From bees, “wild and crazy” guys and cheeseburger-slinging cooks to “Wayne’s World” hosts, Spartan cheerleaders, “two a-holes,” “Californians” and songs about Chanukah, wishing it was Christmas today, chopping broccoli and a gift in the form of a certain body part in a box, Saturday Night Live has featured multiple memorable sketches over its nearly 50-year history.
And behind the series’ beloved characters and impressions are more than 100 castmembers, a number of whom went on to become household names.
The performers who’ve graced the Studio 8H stage include such stars as Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Chris Farley, David Spade, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Molly Shannon, Tracy Morgan, Jimmy Fallon, Maya Rudolph, Seth Meyers, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis and Kristen Wiig.
And even those castmembers who didn’t have a memorable run on SNL have gone on to great success in film and TV, with Robert Downey Jr., Ben Stiller and Sarah Silverman among the lesser-known SNL alums.
While some castmembers — like Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Martin Short — have had success in both TV and film, others — like Eddie Murphy and Adam Sandler — have focused their post-SNL careers on film. And former “Weekend Update” hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers have brought their skills poking fun at current events to their roles as hosts of The Tonight Show and Late Night, respectively.
The Hollywood Reporter takes a look back at 32 former SNL castmembers that have become household names, parlaying their time on the long-running variety show into film and TV stardom.
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Dan Aykroyd (1975-1979)
Image Credit: NBC/ Courtesy Everett Collection; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images An original SNL castmember, Dan Aykroyd hosted “Weekend Update” and performed memorable impressions of Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon, while he originated fan-favorite characters including Beldar Conehead, Yortuk Festrunk, the Blues Brothers’ Elwood Blues and a cheeseburger-slinging cook at the Olympia Restaurant. Aykroyd continued to have a successful career after leaving the show in 1979 by writing and starring in the Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters films and appearing in such movies as Trading Places (1983), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), My Girl (1991), Chaplin (1992), Tommy Boy (1995) and The Campaign (2012).
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John Belushi (1975-1979)
Image Credit: NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection; Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images John Belushi played a memorable bee, Samurai Futaba, Jake Blues and an Olympia Restaurant server. After leaving the variety show in 1979, the Animal House star continued to have a successful acting career by appearing in the films Blues Brothers (1980) and Neighbors (1981). Belushi died from a combined drug intoxication in 1982 and was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004.
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Chevy Chase (1975-1977)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection; Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images Chevy Chase was an original SNL castmember. He only spent two seasons as a writer and performer, during which time he hosted “Weekend Update” and played Gerald Ford, among other characters. However, he returned several times after that as a host and guest. In 1976, he won the individual performance in a variety program and outstanding writing for a variety program Emmy awards for his work on the show. Chase went on to play the starring role of Clark W. Griswold in the National Lampoon films Vacation (1983), European Vacation (1985), Christmas Vacation (1989) and Vegas Vacation (1997). His other film credits include Caddyshack (1980), Fletch (1985), Spies Like Us (1985), Three Amigos! (1986) and Hot Tub Time Machine (2010). Additionally, Chase portrayed Pierce Hawthorne on NBC’s sitcom Community from 2009-2014. In 1993, he served as the host of the short-lived late-night talk show The Chevy Chase Show and hosted the Academy Awards in 1987 and 1988.
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Gilda Radner (1975-1980)
Image Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images; Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images Gilda Radner originated beloved characters including Roseanne Roseannadanna, Judy Miller and the Barbara Walters-inspired Baba Wawa. Radner won an Emmy for her work on the show in 1978, while she portrayed some of her SNL characters in her one-woman Broadway show in 1979. After her SNL exit in 1980, Radner went on to star in the films Hanky Panky (1982), The Woman in Red (1984), Movers & Shakers (1984) and Haunted Honeymoon (1986). She died in 1989 following a battle with ovarian cancer. After her death, Radner won a posthumous Grammy in 1990. Additionally, she was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in 1992 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003.
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Bill Murray (1977-1980)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection; Scott Olson/Getty Images Bill Murray went on to have a successful film career after he spent three years as a performer and writer on SNL, where his memorable characters included Nick the lounge singer and yet another Olympia Restaurant staffer. After SNL, the actor starred in movies such as Caddyshack (1980), Stripes (1981), Tootsie (1982), the Ghostbusters films, Scrooged (1988), Groundhog Day (1993), Space Jam (1996) and Charlie’s Angels (2000). In 2004, Murray scored a best actor Oscar nomination for his role in Lost in Translation (2003). While he won his first Emmy for outstanding writing for a variety series for SNL in 1977, he later took home the outstanding supporting actor in a limited series or movie award for his work in Olive Kitteridge in 2015. Murray’s more recent film roles include On the Rocks (2020), The French Dispatch (2021), The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2022) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).
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Eddie Murphy (1980-1984)
Image Credit: NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection; Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images Eddie Murphy portrayed several memorable characters during his time on SNL, including Gumby, a grown-up version of the Little Rascals character Buckwheat and the Mr. Rogers spoof Mr. Robinson. After he left the cast in 1984, Murphy went on to have a successful film career by starring in movies such as the Beverly Hills Cop, Nutty Professor, Doctor Dolittle, Shrek and Coming to America franchises; Boomerang (1992); Bowfinger (1999); Tower Heist (2011); Dolemite Is My Name (2019); and You People (2023). In 2007, he was nominated for best supporting actor at the Academy Awards for his role as James “Thunder” Early in Dreamgirls (2006).
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus (1982-1985)
Image Credit: Reggie Lewis/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images; Arturo Holmes/Getty Images Julia Louis-Dreyfus made history as Saturday Night Live‘s youngest female castmember when she joined the NBC variety show in 1982. During her time on the sketch program, Louis-Dreyfus played characters such as Big-Zit Cindy and televangelist April May June. While Louis-Dreyfus has been open about being “miserable” during her time on the show, she said it was a learning experience and she met and bonded with then-writer Larry David, whom she later worked with when she played Elaine Benes on NBC’s Seinfeld from 1989-1998. The actress also starred in The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006-2010) and Veep (2012-2019). As of April 2023, Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman are tied with the most Emmy acting wins. While arguably better known for her work on the small screen, Louis-Dreyfus has also starred in the films Enough Said (2013); Downhill (2020); You People (2023), where she reunited with her SNL co-star Eddie Murphy; and You Hurt My Feelings (2023). And she’s also joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine.
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Billy Crystal (1984-1985)
Image Credit: RM Lewis Jr./NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images; Jemal Countess/Getty Images Billy Crystal was both a castmember and writer during season 10 of SNL, where he performed memorable impressions of Fernando Lamas and Prince. He has since had a successful film career, starring in movies such as The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally (1989), City Slickers (1991), Mr. Saturday Night (1992), Forget Paris (1995), Analyze This (1999), Monsters Inc. (2001), Analyze That (2002), Monsters University (2013) and The Comedian (2016). He’s also won six Emmys and hosted the Oscars nine times.
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Martin Short (1984-1985)
Image Credit: NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection; Phillip Faraone/Getty Images Martin Short was only on one season of SNL, but the actor-writer played memorable characters including Ed Grimley, Irving Cohen and Nathan Thurm. He has returned to host the show multiple times and went on to have a successful career in film and television. Some of Short’s notable film credits include roles in Three Amigos (1986), Innerspace (1987), Three Fugitives (1989), Father of the Bride (1991), Captain Ron (1992), Clifford (1994), Father of the Bride Part II (1995), Mars Attacks! (1996), Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006) and Inherent Vice (2014). Additionally, he has lent his voice to animated movies including The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008), Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012) and The Addams Family (2019). Short has also had significant roles on several TV shows, including Damages (2010), Mulaney (2014-2015), Maya & Marty (2016) and Only Murders in the Building.
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Robert Downey Jr. (1985-1986)
Image Credit: Alan Singer/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images; Kimberly White/Getty Images Robert Downey Jr.’s SNL career was short-lived, as he only appeared on the show from 1985-1986. However, he has continued to consistently work by starring in the films Weird Science (1985), Less Than Zero (1987), Chaplin (1992), Heart and Souls (1993), Only You (1994), Zodiac (2007) and Tropic Thunder (2008) before joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Iron Man, a role he’s reprised in multiple films, including the eponymous franchise, the Avengers series and Spider-Man: Homecoming. He’s also starred in the Warner Bros. Sherlock Holmes films, Due Date, The Judge, Oppenheimer and more. In 2002, he produced the documentary Sr. about the life and career of his director father, Robert Downey Sr. On the television side, he starred as Larry Paul on Ally McBeal from 2000-2002 and in 2003, he hosted the eco-friendly car restoration series Downey’s Dream Cars.
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Dana Carvey (1986-1993)
Image Credit: BC/Courtesy Everett Collection; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images On SNL, Dana Carvey memorably impersonated George H.W. Bush, Ross Perot, Johnny Carson and Tom Brokaw, while playing characters like Church Lady, Garth Algar of “Wayne’s World” fame, Grumpy Old Man, Massive Head Wound Harry and bodybuilder Hans from “Hans & Franz.” He also introduced viewers to “Choppin’ Broccoli.” Carvey starred in the SNL spinoff films Wayne’s World (1992) and Wayne’s World 2 (1993), while he earned five consecutive Emmy nominations for his work on the variety show. After leaving SNL, he starred in films including Clean Slate (1994) and The Master of Disguise (2002). Carvey has also voiced characters in the animated films Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015), The Secret Life of Pets (2016) and The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019). On the TV side, he hosted and acted in the short-lived sketch comedy series The Dana Carvey Show in 1996.
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Phil Hartman (1986-1994)
Image Credit: NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection; Barry King/WireImage Phil Hartman portrayed many different characters during his time on SNL, including “Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer” and “The Anal Retentive Chef,” and impersonated Phil Donahue, Frank Sinatra and political figures Ronald Reagan, Barbara Bush and Bill Clinton. While starring on the sketch comedy show, Hartman kept busy by acting in the films Coneheads (1993) and So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993). He also lent his voice to The Simpsons. He went on to star on NBC’s NewsRadio from 1995-1998 and in the movies Greedy (1994), Houseguest (1995), Sgt. Bilko (1996) and Jingle All the Way (1996). In 1998, Hartman was shockingly shot to death by his wife. He was posthumously nominated for an Emmy Award in the supporting actor in a comedy series category.
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Ben Stiller (1989)
Image Credit: Raymond Bonar/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images; Kevin Winter/Getty Image Ben Stiller only appeared on SNL for a few episodes, but he went on to have an impressive career in TV and film. Following his brief stint on the variety show, Stiller starred in the sketch comedy series The Ben Stiller Show from 1992-1995. He also played main roles in the films Reality Bites (1994), Heavyweights (1995), The Cable Guy (1996), There’s Something About Mary (1998), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Along Came Polly (2004), DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story (2004) and the Meet the Parents, Zoolander and Night at the Museum franchises. In addition to acting, Stiller has found success as a director, helming such films as Tropic Thunder (2008) and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013). In 2018, he directed the Showtime miniseries Escape at Dannemora and he serves as an executive producer and director on Apple TV+’s Severance.
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Mike Myers (1989-1995)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Mike Myers left a lasting impact during his time on SNL, where he created memorable characters including the hosts of “Coffee Talk” (Linda Richman), “Wayne’s World” (Wayne Campbell) and “Sprockets” (Dieter). While part of the cast, he starred in two Wayne’s World movies and So I Married an Axe Murderer. Myers went on to have a successful career in film, portraying Austin Powers and Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers franchise and voicing the titular character in the Shrek movies. Additionally, he delivered memorable performances in Inglourious Basterds (2009), Terminal (2018), Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) and Amsterdam (2022). In 2013, Myers made his directorial debut with the documentary Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon.
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Chris Farley (1990-1995)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection; Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella CollectionGetty Images Chris Farley originated several fan-favorite SNL characters, including B Fats, Mark Strobel, Matt Foley, Mr. O’Malley and host of “The Chris Farley Show.” Meanwhile, he performed memorable impressions of Newt Gingrich, Roger Ebert and John Goodman. After leaving the show in 1995, Farley starred in the films Tommy Boy (1995), Black Sheep (1996), Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) and Almost Heroes (1998). The actor tragically died in 1997 at the age of 33 of a drug overdose.
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Chris Rock (1990-1993)
Image Credit: Alan Singer/NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images After starring on SNL from 1990-1993, where he played Nat X, Nipsey Russell and Buster Jenkins. Rock’s film credits after he left SNL include Pootie Tang (2001); Down to Earth (2001), which he also wrote; Bad Company (2002); Head of State (2003), which he also wrote; The Longest Yard (2005); I Think I Love My Wife (2007), which he also wrote and directed; Death at a Funeral (2010); Top Five (2014), which he also wrote and directed; Spiral (2021); Amsterdam (2022); and the Grown Ups and Madagascar franchises. He also wrote and produced the 2009 documentary Good Hair. In addition to stand-up specials on HBO and later Netflix, Rock’s small-screen credits include the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris (2005-2009), inspired by his childhood, which he co-created, narrated and produced, with Tyler James Williams playing a young Chris; The Chris Rock Show (1997-2002); and Fargo (2020).
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David Spade (1990-1996)
Image Credit: Al Levine/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images; Jesse Grant/Getty Images During David Spade’s six years on SNL, he played several characters including one of the Gap girls, a “Hollywood Minute” reporter and a rude flight attendant eager to tell passengers “buh bye.” While on the NBC sketch comedy series he starred alongside Farley in the movies Tommy Boy and Black Sheep. Spade went on to star on NBC’s Just Shoot Me! from 1997-2003 and CBS’ Rules of Engagement from 2007-2013. And post-SNL, he starred in such film as Lost & Found (1999), which he also wrote; The Emperor’s New Groove (2000); Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003), which he wrote; The Benchwarmers (2006); The Ridiculous 6 (2015); The Do-Over (2016); The Wrong Missy (2020); and the Grown-Ups, Hotel Transylvania and Joe Dirt franchises, also writing both Joe Dirt films. From 2019-2020, Spade created, wrote, produced and hosted Comedy Central’s late night show Lights Out With David Spade.
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Adam Sandler (1991-1995)
Image Credit: Alan Singer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images; Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images Sandler began his SNL career as a writer in 1990 before he was hired to perform with the cast in 1991. Throughout his time on the show, Sandler captured the attention of fans with his original songs such as “The Thanksgiving Song” and “The Chanukah Song” as well as characters like Canteen Boy, Opera Man, The Herlihy Boy and one of the Gap girls. He left the show in 1995 and went on to star in several comedies including Billy Madison (1995), Happy Gilmore (1996), The Waterboy (1998), The Wedding Singer (1998), Big Daddy (1999), Mr. Deeds (2002), 50 First Dates (2004), The Longest Yard (2005), Click (2006), Just Go with It (2011), Blended (2014) and the Grown Ups, Hotel Transylvania and Murder Mystery movies. He’s also shown off his dramatic acting skills in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love (2002); Josh and Benny Safdie’s Uncut Gems (2019), winning the best lead actor award at the 2020 Independent Spirit Awards for his performance; and Hustle (2022).
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Sarah Silverman (1993-1994)
Image Credit: Al Levine/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images; Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images Sarah Silverman only spent one season on SNL, leaving the variety show in 1994. Since then, she has appeared in several films including Who’s the Caboose? (1997), School of Rock (2003), Funny People (2009), A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014), I Smile Back (2015), Marry Me (2022) and the Wreck-It Ralph films. From 2007-2010, the comedian starred on Comedy Central’s The Sarah Silverman Program. And from 2017-2018, she hosted the Hulu series I Love You, America.
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Will Ferrell (1995-2002)
Image Credit: NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection; Cindy Ord/Getty Images Throughout his time on SNL, Will Ferrell delivered memorable impressions of George W. Bush, Harry Caray, Robert Goulet and Alex Trebek and brought characters to life including Blue Oyster Cult cowbell player Gene Frenkle, Marty Culp, a Spartan cheerleader, a patriotic shorts-wearing office worker, love-ah Roger and Jacob Silj. After leaving the show in 2002, Ferrell starred in movies like Old School (2003), Elf (2003), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Blades of Glory (2006), Step Brothers (2008), The Other Guys (2010), Get Hard (2015), Daddy’s Home (2015), Spirited (2022), Barbie (2023) and the Anchorman movies. His TV credits include a memorable guest turn on The Office, the TV movie Ferrell Takes the Field (2015) and The Shrink Next Door. He reprised his George W. Bush impression with the short-lived 2009 Broadway show, You’re Welcome America, which became an Emmy-nominated TV special.
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Molly Shannon (1995-2001)
Image Credit: NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection; David Livingston/Getty Images Molly Shannon played beloved characters Mary Katherine Gallagher, Sally O’Malley and Teri Rialto and impersonated Monica Lewinsky during her time on SNL. Following her exit from the show, Shannon appeared in movies like Wet Hot American Summer (2001), Osmosis Jones (2001), Serendipity (2001), My Boss’s Daughter (2003), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) and Other People (2016). On the television side, Shannon guest-starred in Sex and the City and starred in Kath & Kim (2008-2009), Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (2015) Divorce (2016-2019), The Other Two (2019-2023), the first season of The White Lotus (2021) and I Love That For You (2022).
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Tracy Morgan (1996-2003)
Image Credit: Mary Ellen Matthews/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images; Amy Sussman/Getty Images Brian Fellow, Dominican Lou, Bishop Don “Mack” Donald and Astronaut Jones are among the memorable characters Tracy Morgan played on SNL. He continued to work in television when he starred as Tracy Jordan on NBC’s 30 Rock from 2006-2013 and as Tray Barker on TBS’ The Last O.G. from 2018-2021. Morgan has also acted in many films, including The Longest Yard (2005), Cop Out (2010), Death at a Funeral (2010), Top Five (2014), Accidental Love (2015), What Men Want (2019) and Coming 2 America (2021).
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Jimmy Fallon (1998-2004)
Image Credit: Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images; Mike Coppola/Getty Images Jimmy Fallon caught the attention of SNL viewers with characters Nick Burns, Boston teen Pat “Sully” Sullivan, Jarret and Patrick Fitzwilliam and he showed off impressions of Carson Daly, Barry Gibb, Howard Stern and Jerry Seinfeld. He also performed memorable songs including multiple renditions of “I Wish It Was Christmas Today” with fellow castmembers. Additionally, he co-anchored “Weekend Update” with Fey from 2000-2004. After he left the show, Fallon starred in Taxi (2004), Fever Pitch (2005) and Whip It (2009). In 2009, he took over Late Night from Conan O’Brien and later became the host of The Tonight Show in 2014.
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Maya Rudolph (1999-2008)
Image Credit: Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images; Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images Maya Rudolph showed off several impressions on SNL, including of Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Condoleezza Rice and Donatella Versace and she played memorable characters like “Bronx Beat” host Jodi Deitz and art dealer Nuni Schoener. Following her time on the show, Rudolph acted in films including Bridesmaids (2011), Grown Ups 2 (2013), Inherent Vice (2014), Sisters (2015), CHiPs (2017), Life of the Party (2018), Wine Country (2019), Licorice Pizza (2021) and Disenchanted (2022). She has also had voice roles in the animated films Big Hero 6 (2014), The Emoji Movie (2017), The Willoughbys (2020), Luca (2021), The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021) and the Angry Birds movies. Her post-SNL TV credits include Up All Night (2011-2012), Maya & Marty (2016), Forever (2018), The Good Place (2018-2020), Baking It, Loot and lending her voice to Big Hero Six: The Series (2017-2021), Bless the Harts (2019-2021) and Big Mouth, winning Emmys for best voice actress in an animated series for Big Mouth in 2020 and 2021.
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Tina Fey (2000-2006)
Image Credit: Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images; Cindy Ord/Getty Images Fey started working as a writer on SNL in 1997 and she became the first female head writer of the variety series in 1999, co-host of “Weekend Update” with Fallon the following year and, by 2021, a castmember, appearing in the memorable “Mom Jeans” sketch among others. After writing and starring in Mean Girls (2004), Fey left SNL in 2006 to develop and star in 30 Rock (2006-2013). However, she continued to make frequent guest appearances on SNL as Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin during the 2008 presidential campaign. Fey kept working in television by co-creating such series at Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015-2020), Mr. Mayor (2021-2022) and Girls5Eva and making memorable appearances on shows like Great News (2017-2018), which she also executive produced, and Only Murders in the Building. When it comes to films, she has acted in Baby Mama (2008), Date Night (2010), Admission (2013), Muppets Most Wanted (2014), This Is Where I Leave You (2014), Sisters (2015), Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016) and Wine Country (2019) and she lent her voice to the 2020 animated film Soul. In 2018, Fey adapted Mean Girls into a Tony-nominated Broadway musical. Throughout her career, she has won many honors including nine Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Producers Guild of America Awards and seven Writers Guild of America Awards.
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Seth Meyers (2001-2014)
Image Credit: Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images; Noam Galai/Getty Images While Seth Meyers served as the show’s head writer and “Weekend Update” anchor from 2006 until his exit in 2014, he also played memorable characters including William Fitzpatrick alongside Jimmy Fallon’s Patrick Fitzwilliam and Dan Needler and impersonated Anderson Cooper, John Kerry, Carrot Top and Ryan Seacrest. Nearly one year after his exit, Meyers took over the hosting role of Late Night in February 2014. Outside of the late-night hosting gig, Meyers released a critically acclaimed stand-up special on Netflix called Lobby Baby in 2019 and he co-created the documentary spoof series Documentary Now!.
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Amy Poehler (2001-2008)
Image Credit: Dana Edelson/NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images During her seven years on SNL, Amy Poehler earned two Emmy nominations and played memorable roles including Hillary Clinton, “Bronx Beat” co-host Betty Caruso, Sally Needler and Kaitlyn as well as co-hosted “Weekend Update.” Poehler went on to star as Leslie Knope on NBC’s Parks and Recreation from 2009-2015. Her other TV credits include Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (2015), Making It (2018-2019), Baking It (2021-2022) and lending her voice to Duncanville (2020-2022). On the film side, Poehler has had starring roles in Baby Mama (2008), They Came Together (2014), Inside Out (2015), Sisters (2015) and The House (2017). She made her feature directorial debut with Wine Country (2019) and continued to pursue directing with Moxie (2021) and Lucy and Desi (2022).
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Fred Armisen (2002-2013)
Image Credit: Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images; Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images Fred Armisen’s impressions on SNL included Prince, former New York governor David Paterson, Joy Behar and Queen Elizabeth and he brought a handful of memorable characters to life, including punk rocker Ian Rubbish, Nicholas Fehn, one of the Californians, Garth and Fericito. Armisen has continued to have a successful career in television. He co-created and starred in Portlandia (2011-2018), Los Espookys (2018-2022) and Documentary Now!, starred in Forever and lent his voice to Big Mouth. He has also appeared on 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, New Girl, Broad City, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Difficult People and The Last Man on Earth. And he plays Uncle Fester in Netflix’s Wednesday. Since 2014, Armisen has served as the band leader on Seth Meyers’ Late Night.
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Bill Hader (2005-2013)
Image Credit: Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images; Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images During his time on SNL, Hader portrayed several memorable characters including Stefon, one of the Californians and elderly newscaster Herb Welch. He also showed off impressions of Vincent Price, Keith Morrison, Al Pacino, James Carville, Charlie Sheen, Julian Assange and Lindsey Buckingham, among others. After leaving SNL in 2013, Hader went on to play lead roles in films including The Skeleton Twins (2014), Inside Out (2015), Trainwreck (2015), It Chapter Two (2019) and Noelle (2019). On the television side, Hader co-created Documentary Now! in 2015 alongside fellow SNL alums Armisen, Meyers and Rhys Thomas. Hader also starred in the mockumentary for the first two seasons. Since 2018, he has been portraying the titular character on HBO’s Barry, which he co-created with Alec Berg. Hader’s work on the show has been critically acclaimed and he won the outstanding lead actor in a comedy series award at the Emmys in 2018 and 2019.
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Andy Samberg (2005-2012)
Image Credit: Dana Edelson/NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection; Jesse Grant/Getty Images Not only did Andy Samberg show off his acting skills on the variety show, impersonating Nicolas Cage and Mark Wahlberg among others, but SNL also gave him a platform to share his musical abilities as part of the comedy trio The Lonely Island. During his time on SNL, he was a part of memorable parody songs like “D*** in a Box,” “Lazy Sunday” and “Motherlover.” Samberg left SNL in 2012 and went on to star in Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2021). As for his film career, Samberg has had starring roles in That’s My Boy (2012), Jesse and Celeste Forever (2012) and Palm Springs (2020). He also wrote and starred in Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016). In addition to live action projects, Samberg has also lent his voice to animated films including the Hotel Transylvania franchise, Storks (2016), America: The Motion Picture (2021) and Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022).
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Jason Sudeikis (2005-2013)
Image Credit: Dana Edelson/NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection; Rich Fury/Getty Images Jason Sudeikis played several memorable characters while starring on SNL from 2005-2013, including Zeus, Vance, the devil, Pete Twinkle, one of “two a-holes” alongside Kristen Wiig, Joe Biden and Mitt Romney. He has starred in films including We’re the Millers (2013), Drinking Buddies (2013), Sleeping with Other People (2015), Mother’s Day (2016), Downsizing (2017) and the Horrible Bosses and Angry Birds movies. In 2020, Sudeikis co-created and began starring as the titular character in the AppleTV+ series Ted Lasso. He has collected several awards for the critically acclaimed show, including multiple Emmys.
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Kristen Wiig (2005-2012)
Image Credit: Dana Edelson/NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images After making her SNL debut in 2005, Kristen Wiig earned four Emmy nominations and created several memorable characters during her run on the show including the Target Lady, Mindy Elise Grayson, Penelope, Kat, Gilly, Cinderella and Dooneese Maharelle, a singer with noticeably tiny hands. She also regularly did impressions of notable celebrities, including Kathie Lee Gifford and Liza Minnelli. Before leaving the NBC show in 2012, she wrote, produced and starred in Bridesmaids (2011). Wiig went on to star in the films Girl Most Likely (2012), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013), The Skeleton Twins (2014), Welcome to Me (2014), The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015), The Martian (2015), Ghostbusters (2016), Downsizing (2017), Mother! (2017), Where’d You Go, Bernadette (2019), Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021) and she lent her voice to the second and third Despicable Me movies. Her post-SNL TV credits include roles in The Last Man on Earth (2015-2018) and MacGruber and lending her voice to Bless the Harts (2019-2021) and Big Mouth.
