“Saturday Night Live” is gearing up for a major shakeup.
Lorne Michaels, the legendary co-founder and producer of NBC’s weekend comedy giant, revealed in a new interview with Puck News that he’s ready to overhaul the cast following the show’s 50th anniversary season.
Michaels, 80, explained that he avoided big changes during the milestone year. “There couldn’t be those kind of disruptions, or anything that was going to take the focus off (the 50th season). And we had an election,” he said. But with the anniversary in the past, he admitted it’s time to “reinvent” the show as it pushes toward its 100th year on the air.
The official casting announcement will arrive within a week, according to Michaels. Several cast members are expected to leave, and auditions have already taken place earlier this month.
One name is safe, however: James Austin Johnson, who will continue his role as Donald Trump. Johnson has made headlines for his uncanny impression since 2021, following Alec Baldwin’s much-memed run.
As for the rest of the cast? Their futures are up in the air.
Michaels stressed that while he remains the final decision-maker, the process has become more collaborative in recent years. “There’s a lot of people in that room with a lot of opinions. I make the final decision, obviously. But it’s not as if people don’t let me know how strongly they feel.”
And when asked about A.I. in comedy, Michaels wasn’t worried. “I’m not worried about A.I. because A.I. can’t guess what I’m gonna do between 10 and 11 (on show nights),” he joked. “Because I have no idea!”