‘SNL’ Loses Three Featured Players In Days After Promised Cast Shakeup

"Saturday Night Live" is facing another wave of cast turnover as it prepares for its milestone 51st season. The long-running NBC sketch comedy institution, which first premiered in 1975 and has launched the careers of countless comedy legends from Eddie Murphy to Tina Fey, has always been known for its revolving-door cast. But the latest shakeup comes at a pivotal moment, just months after "Saturday Night Live" creator and showrunner Lorne Michaels promised a “significant reset” was on the way.

The departures come on the heels of "SNL"’s 50th anniversary season, a highly celebrated run that featured big-name cameos, a flood of returning alumni, and multiple viral sketches. Now, heading into season 51, the series is undergoing what some fans are calling one of its most dramatic reshuffles in years.

On Thursday, Variety revealed that Michael Longfellow, who joined the show in 2022 during season 48, will not be returning. The 31-year-old comic, best known for his sharp "Weekend Update" segments, becomes the third featured player to leave in just days, following Emil Wakim and Devon Walker.

NBC has not yet commented on Longfellow’s exit.

His departure follows closely behind the announcements from Emil Wakim and Devon Walker. Wakim confirmed on Instagram that he would not be back for season 51, calling it a “gut punch of a call to get” but expressing gratitude for the opportunity.

“Every time I scanned into the building I would think how insane it is to get to work there,” Wakim reflected in his farewell post. “It was the most terrifying, thrilling, and rewarding experience of my life, and I will miss it dearly.”

Walker, who also joined in season 48, revealed his exit just one day before Wakim, making the trio of departures a significant blow to the younger side of the "SNL" lineup.

In his farewell message, Wakim shared bittersweet memories from his lone season on the show. He joked about processing the news during a trip to Six Flags, where he took “a really emotional walk through Bugs Bunny Park and stared out across Daffy Duck Lake thinking about life.”

The comedian also expressed gratitude to Michaels for “taking a chance on me and changing my life,” and added, “Here’s to making more art without compromise. Onwards and upwards.”

Wakim made history during his time on "Saturday Night Live" as the first cast member of Lebanese heritage, a milestone that resonated with many fans.

The exits come just months after creator and longtime showrunner Lorne Michaels teased that a major cast shakeup was on the horizon ahead of the series’ 51st season.

While "Saturday Night Live" has seen plenty of turnover in its nearly 50-year history, this latest round of departures feels especially abrupt, with three rising talents cut loose in a matter of days.

It’s been confirmed that James Austin Johnson will remain on board, but with Longfellow, Wakim, and Walker all departing, the pressure is mounting on Lorne Michaels and NBC to revitalize the lineup ahead of season 51. Adding to the uncertainty, the futures of "Weekend Update" anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che remain unclear. If either, or both, were to step away, "SNL" could face one of its most precarious transitions in years.

Other cast members who have yet to be confirmed include Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Heidi Gardner, Marcello Hernandez, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, and Bowen Yang.

While cast turnover has always been part of the show’s DNA, losing three featured players in such quick succession underscores just how significant this reset could be for the ensemble as it heads into its next era.

"Saturday Night Live" will return on October 4, 2025, but the first set of hosts and musical guests have yet to be announced.