featured players, Marcello Hernandez, Michael Longfellow, and Devon Walker are finally joining the main SNL cast in Season 50. Hernandez is best known for writing and performing in sketches with Pedro Pascal as his judgmental, Spanish-speaking mother, Longfellow has held his own wonderfully with monologue from behind the “Weekend Update” desk, and Walker has impressed audiences with his impersonations, such as South Carolina Senator Tim Scott. They will be joining esteemed repertory players like Chloe Fineman, Bowen Yang, and longest-running SNL cast member, Kenan Thompson.
SNL Cast Members Not Returning After Season 49
Finally, there are three talented SNL cast members who will not appear in Season 50. After four seasons, Punkie Johnson is leaving, alongside SNL’s first non-binary cast member, Molly Kearney, who debuted in Season 48, and Chloe Troast, who was only on for the 49th season, during which she demonstrated her additional singing talents in some recent favorites.
- Punkie Johnson
- Molly Kearney
- Chloe Troast
It looks like creator Lorne Michaels is still on board for Saturday Night Live Season 50, which is already primed to be one of the biggest years in the show’s history. Check back here for updates to the line-up of upcoming SNL hosts and musical guests and descriptions of previous episodes (which you can watch with a Peacock subscription) after every Saturday night!
