Kate mckinnon

Kate McKinnon , Aidy Bryant , and Kyle Mooney will be leaving Saturday Night Live this weekend, Rolling Stone has learned. The three cast members join Pete Davidson in exiting the long-running sketch comedy series. A rep for SNL did not respond to Rolling Stone ’s request for comment. McKinnon joined the cast in 2012 and became a repertory player the next year. The breakout star has been previously speculated to depart the show in recent years, but she remained in the cast, though she appeared less frequently and took some time away to star in Joe vs. Carole, Peacock’s scripted show related to Tiger King . Bryant also joined SNL in 2012 and has been noted for her impression of Senator Ted Cruz and Sarah Huckabee Sanders. She, too, has taken time away from the show for the Lorne Michaels-produced Shrill for three seasons on Hulu. Mooney has been a cast member since 2013, becoming a repertory player at the beginning of the 41st season. As previously … [Read more...] about Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney Join Pete Davidson in Exiting ‘Saturday Night Live’

Saturday Night Live bid farewell to four veteran cast members tonigh t, Kate McKinnon , Aidy Bryant , Pete Davidson and Kyle Mooney . McKinnon, Bryant and Davidson, who have all become household names since SNL launched their careers, all got individual sendoffs with some of their most popular recurring skits. Mooney, who has spent most of his time on the show as a valuable but underrated performer, made an understated — yet dramatic — exit. Overall, the episode, hosted by Natasha Lyonne, was a throwback to a time when longtime SNL cast members used to receive proper sendoffs in the season finale capping their runs. The last big one came during the 2012 season finale, with host and musical guest Mick Jagger. It said goodbye to Jason Sudeikis, Andy Samberg and Kristen Wiig who had completed seven-year tenures. The episode famously ended with Jagger leading a dancing sendoff for Wiig to the Rolling Stones’ “She’s a Rainbow” and “Ruby Tuesday.” McKinnon, … [Read more...] about ‘SNL’ Starts Generational Shift With Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson & Kyle Mooney Sendoff In Season Finale

After 10 seasons on Saturday Night Live , Kate McKinnon bid farewell to her castmates — and Earth in general — during an emotional and hilarious Cold Open for the Season 47 finale. McKinnon reprised her role as Ms. Rafferty, the cigarette-puffing, amply-jeaned woman who has had numerous encounters with the Third Kind. In the sketch, McKinnon’s Rafferty sat spread-legged beside Cecily Strong and host Natasha Lyonne and shared her intimate alien interactions, like how they were “climbing all over each other like my bush was the last lifeboat on the Titanic.” The sketch took an emotional turn when McKinnon’s character volunteered to go back to outer space with the UFOs. “Sure, why not?” she said. “I always kind of felt like an alien on this planet anyway.” Boarding the craft, Rafferty turned back to face her sketch-mates and Earthlings, as an alien head poked out beside her, to give her final send-off: “Well, Earth, I love ya,” McKinnon said with glassy eyes. “Thanks for … [Read more...] about ‘SNL’ Finale Cold Open: Watch Kate McKinnon’s Final Encounter

Saturday Night Live opened with one of the show’s most popular skits: Close Encounter, this time with departing cast member Kate McKinnon bidding adieu as Colleen Rafferty really is sent off on an alien spaceship. At the end of the sketch, a Pentagon official informs the alien abducted trio (including Cecily Strong and Natasha Lyonne) that the aliens “have offered the U.S. government access to some of their technology if one of you agrees to go with them permanently.” “Well, I can read the room. It’s me, right?” Raffery says. “Sure, and why not. I always kind of felt like an alien on this planet anyway.” Then Rafferty takes on the role of Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as she boards the spacecraft, turns and, to the audience cheers, gives a farewell, “Well, Earth. I love you, thanks for letting me stay awhile.” “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night .” The opener was an especially fitting way to mark McKinnon’s final show after joining … [Read more...] about Kate McKinnon Opens Final ‘Saturday Night Live’ With A ‘Close Encounters’ Spaceship Sendoff: “Thanks For Letting Me Stay Awhile”

There’s been a lot of defecation slung around the past few weeks in Johnny Depp ’s ongoing $50 million defamation trial against Amber Heard . Tonight, Saturday Night Live threw some of its own against the wall to see what would stick in the cold open. “I felt very very sad,” Said a bearded and ponytailed Kyle Mooney as a grinning Depp on the stand when asked by a lawyering Aidy Bryant what was his reaction to discovering “fecal matter in your bed.” Hearing frequent objections from cast member Heidi Gardner as Heard’s main lawyer Elaine Bredehoft over the messy line of questioning Judge Penny Azcarte, played on SNL by a bespectacled Cecily Strong, put the whole cold open and the whole real-life trial in perspective. “I’ll allow it because it does sound fun, and this trial is for fun,” Strong’s Judge Azcarte exclaimed in what was one of best takes on the move star legal dust-up and one of the best SNL cold opens this almost over 47th season. “We don’t have to … [Read more...] about ‘SNL’ Mockingly Sh*ts The Bed In Johnny Depp Vs. Amber Heard Trial Cold Open

Maggie Haskins has a new title at Artists First : She’s been upped to partner. Having started at the company more than 12 years ago as an intern, Haskins is considered an integral part of the company. Her focus is on female representation in front of and behind the camera, with clients like writer/producer Jen D’Angelo ( Hocus Pocus 2 ), Stephanie Laing ( Physica l), Charmaine Bingwa ( The Good Fight) , Betsy Thomas ( My Boys ), Tawny Newsome ( Space Force ), comedian Heather McMahan,  and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee head writer Kristen Bartlett. She’s also producing the untitled sister comedy feature alongside her colleague Itay Reiss; it’s from Gloria Sanchez Productions at 20th for Hulu and stars Awkwafina and Sandra Oh. It was written by D’Angelo. “I am so honored and thrilled to join the partnership at Artists First,” Haskins said in a statement. “I am grateful that from day one, my partners and colleagues believed in and supported me. This has … [Read more...] about Maggie Haskins Named Partner At Artists First Management & Production

Spyglass Media Group is teaming with Propagate Content , Artists First and Off-Road Productions to form the new comedy film joint venture Artists Road, which will focus on the financing and production of moderate-budgeted commercial comedy movies with marquee talent. Artists Road has appointed Lakeshore Entertainment alum Mark Korshak as CEO and he’ll report to the joint venture’s co-founders Gary Barber, chairman and CEO, Spyglass; Ben Silverman, chairman and Co-CEO, Propagate Content; Peter Principato, CEO of Artists First; and Off-Road Productions’ Todd Garner . “I’ve known and respected Todd, Ben, and Peter for many years and am excited to partner on this joint venture,” Barber said, adding, “Artists Road collectively brings together some of the boldest and brightest creative talents in comedy production. By combining Artists Firsts’ powerful roster of comedic talent with Propagate’s production expertise and Off-Road’s creative ingenuity, Spyglass is uniquely set up to … [Read more...] about Spyglass Forms Comedy Film Joint Venture Artists Road With Propagate Content, Artists First & Off-Road Productions

It’s the end of Season 47 of Saturday Night Live, which also means its time for the final promo of the half-year. Host Natasha Lyonne (( Russian Doll, Poker Face ) and musical guest Japanese Breakfast are on this weekend’s SNL menu. But there was one thing for cast members Kenan Thompson and Kate McKinnon to grok: why does Lyonne’s voice sound like Peter Falk, aka fabled TV detective Columbo? Watch the video and decide for yourself. Japanese Breakfast is headed by director, author Michelle Zauner. The group’s album, Jubilee , was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album at this year’s Grammys. … [Read more...] about ‘SNL’ Promo: Natasha Lyonne Has A Voice Like A Famous TV Detective, They Say

Getty UPDATE 2:48 PM PT -- According to Deadline , Pete isn't the only one to say goodbye the show ... Kate McKinnon , Aidy Bryant and Kyle Mooney are all also leaving. Looks like Pete Davidson is making some big changes ... there's a report he's expected to leave "Saturday Night Live" after this weekend. That's right, according to Variety , Pete's final show will come after Saturday's finale. It's a pivotal move for the 28-year-old comedian. PD joined the show back in 2014, when he was just 20 years old ... as one of the youngest cast members in the show's history. Now, he's amongst the long-serving performers. Getty Since joining 'SNL,' Pete's career has taken off. He found himself in the Hollywood mix when he got engaged to singer Ariana Grande , before they called it quits . But now, he's with arguably the most famous woman in the world Kim Kardashian . Gallery Launch Gallery … [Read more...] about Pete Davidson Expected to Leave ‘SNL’ After This Week

Pete Davidson has taken to Instagram to reflect on his imminent departure from Saturday Night Live . While Davidson does not have an account on the social media platform, he posted a long and emotional message via the account of Dave Sirus, who writes for the show and also worked on his 2020 film, The King of Staten Island . His words accompany a video of him celebrating wrap of production on his first episode of SNL with fellow comic Jerrod Carmichael. “This video was taken 8 years ago. Jerrod sent it to me last night and it made me super emotional in the best way,” said Davidson up top. “In the video I had just gotten back from doing my very first update and sketch. It’s crazy to think that today I’ll be doing my last one.” Davidson said that when he first joined the show in 2014, at the age of 20, he admittedly had “no idea” what he was doing. “I still don’t,” he joked, “but especially back then.” Davidson came to the show as a stand-up comic, rather than a … [Read more...] about Pete Davidson Addresses ‘SNL’ Exit In Emotional Message Prior To Airing Of Season 47 Finale