‘SNL’ Loses 3 More Cast Members After Pete Davidson & Kate McKinnon’s Exits
‘Saturday Night Live’ has lost three more cast members ahead of its 48th season, including Alex Moffat, Melissa Villaseñor, Aristotle Athari, and more who will not return this fall.
The cast of SNL is saying goodbye to three more cast members following the recent departure of some of the show’s biggest stars. As fall TV is set to return this month, cast members Alex Moffat, Melissa Villaseñor, and featured player Aristotle Athari are set to exit, per The Hollywood Reporter. The news comes just months after Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, and Kyle Mooney also confirmed their departures from the iconic comedy sketch show back in May, along with Pete Davidson.
NBC has not yet to address these stars’ departure leaving their replacements up in the air, however, the network typically announces new additions to the cast in the weeks leading up to SNL’s newest season. Although it is already September, an official release date for season 48 has also yet to be announced. If this season mimics last year’s, however, it can be expected that the show’s latest run will premiere in early October. Neither Alex, Melissa, nor Aristotle have publicly commented on their exits from the show.
Kate McKinnon did, however, reveal why she chose to leave the series after a decade-long run on the July 22 episode of LIVE With Kelly & Ryan. “I thought about it for a very long time, and it was very, very hard,” she said to the hosts. “All I ever wanted to do in my whole life was be on Saturday Night Live. So, I did, I loved it, I had the best decade, and then I was just like, my body was tired, and I felt like it was time.”
Pete also addressed his departure through his friend Dave Sirus’ Instagram account on May 21. Pete wrote, “This video was taken 8 years ago. Jerrod sent it to me last night and it made me super emotional in the best way. In the video I had just gotten back from doing my very first update and sketch. It’s crazy to think that today I’ll be doing my last one. When I got the show I was 20 years old and I had no idea what I was doing. I still don’t but especially back then.”
The King of Staten Island star also added, “I owe Lorne Michaels and everyone at SNL my life. Im so grateful and I wouldn’t be here without them. I appreciate you guys always having my back and sticking up for me even when that wasn’t the popular opinion. Thank you for always believing in me and sticking by my side even when it seemed comical.” He also continued to thank them for “teaching me life values, how to grow up and for giving me memories that will last a lifetime.” The funny man also stated that SNL is his “home.”