The weekly mainstay of NBC’s lineup of sketch comedy, musical numbers, and politically charged satire is still “Saturday Night Live.” Some of the biggest stars in Hollywood have emerged from the show’s writing rooms and casts, including Tina Fey and Eddie Murphy. Now in its historic 50th season, “SNL” keeps attracting fresh, energetic, and more varied talent every year.
Feel that you have a unique, humorous voice that deserves to be heard and that you’re prepared for a fast-paced, competitive workplace that will make you want to sleep? Check out this guide for information on how to get cast for the cultural phenomenon known as “SNL.”
Who makes up “Saturday Night Live”‘s cast?
Lorne Michaels established “Saturday Night Live” and, with the exception of a hiatus from 1980 to 1985, has remained as the show’s executive producer. On October 11, 1975, the first episode aired on NBC. A celebrity guest host joins the regular “SNL” cast in each episode. Star of “Hacks,” Jean Smart, welcomed musical guest Jelly Roll to launch the 50th season on September 28.
Season 50’s ensemble cast members are:
- Michael Che, co-anchor of “Weekend Update”
- Mikey Day
- Dismukes, Andrew
- Fineman Chloe
- Heidi Gardner
- Marcello Hernández
- Johnson, James Austin
- Colin Jost, co-anchor of “Weekend Update”
- Michael Longfellow
- Nwodim Ego
- Ashley Padilla, the player in focus
- Sarah Sherman
- The Kenan Thompson
- Devon Walker
- Emil Wakim, the player in focus
- Yang Bowen
- Jane Wickline, the player in focus
Who is Saturday Night Live’s casting director?
Throughout its nearly fifty years of existence, “SNL” has cast a large number of people. Possibly no one has contributed more than Marci Klein, who began as an assistant on the show in 1988 and rose to the position of head of the talent department and producer, remaining with “SNL” until 2013.
After that, Lindsay Shookus, Klein’s longtime assistant, took over in charge of the talent division, while Brittney Bhayana worked as the show’s background casting manager. Shookus said to Leo, “We like to think about what we need.” But the real idea behind it all is this: It’s a positive sign if someone makes you laugh out loud during an audition.
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I don’t think Lorne overthinks things, and neither do we. I believe he just has gut instinct and that’s sufficient since he surrounds himself with people he can trust to give their opinions as well. We do feel something about it.
Shookus stated that despite social media, she still liked the traditional methods of discovering fresh talent. “Look into this guy; what’s their deal?’ I might say to myself when I walk into my office and I happen to see someone on Instagram that I find humorous at random.
But I’m not simply sitting on Instagram hoping to find the next ‘SNL’ cast member,” she explained. “Comedy schools like Second City, UCB, and Groundlings still exist. We still have confidence in the comedic schools that continue to train individuals really well.
But as Deadline revealed, Shookus departed “SNL” before Season 48, having spent 20 years with the cast, and Bhayana took over as her replacement.
Casting calls and auditions for “Saturday Night Live” are held where?
The show “SNL” finds you; open auditions have never been performed. Producers have selected gifted performers from the improv and standup scenes in major U.S. cities since the days of Dan Aykroyd and Gilda Radner. Hubs include the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (which was once closed but has since resurfaced under new management!), Second City and iO Improv in Chicago, Groundlings, Laugh Factory, and the Comedy Store in Los Angeles.
“SNL” producers and scouts invite performers they like to a showcase with a live audience to see how they do. Scouts seek out performers with great improv abilities, charisma fit for the camera, a unique and captivating stand-up appearance, and—above all—a potent writing style.
One of Season 50’s featured players, Wickline, symbolizes a new direction for “SNL” since she became well-known for her sketch comedy on tour and as a cast member of TikTok’s live show “Stapleview.” This suggests that the casting team is starting to accept the comedic approaches of people with sizable social media followings.
Producers of “Saturday Night Live” want to know how you were recognized
The most effective strategies to stand out are listed below.
Participate in improv and sketch comedy groups. Joining forces with a large corporation is not insurmountable. For example, the Groundlings school website provides easy registration procedures for classes like Basic Improv Auditions, Sketch Writing Workshop, and Improv for Beginners.
If you can’t afford classes right now, concentrate on joining a hilarious people’s group so you can work together, compose sketches, and create videos. You have the internet and social media to yourself; showcase your comedic side.
Give open mike and standup comedy a shot. Comedy clubs and up-and-coming comics have received a lot of attention from Michaels and other talent scouts during the course of “SNL.” Develop your original writing and acting skills, learn what works and what doesn’t, and discover your own comic voice.
Comedian and former writer-producer of “SNL,” John Mulaney, said of the relationship between standup and auditions, “I just did the standup I had, which was more act-out-y.” You just want to share a little bit of who you are. The quantity of people [cast] that we’ve never used one thing from their audition is numerous. Many times, it’s not the first show, but some individuals would come in with an impression. All they’re attempting is to gauge your personality.
Chris Redd, a former cast member, claimed that his prior success as a stand-up comedian benefited him with the audition process and the waiting game that followed. “I had to just be like, ‘Yo, I’m gonna go do this audition, and then I have seven more shows to do later,'” he remarked, in order for him to handle such high pressure. “I’ve lost more than I’ve won, yet there was a time when I had some gigs.
You should simply accomplish what you can, enjoy it, and then keep advancing your career because, nine times out of ten, you won’t succeed. Without a certain, standup helped me get through it and the waiting period.
How did some of the most well-known “Saturday Night Live” stars come to be known?
In the past, “SNL” talent scouts have requested that performers send in a tape featuring their impressions of celebrities and original characters, as well as a packet of skits. Comedians and performers who have made a name for themselves through other platforms typically get called onto the show either because of their prior work or because a cast member suggested them.
Pete Davidson credits Bill Hader with helping him get the part on “SNL.” “I met Bill Hader on the set after Amy Schumer gave me a part in ‘Trainwreck,’ and we kind of hit it off,” Davidson said.
A week later, he gave me a call and said, “Hey, Lorne Michaels asked me to recommend you.” And I asked myself, “Why?” Simply put, I was taken aback. I had no idea that I could even try out. And I was just in shock that I had figured it out.
Funny videos were something Andy Samberg and the Lonely Island crew were doing even before they were regulars on the show. However, it was their work as writers on the 2005 MTV Movie Awards that brought them to the notice of host and former “SNL” cast member Jimmy Fallon, and that’s what got them into Studio 8H.
Samberg told Howard Stern that once he found himself in front of Michaels, he integrated a joke about a ’80s runner into his material thanks to a pair of vintage jogging shorts he had bought at a flea market earlier that day. Even though Samberg laughs when he thinks back on that joke, it was that day that he made Michaels laugh and cemented his spot in the ensemble that would change his life.
The procedure stayed mostly the same even in the thick of the pandemic, despite the fact that modifications were clearly necessary. Punkie Johnson, the first Black queer cast member to come out publicly in the history of the program, was already well-known in the comedy community.
She began by studying acting in Los Angeles, performing stand-up at Comedy Store, and making appearances on HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and Netflix’s “Space Force.”
She was shocked to receive a call for a “SNL” audition after returning home to New Orleans during a lockdown. She eventually underwent two rounds of taped auditions, performing impressions of Kerry Washington, NeNe Leakes, and Whoopi Goldberg.
About sending in her second tape, Johnson told NBC News, “Usually, after doing an audition, I forget about it immediately because I don’t want to stress over it.”
“And I thought, ‘This is “SNL,” what more could they want from me?'” She didn’t hear back from Michaels for a few weeks before finally getting a call saying, “We think you’ll be a good addition to the cast.”
What is the “Saturday Night Live” audition process like?
Prospective actors are flown to New York by the talent department for a rigorous audition procedure that involves filming a presentation of their finest five minutes of material (characters, impressions, etc.) in front of a small group of people, including Michaels, who is infamous for not laughing during auditions. Even the top performers experience anxiety during these intense and sensitive tryouts.
Davidson wasn’t certain he had the job, even after Michaels had called. Davidson said, “I got a call from NBC,” when appearing on “Late Night With Seth Meyers.” And Lorne Michaels says, “Hello,” to me. “I don’t know what to do with you, but you got the show,” he said. After returning home, I thought, “I think I got “SNL.” I think [Lorne] is already upset with me.”
Fallon had clear memories of his audition. “Hey, Jimmy, some advice—don’t let that throw you—into makeup, they say. Lorne Michaels doesn’t laugh when you audition,” he recounted. “After that, the audio guy says, ‘Hey, little advice—Lorne doesn’t enjoy laughing.'” I said, “All right.”
After that, Marci Klein says, “Jimmy, they’re ready for you.” Well, here’s a little guidance for you. Keep your cool if Lorne doesn’t laugh. What’s wrong with this person, I wonder? He’s performing a comedy act. Why is it that he dislikes laughing? It turns out that Davidson’s Adam Sandler mimic succeeded in making Michaels laugh.
Will Ferrell told the New York Times about his nerve-wracking audition, saying, “I did a sketch where I was a guy, alone in my office, who would play with cat toys in between taking calls.” At one point, I’m playing with cat toys while rolling around on the ground in total stillness. And I realize, “Oh, this is over.”
People interviewed Kate McKinnon about her own big moment. “When you first enter the building, it feels like you’re in The Wizard of Oz.” But he’s not a phony; he’s genuine, seated at a table, and you’re entertaining him with jokes. It’s a life-changing event,” she remarked.
“You have five minutes to spend anyway you like. I thus completed a few characters and maybe five impressions. To be honest, I can’t recall every one of them. Among them was Penélope Cruz.
Even though Kenan Thompson was a child celebrity on Nickelodeon’s “All That” and its spinoff movie “Good Burger,” he was working hard to get a job. He had been waiting a long time for an audition for “SNL,” and when he finally got one, he informed us that the procedure was “fucking horrible.” But he went on, “I guess they leaned into that because I gave it my all and did some voices and shit.”
Conversely, Leslie Jones nearly passed up the chance when comic Chris Rock asked for a favor. She was into stand-up, after all. “I lost it on him,” she admitted to us. How are you going to fuck assist me, exactly? You’re giving me stuff that I didn’t do? I’m not into sketch comedy at all! Sketch comedy is for people who can’t stand on stage; I’m a real comic.
He said, “Shut up.” You are a complete moron. Proceed to the audition. That’s what she did, and she did it without thinking about the result. Jones approached her audition as though it were any other stand-up performance because she didn’t appreciate the show’s methodology. “I did a cartwheel and everything,” Jones added. In the end, she got it spot on.
Which are the best tips for Saturday Night Live auditions?
The following are some wise statements from writers and cast members of “SNL”:
Apply your knowledge. “Perform at your highest level. Mulaney said, “I knew going into the audition that I wasn’t going to get it.” “I felt like I didn’t need to be here because there are so many attractive, Caucasian men already.” So I didn’t try to learn a Gordon Ramsay impression in 24 hours.”
Cecily Strong echoed this advice. “Make sure whatever you’re showing is the best of you,” she said. “Don’t do what you think ‘SNL’ wants.”
Be yourself, don’t attempt to be someone else. Aidy Bryant counseled writing and performing what one enjoys because, should one get hired, those are the skills one possesses. “At least you did what you loved even if you don’t get hired. You didn’t make an effort to conform to their expectations or try to be something they wouldn’t desire. Simply be who you are, pursue your interests, and don’t waver from them. It served as my true compass even after I was cast for the show.
Have faith in yourself. According to Heidi Gardner, “the hardest thing about auditions is trusting that you know it.” “I recall thinking, ‘How many times is enough?’ in the days before it. Even now, I treat myself like way. When will I just assume I’m right about this? But you’re aware of how to act in this way. You just begin to have greater faith in yourself. You’re an expert; anything is within your grasp.
Remain tenacious. Thompson remarked, “When I left Nickelodeon back in 2000, I was trying to get to ‘SNL.'” “I sent more tapes, but they were returned. A couple of years later, Tracy Morgan departed the show, so I suppose they were getting serious about hiring new African Americans, and I had a chance to finally audition in New York. Although I had never performed stand-up comedy before, I did a phone impression of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Al Sharpton. Even though it wasn’t very good, I think they could tell that I was enjoying myself. In the end, I was hired in 2003. I am currently the oldest member of the cast!
Determine what motivates you. “It seems like my motivation for a considerable amount of time came from ensuring my survival and staying afloat.” I’ve just recently found it difficult to ask and determine for myself: What is your skill set? How would you like that skill set to be expanded? What motivates you to work as an actor, writer, or performer? According to Bowen Yang, he needed to “get to the bottom” of why he decided to pursue a career in comedy and acting. “Identifying this fundamental reason for existing is crucial, and everything else just kind of gets informed by that,” the speaker said.
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