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SNL UK "Weekend Update" anchors Ania Magliano and Paddy Young went after Trump's new hairdo, with Young dropping an interesting line.
Posted in: NBC, Peacock, TV | Tagged: saturday night live, snl
SNL 2026 New Cast Showcases Wrap: Will Season 52 Bring New Faces?
Reports are that the SNL 2026 new cast showcases have wrapped. Who stood out, and could we see any of them join the Season 52 cast?
Article Summary
- SNL 2026 new cast showcases have reportedly wrapped, signaling movement ahead of Season 52.
- Standout names from Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York reportedly made strong impressions during SNL auditions.
- Screen tests are reportedly the next key step, with calls said to be going out as SNL narrows its Season 52 options.
- With Chloe Fineman exiting and no full cast update yet, SNL Season 52 could bring fresh faces to Studio 8H.
With NBC's Saturday Night Live expected to kick off Season 52 on September 26th (though nothing has been officially announced), we weren't quite sure where things stood with the cast. We learned over the summer that Chloe Fineman decided to part ways with SNL, but aside from that, things were pretty quiet. Well, it seems there's been some movement on that front, with talent showcases having been in play throughout the summer. According to Deadline Hollywood/The Direct, the SNL folks wrapped up their fifth and final showcase on Tuesday, with a focus on rounding out the upcoming Season 52 cast. Here's a look at some of the names that sources mentioned as making an impact:
Los Angeles: Trent Mason, Kaba Hues, Chase Rosenberg, and April Rock
Chicago: Peyton Ruddy
New York: Joey Welsh, Allisha Edwards, Amber Singletary, and Saidah Belo-Osagie
A few things to keep in mind. First, this doesn't represent all of the names potentially in play to join the SNL cast, with other names at those showcases also said to have impressed. In addition, it's also possible that a comedian may be asked to test, even if they weren't part of the showcase process. Speaking of that, screen tests are the next step, with calls reportedly sent to schedule them.
Over the summer, SNL released its Season 51 "Top 5" lists: most-watched cold opens, most-watched monologues, most-watched live sketches, most-watched pretaped sketches, and most-watched "Weekend Update" features. The lists were compiled by looking at how each sketch performed across the show's digital platforms. Here's a look at the "Top 5" compilation videos that were released, along with an extended list offering a look at the 10 top sketches/segments for each category:
Top 10 Most-Watched Cold Opens:
- 10. NYC Mayoral Debate Cold Open
- 9. Jeffrey Epstein Ghost Cold Open
- 8. Trump Making Calls Cold Open
- 7. Trump Iran War Address Cold Open
- 6. Pete Hegseth Cold Open
- 5. Cabinet Meeting Cold Open
- 4. Epstein White House Briefing Cold Open
- 3. Hegseth and Patel Iran Press Briefing Cold Open
- 2. Pentagon Press Conference Cold Open
- 1. Domingo Cold Open
Top 10 Most-Watched Monologues:
- 10. Will Ferrell Monologue
- 9. Nikki Glaser Monologue
- 8. Matt Damon Monologue
- 7. Harry Styles Monologue
- 6. Connor Storrie Monologue
- 5. Jack Black Monologue
- 4. Bad Bunny Monologue
- 3. Sabrina Carpenter Monologue
- 2. Finn Wolfhard Monologue
- 1. Olivia Rodrigo Monologue
Top 10 Most-Watched Live Sketches:
- 10. Shop TV: Lava Cake
- 9. Mom Confession
- 8. Elf on the Shelf Support Group
- 7. Sebastian Maniscalco: Bachelor Party
- 6. KPop Demon Hunters
- 5. My Ex
- 4. Sebastian Maniscalco: New Lawyer
- 3. Passing Notes
- 2. Dancing 101
- 1. El Chavo Del Ocho
Top 10 Most-Watched Pretaped Sketches:
- 10. Random Duet Christmas Spectacular
- 9. CPAP Commercial
- 8. Plans
- 7. The Gentlemen's Code
- 6. MAHAspital
- 5. White House Makeover
- 4. Missing Wives Docuseries
- 3. Stranger Things Promo
- 2. Home Alone
- 1. Heated Wizardry
Top 10 Most-Watched Weekend Update Features:
- 10. Tucker Carlson on Liberal Politics and the 2026 Met Gala
- 9. Alix Earle and Alex Cooper on Their Brewing Feud
- 8. Michael Che's Nephew Threatens Santa
- 7. Jack Harlow on His New Album
- 6. Professor Snape Addresses New Spin on Harry Potter Role
- 5. Red Heart and Aerial Tramway Emojis on Apple's New Emojis Release
- 4. Tucker Carlson on Liberal Politics and the 2026 Oscars
- 3. Two Kids from the Back of the Bus
- 2. Punch the Monkey and His Mom
- 1. Tamara on Her Resolutions on Buttons
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