SNL adds three new cast members for season 50 to replace departing actors

Saturday Night Live brings a breath of fresh air ahead of its historic 50th season.

The late-night sketch comedy series announced some changes to its cast on September 9, as another cast member departed and three new comedians joined.

Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim and Jane Wickline are all there SNLwhile lead actress Chloe Troast leaves after just one season.

Punkie Johnson and Molly Kearney also previously confirmed their departure from the series. Johnson assured that there was “no bad blood” and Kearney thanked the fans for “two fantastic seasons”.

Padilla, a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, has been a member of the Groundlings Main Company since 2021, while Chicago-born Wakim is a stand-up comedian, actor and writer who was selected as a New Face of Comedy at the 2022 Just for Laughs Comedy Festival.

Wickline is from LA, was a cast member of the TikTok live show “Stapleview” and also performs as a sketch comedian on tour.

Troast announced her exit in a statement on Instagram, revealing that she “has not been invited back to SNL this season.”

“I wish I could go back to all the great friends I met there. It really felt like home. But that wasn’t a given,” she said in a statement.

In the comments section, several of their SNL Her colleagues expressed their love for her and stars like Chance the Rapper also expressed their support.

“I love you so much and you have been a shining light this year,” wrote Chloe Fineman, while Kearney commented, “You are a genius and a star and people love you.”

In addition to some departures and new additions, returning cast members Marcello Hernandez, Michael Longfellow and Devon Walker were promoted to the main cast after two years as supporting actors ahead of the upcoming season.

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Saturday Night Live Season 50 premieres Saturday, September 28 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.