‘SNL’ will never be the same: Say goodbye to Davidson, McKinnon, Bryant and Mooney
Pete Davidson, one of the brightest “Saturday Night Live” stars of the past decade, is leaving the sketch comedy series, the Los Angeles Times has confirmed.
According to a Friday report from Variety, Davidson will officially depart Studio 8H after the Season 47 finale airs this weekend. Davidson became one of the TV institution’s youngest cast members ever — he was just 20 — when he made his “SNL” debut as a featured player in 2014.
Shortly after news of Davidson’s pending departure surfaced, The Times confirmed that veteran “SNL” cast members Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney and Kate McKinnon are also exiting the program.
Representatives for “SNL” did not immediately respond Friday to The Times’ request for comment.
Pete Davidson joked about his girlfriend Kim Kardashian’s ex, Kanye West, at a comedy show for Los Angeles’ Netflix Is a Joke festival.
Upon joining the ensemble of “SNL,” Davidson quickly became a standout thanks to his self-deprecating comedy style and charming tendency to break character onstage.
His most popular recurring role on the series is Chad, a spacey skater boy who can’t be bothered to react or say much more than “OK!” amid acutely distressing or uncomfortable circumstances. Additionally, he has portrayed several public figures on the program, including former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Oscar winner Rami Malek and rapper Machine Gun Kelly.
During his “SNL” tenure, Davidson has also developed a bit of a ladies-man reputation by pursuing high-profile romances with singer Ariana Grande, “Bridgerton” breakout Phoebe Dynevor, legacy model Kaia Gerber, English movie star Kate Beckinsale and others.
At one point, the comic was engaged to Grande, who is now married to real estate broker Dalton Gomez. Currently, Davidson is dating reality TV star and beauty mogul Kim Kardashian.
Another “SNL” heavyweight, McKinnon, is stepping away from the show after eight seasons. Over the years, McKinnon has established herself as one of the series’ most versatile and beloved actors while delivering spot-on impressions ranging from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres.
On a March installment of the show’s “Weekend Update” segment, McKinnon — a trailblazing lesbian comedian — condemned Florida’s widely criticized “Don’t Say Gay” bill with her signature chaotic flair.
“I am deeply gay — sorry, deeply concerned,” she said.
“This is gonna make kids gay and trans — sorry, depressed and suicidal. And I think these laws are lesbians — sorry, unconscionable. ... If the ‘90s were right, and gay means bad, then this is the gayest law I have ever seen.”
Since rising to prominence on “SNL,” McKinnon has booked several major movie and TV projects, such as “Ghostbusters,” “Bombshell,” “Joe vs. Carole” and “The Magic School Bus.” Up next, she’s set to appear opposite Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in Warner Bros.’ “Barbie,” based on the doll brand of the same name.
Also departing the long-running variety series is fan-favorite cast member Bryant, who joined “SNL” in 2012. Bryant is perhaps best known for her crowd-pleasing impression of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, among other hilarious performances — such as her impression of former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the classic digital short “Back Home Ballers.”
In 2019, Bryant launched “Shrill,” her Hulu comedy series, which was well-received by audiences and TV critics alike.
Rounding out the list of outgoing cast members is yet another popular player, Mooney, who has leaned into his lovably geeky vibe for characters such as an awkward street interviewer wreaking cringe-worthy havoc on New York City. Most recently, Mooney played Johnny Depp during last weekend’s cold open parodying Depp and Amber Heard’s ongoing defamation trial.
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