SNL 50 unveils celebrity-filled cast list — but one missing star causes uproar
NBC's long-running late-night sketch show will celebrate the impressive milestone on February 16 with a three-hour special beginning at 8 p.m. EST.
On Monday, the series released a list of former cast members who will once again take the famed 30 Rock stage — with one surprising omission.
In the clip, a car drives along the streets of New York City, passing by massive blue post-it notes bearing the names of the comedy legends who will be returning for the noteworthy occasion.
The cast includes a mix of original cast members such as Laraine Newman, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin and Garrett Morris to more recent alumni Jimmy Fallon, Amy Poehler, Eddie Murphy, Fred Armisen, Molly Shannon, Kristen Wiig, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Maya Rudolph, Pete Davison, Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Will Forte, Kate McKinnon, Andy Sandberg, Seth Meyers, Kenan Thompson, Jason Sudeikis and Chris Rock.
The special will also feature celebrities who have previously graced the stage as guest hosts: Adam Driver, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Kim Kardashian, Martin Short, Miley Cyrus, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Pedro Pascal, Peyton Manning, Quinta Brunson, Robert De Niro, Sabrina Carpenter, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks and Woody Harrelson.
While many X/Twitter users reacted joyously to the list of returning stars, others couldn't help but notice a major name was missing from the roster.
'Where is Bill Hader? i want a stefon comeback,' one commented, referring to the eccentric nightlife correspondent Hader created during his eight-year stint as a regular cast member — and has reprised numerous times during guest later appearances.
'Show us Bill Hader,' a second demanded, while a third added: 'i'm going to crash out if they don't announce bill hader soon.'
'GIVE ME BILL HADER OR GIVE ME DEATH,' another begged.
It is currently unknown what's preventing Hader from making his return; however, he's previously admitted that working on the show brought him a great deal of anxiety.
'When I was on SNL, I was a bit of a basket case,' the Barry star told Variety in 2019. 'It could not have been easy on my wife at the time. I was so consumed with work and anxiety.'
He added: 'Sometimes I felt like people thought, 'Oh, he's just wanting attention or something.' It was like, 'No, man, I'm legit. I'm freaking out right now.''
In the lead-up to the anniversary episode, on Friday, February 14, Peacock will livestream a segment titled SNL50: The Homecoming Concert. Presented by late-night host Fallon, the music special will see performances from Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Bad Bunny, Post Malone and more.
NBC has additionally released a four-part docuseries named SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night Live, which spotlights the audition process, writing, infamous sketches, and the pivotal 11th season.
Last month, the network also aired a documentary special from Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson and Oz Rodriguez called Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music.
SNL first premiered on October 11, 1975, and has aired nearly 1,000 episodes to date, making it one of America's longest-running broadcast network television shows ever.
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