The Saturday Night Live movie is here, Saturday Night, telling the true-to-life story of the original SNL cast of comedic stars.
Directed by Juno's Jason Reitman, Saturday Night offers a look back at those involved in the now-iconic TV variety show in the 90 minutes that preceded that very first show on October 11, 1975.
The film casts modern-day superstars as this beloved cast of characters who would go on to become household names off the success of the late-night sketch comedy series.
While at the time, no one knew if the show was going to work, SNL has become one of the prominent names in TV comedy and is in the midst of celebrating it 50th season on the air.
Every Character and Actor in Saturday Night
Gabriel LaBelle - Lorne Michaels
Gabriel LaBelle serves as the pseudo-lead of Saturday Night, playing the iconic TV producer and creator of SNL, Lorne Micheals. LaBelle's take on Michaels is a whole lot younger than the Lorne that fans have come to know and love over the last fifty years.
Saturday Night sees Lorne at a crossroads in his life, putting his reputation on the line to get his idea of a weekly late-night sketch comedy show off the ground at NBC.
Labelle rose to prominence after playing the lead in Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans but has also appeared in The Predator and Dead Shack.
Rachel Sennott - Rosie Shuster
Rachel Sennott brings to life another driving force in the original SNL machine, playing the venerable Rosie Shuster.
Shuster was a writer who worked on the zany sketch comedy show during the 1970s and '80s and had a hand in creating iconic SNL characters like Killer Bees, Roseanne Roseannadanna, and Baba Wawa. She is also Lorne Michael's ex-wife at the time of the first show.
Like Shuster in the 1970s, Sennot is a rising star in comedy, starring in hits like Shiva Baby, Bottoms, and Bodies Bodies Bodies.
Cory Michael Smith - Chevy Chase
Cory Michael Smith has the honor of playing Saturday Night's take on the beloved comedy legend Chevy Chase.
In the early days of SNL, Chase would become one of its biggest names, using the TV series as a springboard into a hyper-successful film career.
Chevy later starred in Dan Harmon's comedy Community but was fired and Chase won't be appearing in the upcoming Community movie.
Smith is best known for his work on May December, Carol, and Transatlantic.
Ella Hunt - Gilda Radner
While the world of comedy, as seen in Saturday Night, was largely a boys' club, it was names like Gilda Radner that broke that mold for generations of female comedians to come.
Played by Ella Hunt in the film, Radner was one of three female cast members of the original SNL cast. She would become known for her completely out-there characters and bonkers TV program spoofs.
Hunts's previous credits include Dickinson, Anna and the Apocalypse, and Lady Chatterley's Lovers.
Dylan O'Brien - Dan Aykroyd
Dan Aykroyd (played by Dylan O'Brien in Saturday Night) is another member of the original "Not Ready for Prime Time Players," as they would come to be known on SNL.
Aykroyd was a Canadian comedian who had made a connection with Lorne Micheals after working with him on the short-lived Canadian comedy series, The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour. Like many of his SNL co-stars, Aykroyd would use the popularity garnered from the series to launch a successful movie career.
Fans may know Dylan O'Brien from recent Nightwing casting rumors at DC and can also be seen in MTV's Teen Wolf series, the Maze Runner movie franchise, and Love and Monsters.
Emily Fairn - Laraine Newman
Another female member of the original SNL cast was Laraine Newman (played by Emily Fairn in the movie). Newman was a former member of the improv troupe, The Groundlings, who was recruited to the show for her quick wit and hilarious characters.
She would appear on Saturday Night Live from 1975 until 1980, playing beloved characters from that initial run like Connie Conehead, proto-Valley girl Sherry, and Christie Christina.
Saturday Night marks Fairns first major movie credit after appearing in hit series like Black Mirror, The Responder, and Mary & George.
Matt Wood - John Belushi
If there was an SNL Mount Rushmore, it would be hard to argue that John Belushi would be on it. Actor Matt Wood brings to life the comedy legend in Saturday Night, depicting Belushi at a point in his life right before he would break it big with his appearance on SNL.
Along with Chevy Chase, Beluhsi was clearly one of the most popular stars among the initial SNL cast, going on to create Saturday Night Live icons like The Blues Brothers. Years after the events of Saturday Night, Belushi tragically passed away from a heroin overdose in 1983 (he was 33 years old).
Before bringing Belushi to live on the big screen Wood cut his teeth on projects like Difficult People and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Lamorne Morris - Garrett Morris
Played by Lamorne Morris, Garrett Morris was the first Black cast member of SNL, joining the show in its initial season.
Morris was initially hired as a writer for the program after writing a play that Lorne Michaels got a hold of and adored; however, as the show approached its debut, he was promoted to a full-time cast member.
Lamorne Morris, while sharing the same last name as his Saturday Night character is not related in any way. Morris' other work includes Fargo, Game Night, and the beloved sitcom New Girl where he played series mainstay, Winston Bishop.
Kim Matula - Jane Curtin
The seventh and final member of the original SNL cast depicted in Saturday Night is Kim Matula's Jane Curtain. On a set where anything could happen, Curtain was one of the few who tried to keep things as put together as she could on SNL.
While she was also a comedic genius (earning two Emmys for her work on the series), Curtain has become known as one of the more put-together of the original cast, pushing everyone to see the show for more than just a place to play around, but a serious boundary-breaking program that pushed the TV medium forward.
Previously, Matula appeared in Tapawingo, Fighting with My Family, and The Bold and the Beautiful.
Finn Wolfhard - NBC Page
SNL and NBC do not work without their many pages. That is shown in the film by Finn Wolfhard's NBC Page character.
He is seen essentially being a lackey for the first airing of Saturday Night, promoting the show on the street and bringing in an audience for the first episode.
Wolfhard is probably best known for his work as Mike Wheeler in Netflix's Stranger Things series (which is still awaiting its fifth and final season) but also has credits on It, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio.
Nicholas Braun - Andy Kaufman/Jim Henson
The long and lanky Nicholas Braun brings to life to legends of the big and small screen in Saturday Night, Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson.
Both Kaufman and Henson were crucial to the early days of SNL with Kaufman appearing frequently as a guest player and Henson's Muppet characters getting interstitial segments.
Braun will be familiar as a member of the Succession cast, as well as appearing in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Sky High.
Cooper Hoffman - Dick Ebersol
Cooper Hoffman plays Dick Ebersol, one of the key figures in getting Saturday Night Live to air for the first time.
Ebersol was an NBC TV executive during the 1970s who approached Lorne Michaels about building a program for their Saturday night timeslot.
Hoffman, the son of the late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, has also appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza and 2023's Wildcat.
Andrew Barth Feldman - Neil Levy
Neil Levy (played by Andrew Barth Feldman) can be seen in the chaos of Saturday Night as SNL's initial talent coordinator. He can be seen throughout the movie appeasing every one of Lorne Michael's requests (for better or worse)
Levy would eventually go on to become a writer on the series as well, making the jump to his new role in Season 3.
Feldman's resume includes credits on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Foul Play, and No Hard Feelings.
Kaia Gerber - Jacqueline Carlin
While not a member of the cast proper, Jacqueline Carlin (played by Kaia Gerber) was an important part of SNL's early days. Carlin is SNL star CHevy Chase's fiance at the time of the first show and would go on to become hired talent appearing in various sketches.
Gerber can also be seen in Bottoms, American Horror Story, and Babylon.
Tommy Dewey - Michael O'Donoghue
Tommy Dewey Plays Saturday Night's Michael O'Donoghue. O'Donoghue was SNL's first head writer, a position that would come to be one of the most highly sought-after in television.
Deweyts past credits include Casual and The Mindy Project.
Willem Dafoe - David Tebet
David Tebet (played by Willem Dafoe here) was one of Lorne Micheals' biggest thorns in his side leading up to the debut of SNL. Tebet was an NBC network executive and the vice president of talent relations. He saw Saturday Night Live as a bizarre take on the variety show genre and was skeptical it would work.
Dafoe has worked in Hollywood for over 40 years with more than 150 acting credits to his name. These include (but are not limited to) the Spider-Man franchise (which Willem Dafoe has said he would return to), The Florida Project, and The Lighthouse.
Matthew Rhys - George Carlin
Matthew Rhys plays renowned comedian George Carlin, the very first host of Saturday Night Live. Carlin started a long tradition of having a major celebrity host every new episode of the sketch comedy series.
Rhys previously appeared in The Post, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and The Americans.
J.K. Simmons - Milton Berle
J.K. Simmons brings to life Milton Berle in Saturday Night. Berle is a beloved American comedian and actor who took an interest in what SNL was doing.
Simmons' other credits include the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, Whiplash, and La La Land. J.K. Simmons has also popped up in the MCU as J. Jonah Jameson and is optimistic about his future in the franchise.
Jon Batiste - Billy Preston
Billy Preston (played by Jon Batiste) was the very first musical guest of Saturday Night Live and a renowned keyboardist and songwriter of the era.
Batiste is a much-celebrated musician in his own right, known for his work on things like Pixar's Soul, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Sonic The Hedgehog.
Naomi McPherson - Janis Ian
Naomi McPherson plays Janis Ian in the 2024 SNL movie. Ian was the second musical guest on Saturday Night Live's debut episode.
McPherson is a well-known musician and a member of the uber-popular indie-pop band, Muna.
Nicholas Podany - Billy Crystal
Nicholas Podany's Billy Crystal is in the orbit of the first episode of NBC's Saturday Night, as the fan-favorite comedian was set to have a sketch make it to air. His sketch was ultimately cut from the debut episode though.
Podany previously starred in Hello Tomorrow!, Archive 81, and Blue Bloods.
Taylor Gray - Al Franken
Taylor Gray plays Al Franken, another comedian involved in SNL as one of the series' first two writers.
Gray's other works include Star Wars: Rebels (where he voiced Ezra Bridger), The Wheel, and Bucket and Skinner's Epic Adventures.
Robert Wuhl - Dave Wilson
Robert Wuhl plays Dave Wilson, the man behind the camera for much of SNL's early run. Wilson served as director on the show from 1975 to 1986.
Wuhl has also acted in 1989's Batman, Arli$$, and Bull Durham.
Tracy Letts - Herb Sargent
Tacy Letts brings to life Herb Sargent, one of the early writers of Saturday Night Live.
Letts is best known for his roles in Lady Bird, Ford v Ferrari, and Little Women.
Josh Brener - Alan Zweibel
Alan Zweibel (played by Josh Brener) is one of the original writers for SNL.
Brener will be familiar to fans of Silicon Valley, HBO's The Last of Us, and 3 Body Problem.
Corinne Britti - Valri Bromfield
Corinne Britti's Valri Bromfield comes from the same world as much of the SNL cast, being an original member of the beloved Second City comedy troupe. In the movie, she can be seen performing comedy on the very first episode of Saturday Night Live.
Britti's other work includes Condor's Nest, Take Care of Emily, and Route 80.
Mcabe Gregg - Tom Davis
Tom Davis (brought to life by Mcabe Gregg) is one-half of the Franken & Davis comedy duo with fellow SNL writer Al Franken. Like his comedy partner, Davis was brought into Saturday Night Live to perform comedy and write on early episodes.
Gregg has also popped in Teenage Badass, Ray Donovan, and Shameless.
Brian Welch - Don Pardo
Despite not knowing at the time, Don Pardo (played by Brian Welch in Saturday Night) would become one of the most recognizable names attached to SNL. Pardo voiced the iconic Saturday Night Live cast introductions for the series' first 38 seasons from 1975 to 2014.
Previously fans may have seen or heard Welch in Halt and Catch Fire, Sistas, and the Red Dead Redemption II video game.
Leander Suleiman - Anne Beatts
Leander Suleiman's Anne Beatts is a comedy writer trying to get by at the time of Saturday Night, serving as an uncredited writer and actor on several early seasons of the series.
Besides the 2024 SNL movie, Suleiman can also be seen in Bandit, Sweet Magnolias, and Marvel Studio's Echo.
Paul Rust - Paul Shaffer
Paul Rust plays the iconic musician and TV mainstay, Paul Shaffer, who is seen in the movie as a member of SNL's first house band. Shaffer would go on to fill a similar role on Late Night with David Letterman where he served as the head of the house band and a constant personality on the long-running late-night show.
Rust's other roles include Inglorious Bastards, I Love You, Beth Cooper, and Arrested Development.
Catherine Curtin - Joan Carbunkle
Catherine Curtin plays NBC sensor Joan Carbunkle who squares off with Lorne Micheals over the potentially controversial content of his new counter-culture show.
Curtin can also be seen in Stranger Things, Insecure, and Homeland.
Kirsty Woodward - Audrey Dickman
Kristy Woodward's Audrey Dickman was a real-life assistant to the producer on SNL, who would go on to work on the series for two years.
Woodward's resume also includes appearances on BBC's EastEnders, Ted's Top Ten, and Bad Move.
Abraham Hsu - Leo Yoshimura
Leo Yoshimura (played by Abraham Hsu) was one of the original production designers on Saturday Night Live who is pushed to the brink in Saturday Night given the complexity and constantly changing nature of live sketch comedy.
Hsu also acted in Amazon Prime Video's Swarm, Step Up: High Water, and Leverage: Redemption.
Rowan Joseph - Jim Fox
Rowan Joseph plays Jim Fox, the production manager on the first episode of NBC's Saturday Night.
Joseph's other work includes The Hill, Pain Hustlers, and Haunted Mansion.
Ellen Boscov - Mrs. Kaufman
Ellen Boscov brings to life Mrs. Kaufman in Saturday Night, the mother of comedian Andy Kaufman.
Boscov's notable credits are Mini-Mocks, First Light, and Abie's Elevator.
Billy Bryk - Carl
Milly Byrk takes on the role of Carl, one of the NBC employees who gets wrapped up in the chaos of SNL's premiere.
Bryk is a close friend of co-star Finn Wolfhard, appearing alongside the Stranger Things actor in Reitman's last film Ghostbusters: Afterlife. He also has credits on When You Finish Saving the World and Crisis.
Sergio Duque - Tony Orlando
Sergio Duque plays Tony Orlando a famous singer-songwriter of the era who some of the cast impersonated in early SNL skits.
Duque's has also popped up in Cora Kai, Snapped, and The Paraseekers.
Saturday Night is now playing in theaters.
