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(NewsNation) — “Saturday Night Live” head honcho Lorne Michaels has confirmed there will be cast changes ahead of the show’s new season in October.
Speaking to Puck, Michaels, 80, confirmed that there will be a big cast shakeup for “SNL’s” 51st season.
Last season marked 50 years that the show had been on the air, with NBC airing an “SNL50” anniversary special that saw a slew of celebrities who’ve hosted the show and the return of old favorites.
Michaels said that because season 50 was so monumental, no casting changes were announced during that time.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 21: Kenan Thompson attends the Reel Works 24th Annual ChangeMaker Gala at The Ziegfeld Ballroom on May 21, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Bowen Yang attends SNL50: The Homecoming Concert At Radio City Music Hall Red Carpet Arrivals at Radio City Music Hall on February 14, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — “FYC 2025 Event” — Pictured: Ego Nwodim at The Television Academy in North Hollywood, CA on June 2, 2025 — (Photo by: Todd Williamson/NBC via Getty Images) NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 12: Marcello Hernández speaks onstage during the 29th Annual Webby Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on May 12, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for The Webby Awards) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 22: Chloe Fineman attends the premiere of Disney’s “Freakier Friday” at El Capitan Theatre on July 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images) AUSTIN, TEXAS – APRIL 19: Comedian James Austin Johnson performs onstage during Moontower Comedy Festival at The State Theatre on April 19, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images) SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — Episode 1878 — Pictured: (l-r) Andrew Dismukes, Ego Nwodim, Bowen Yang as Zander, host Lady Gaga as Pia, Sarah Sherman, and Ashley Padilla during the “No More Slay” sketch on Saturday, March 8, 2025 — (Photo by: Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images)
“When Kate [McKinnon] hosted, Kristen [Wiig] and Maya [Rudolph] came back for it. And that meant there couldn’t be those kind of disruptions [to the cast], or anything that was going to take the focus off” the 50th season, Michaels told Puck. “And we had an election.”
While fans of the show will be curious to see who’s going to leave the season before season 51, one cast member will return, Michaels revealed: Actor James Austin Johnson will continue to play President Donald Trump.
