‘SNL’ Season 52 Cast Is Finally Set: Here’s Every Departure, Addition, and Returning Star
‘Saturday Night Live‘ has built an entire cultural rhythm around its yearly cast shakeups, with fans eagerly tracking every departure and new hire each summer as the show heads toward its fall premiere. That tradition has continued into Season 52, though this year’s announcement came notably later than usual, with the show typically solidifying its troupe by early September.
That wait is now over. Variety has confirmed the complete Season 52 cast lineup, revealing exactly who left, who’s staying, and who’s stepping into Studio 8H for the very first time as the show gears up for its September 26 premiere.
The biggest headline centers on two brand-new featured players joining the ensemble: Grace Reiter and Saidah Belo-Osagie. Their addition completes the roster following a stretch of high-profile departures that reshaped the show’s lineup heading into the new season.
Three names are notably absent from the returning roster. Bowen Yang departed midway through Season 51, back in December, while Chloe Fineman announced her own exit in July after seven seasons on the show. Martin Herlihy, a member of the sketch trio Please Don’t Destroy who had transitioned to a writing role for the show, is also departing after five seasons since joining in 2021.
Herlihy’s exit marks the second member of that sketch group to leave the show, following John Higgins’s earlier departure ahead of Season 51. Fineman’s exit, meanwhile, makes her the second major Season 51 star to leave following Yang, continuing a period of significant turnover for the show’s ensemble.
Grace Reiter, a Wisconsin-born stand-up comedian and actor, joins the show after building a substantial following on TikTok and YouTube. She’s also starred in Tim Robinson’s HBO comedy series ‘The Chair Company’ and is a member of American High’s sketch team, with her casting making her the first ‘SNL’ cast member born in the 21st century, having been born in 2001.
Saidah Belo-Osagie, a Nigerian American filmmaker and comedian originally from Queens and now based in Brooklyn, rounds out the new additions. She’s known for writing and directing the short film ‘Tinge,’ creating the event series ‘Afrobeats Futura,’ and developing her own solo show, ‘Saidah Gets Closure.’ Notably, her casting makes her the first Black woman to join the cast since Ego Nwodim’s departure following Season 50, addressing a gap that had reportedly been a priority for producers to fill.
Beyond the new hires, the show’s veteran core remains firmly intact heading into the new season. Kenan Thompson, Michael Che, Colin Jost, and Mikey Day all return, alongside Andrew Dismukes, Marcello Hernández, James Austin Johnson, and Sarah Sherman. Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline, who joined the show during Season 50, have both been promoted to full repertory status for this new season.
All five of last season’s featured player additions are also returning, including Ben Marshall, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson, and Veronika Slowikowska. That continuity gives the show a relatively stable foundation even amid the notable exits at the top of the roster.
‘Saturday Night Live’ Season 52 premieres September 26 on NBC and Peacock, with Jalen Brunson set to host and Katseye serving as the musical guest for the opening episode. With the full cast now officially locked in, fans finally have a complete picture of what this season’s ensemble will look like heading into the new year.
Which new SNL Season 52 cast member are you most excited to watch?
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