Posted in: NBC, TV | Tagged: saturday night live, snl

SNL Adds 3; Hernandez, Longfellow, Walker Promoted; Troast Departing

SNL promoted Marcello Hernandez, Michael Longfellow & Devon Walker to the main cast, adding 3 featured players and Chloe Troast departing.

We've got some big news to pass along regarding the milestone 50th season of NBC's Saturday Night Live. Set to return on September 28th, Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim, and Jane Wickline will be joining the cast as new featured players. In addition, Marcello Hernandez, Michael Longfellow, and Devon Walker have been promoted to the main cast. Unfortunately, Chloe Troast is departing the long-running late-night sketch comedy/music series – joining Punkie Johnson and Molly Kearney, who announced their departures earlier this summer. "Unfortunately I was not asked back to 'SNL' this season. I wish I was going back to be with all the amazing friends I made there; it truly felt like home. But it wasn't in the cards," wrote Troast in an Instagram Stories post. "I wanna thank everyone who supported me. Especially everyone who came to see my tour this summer, wore costumes from characters and had such wonderful things to say. You mean everything to me. I hope I was able to spread joy and laughter, all love."

Saturday Night Live Season 50 & EP Lorne Michaels

Back in May, the word went out regarding early plans to celebrate the milestone 50th season of Saturday Night Live. The network confirmed that there will be a "celebratory weekend" that wraps up on Sunday, February 16th (from 8-11 p.m. ET), with a live, primetime special. Now, thanks to an interview he had with The New York Times at the end of the most recent season, we're learning some additional details on what's ahead – as well as EP Lorne Michaels's thoughts on those rumblings about his retiring after Season 50.

Along with the primetime special on February 16th, music producer Mark Ronson and Michaels will produce a "homecoming" of sorts at Radio City Music Hall on the Friday of that weekend. In addition, it was noted that musician and producer Questlove (The Roots) is co-producing a documentary for the anniversary season spotlighting the impact that SNL had had on music and culture, and Morgan Neville (Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces, Won't You Be My Neighbor) is producing five documentaries focusing on both Michaels and the long-running late-night sketch comedy/music series. As for those rumblings that the 50th anniversary will also be his last hurrah, Michaels is basing that decision on how he's feeling and not committing to anything. "I'm going to do it as long as I feel I can do it," he shared. "But I rely on other people and always have."

NBC's Saturday Night Live Season 49 company includes Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Punkie Johnson, Colin Jost, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, Chloe Troast, Devon Walker, and Bowen Yang. SNL is executive-produced by Lorne Michaels, with Liz Patrick directing and SNL alum Darrell Hammond announcing. Broadcasting from Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center, the long-running late-night sketch comedy/music series is produced by SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video.

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