Summary
Two cast members have leftSaturday Night Liveafter season 49. The long-running NBC sketch comedy show was created by Lorne Michaels and originally began airing in 1975, featuring guest hosts and musicians along with live and pre-recorded sketches performed by a rotating cast of comedy performers. So far, no hosts or musical guests have been announced for the landmark season 50, but formerSNLcastmember Maya Rudolph has reportedly been set to return to reprise her role as Presidential nominee Kamala Harris through the end of the 2024 election.
On their respective official Instagram accounts, bothPunkie JohnsonandMolly Kearneyannounced their departures from the cast ofSaturday Night Live. Johnson had been on the show since 2020, while Kearney joined the cast in 2022. At the time of writing, there is no word as to which remaining season 49 cast members will be returning for the upcoming season, a roster that includes Kenan Thompson, Michael Che, Colin Jost, Mikey Day, Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, Chloe Fineman, Bowen Yang, Sarah Sherman, and Andrew Dismukes. See Johnson and Kearney’s posts below:
Johnson announced her departure in a video bearing the caption “SNL I LOVE YOU… LOOKING FORWARD TO WHATS NEXT!!!… PUNKIE OUT!!!!”
Kearney shared a gallery of behind-the-scenes images from the show and a caption expressing their gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of the cast, saying, “So much love to all my big hearted buddies behind the scenes who make the magic happen every week.”
What’s Next For Punkie Johnson And Molly Kearney?
The SNL Vets Will Likely Continue In Their Predecessors' Footsteps
It seems likely that they will continue to take on similar roles in the future, spurred on by their newfound notoriety thanks to being featured on the prominent comedy show.
It remains to be seen what the next steps are for both former cast membersnow that they have announced that they are not appearing on the nextSaturday Night Liveseason, as neither have any upcoming projects officially listed. While Kearney’s Instagram does not imply future projects the way that Johnson’s does, it seems likely that both have further work in the entertainment industry on the horizon. They have already set a precedent by performing in projects off theSaturday Night Livestage.
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Kearney has already appeared in a variety of other titles, includingPrime Video’sA League of Their Own, Disney+‘sThe Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, and Paramount+‘sGood Burger 2. Johnson has appeared in even more projects, taking roles inSpace Force,Ghosts,Firebuds, andBottoms, among others, both before and after her stint onSaturday Night Live.It seems likely that they will continue to take on similar rolesin the future, spurred on by their newfound notoriety thanks to being featured on the prominent comedy show.
Good Burger 2also starred Molly Kearney’sSaturday Night Liveco-star Kenan Thompson.
This is the trajectory that manySaturday Night Livealumni have had before them. Stars including Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and countless others have continued to have robust careers in comedy after stepping down as cast members on the iconic show over the years. While this has not been officially confirmed, it seems likely that bothSaturday Night Livealumni will similarly be announcing upcoming projects in the coming months.
Saturday Night Live
Cast
Saturday Night Live is a live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels, premiering in 1975. It features comedy sketches parodying contemporary culture and politics, performed by a rotating cast. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest and includes musical performances.
