Jean SmartFresh off her latest Emmy win for “Hacks,” she will guest host the season 50 opener of “Saturday Night Live,” which returns to NBC on September 28.
This is the actress’ first time hosting the sketch show. She will be joined by a musical guest for her “SNL” debut. Jelly rollthe country and hip-hop artist whose latest album, “Beautifully Broken,” comes out Oct. 11. (Jelly Roll also appeared at the Emmys, performing during the in memoriam segment.)
The following weeks will see a who’s who from the world of comedy, music and film, including the host Nate Bargatze October 5, who hosted last season; Ariana Grande on October 12, who appeared last season as musical guest; Michael Keaton on October 19; and John Mulaney on November 2, the last episode before Election Day on November 4. Musical guests include Coldplay, Stevie Nicks, Billie Eilish and pop star Chappell Roan.
The historic season comes in the midst of the presidential campaign between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, which is sure to add fuel to the fire for a series long known for its politically themed opening credits and spoofs of major political figures. Maya Rudolph is reportedly set to play Harris on the show this season, though the news has not been officially confirmed by the show’s reps. More recently, cast member James Austin Johnson played Trump.
“Saturday Night Live” is a late-night television institution, spawning dozens of comedy stars over the decades — Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey and Kristen Wiig among them — and numerous spinoff films. The show aired its first episode in 1975 and was led by Lorne Michaels for nearly its entire run. In 2025, NBC will mark the series’ 50th anniversary with a weekend-long throwback that will culminate in a three-hour broadcast. special prime time broadcast on February 16.
However, the series has been criticized for its lack of diversity over the years, particularly when it comes to women of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Most recently, Punkie Johnsonwho is Black and identifies as queer, Molly Kearney, the first nonbinary cast member, and Chloe Troast have said they will not return to “SNL” for Season 50.
Last week, “SNL” announced the addition of new cast members, including Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim and Jane Wickline. Meanwhile, Marcello Hernández, Michael Longfellow and Devon Walker were promoted to repertory musicians.
