Chloe Fineman Says Goodbye to ‘SNL’ After 7 Years in Emotional Exit
Chloe Fineman is leaving Saturday Night Live after seven seasons, marking the end of her run on one of television’s most famous comedy stages. The comedian announced her exit on Instagram on Thursday, July 16, sharing photos from her time at Studio 8H and reflecting on the experience that changed her career. Fineman said leaving the NBC sketch comedy series was a difficult decision but felt like the right moment to move forward.
“After 7 wonderful seasons at SNL I have decided it’s time for my next chapter,” Fineman wrote.
She described her time on the show as one of the biggest opportunities of her life, saying she still found it hard to believe she became part of the long-running series. “It’s cliche to say this but working at SNL has been the greatest privilege of my life. I still can’t really believe I got to be a part of it,” she shared. Fineman also gave a special thank you to creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels, joking that she would always be grateful for the opportunity. “Lorne (if you’re reading this on your burner account) I want you to know that I am forever in your debt,” she wrote.
During her farewell message, Fineman looked back at the unique experience of creating comedy for Saturday Night Live. She praised the cast, writers, producers, costume team, and everyone working behind the scenes who helped bring each episode together every week.
She explained that the show came with plenty of emotional moments, especially when sketches that performers loved did not make it to air. Fineman joked about how seriously cast members take their ideas, even when those moments later become funny memories.
“You sob uncontrollably when your sketch isn’t picked,” she wrote. “You storm into a producers office telling them they just made the biggest mistake of their lives. You call everyone you know to complain.” She then joked that years later, those same moments often become stories they laugh about. “And then you look back a few years later and it was a sketch called ‘lipstick for thicc dogs,’” Fineman added.
Fineman joined Saturday Night Live in 2019 as a featured player before becoming one of the show’s recognizable performers. She became especially popular for her celebrity impressions, taking on famous figures such as Drew Barrymore, Britney Spears, Jennifer Coolidge, Nicole Kidman, Timothée Chalamet, Sydney Sweeney, JoJo Siwa, and Meryl Streep.
Her ability to transform into different personalities helped make her one of the standout cast members during her time on the series. In a 2024 interview with PEOPLE, Fineman previously talked about the challenge of joining such an iconic show. She explained that new cast members quickly learn how intense the environment can be. “You kind of are, like, thrown into the fire,” she said while discussing the experience.
She also praised the creative relationships she built during her time at SNL, especially the trust and support she found while working with other women in the industry. Although Fineman is leaving the show, she made it clear that her connection to Saturday Night Live will remain strong.
How will you remember Chloe Fineman’s time on ‘Saturday Night Live’?
“It’s really hard to leave SNL but it does feel like the right time. I’m going to miss it a lot,” she wrote. “But the people who work there are my family and that place is my home, and I know I’ll never be too far away.”
Her departure marks another major change for the long-running comedy series as Saturday Night Live continues entering a new era.
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