Pete Is Leaving SNL, Along With 3 Other Long-Time Cast Members
He's moving on, and he's not the only one.
It’s the end of an era. Pete Davidson is expected to be leaving Saturday Night Live, alongside cast members Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, and Kyle Mooney, after Season 47’s finale on May 21. The NBC show has been airing for over four decades since its premiere in 1975, so it’s natural to see cast members come and go. But this will be one of the biggest changes in several years, and it comes after SNL’s largest ever cast of 21 members.
Variety first reported the major shuffle on May 20. It might not be a huge surprise since Davidson has been dropping hints of his departure for a while, and notably said he had outgrown SNL in February 2020. More recently, in a May 2021 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Davidson said, “I’m surprised I made it to seven [seasons as a cast member]. I’m ready to hang up the jersey.” Davidson has only sparsely appeared on the current SNL season, as his super buzzy relationship with Kim Kardashian and booming TV and movies career has kept him busy.
Looking back, Davidson has certainly had a good run. He joined the show in Season 40 as one of its youngest cast members back in 2014, and became a repertory player in 2016. Ahead of his exit, Variety highlighted some of Davidson’s best sketches including his Jasmine and Aladdin sketch with now girlfriend, Kim Kardashian. The show has been the backdrop for a few meet-cutes with Davidson’s former girlfriends including Ariana Grande, Cazzie David, and of course, Kardashian.
Along with Davidson, SNL’s leading lady Kate McKinnon will be walking away after a memorable 11 seasons. McKinnon has become a household name through her impersonations and sketches that won her two Emmy awards, and nine nominations. Fellow cast members Aidy Bryant, who joined one season after McKinnon in 2012, will also be leaving after 10 seasons, and Kyle Mooney will be signing off after nine seasons.
McKinnon said, “we are more than just a cast, we are a family,” in the finale of Season 46 while tearing up, and that shows how tightly knit the cast members are. As for what’s next, the comedians will continue to pursue other filming projects — you can watch McKinnon star as Carole Baskin in Peacock’s Joe vs. Carole, and Davidson’s comedy Bupkis was also picked up by Peacock and will be produced by SNL’s creator Lorne Michaels.
Looks like it’s time for a whole new SNL era when Season 48 returns this fall.
