Amidst the turmoil of cast shuffles at "Saturday Night Live" (SNL), current and former stars have been voicing their thoughts on the recent news, gearing up for the highly anticipated season 51. Last week, it emerged that Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, and Emil Wakim have bid adieu to the storied NBC sketch comedy series, marking the largest exodus since 2022 when eight members departed ahead of season 48.
Several of the departing cast members took to their social media platforms to announce their exits, prompting reactions from fellow current and former SNL stars in the comments section. Longfellow, who shared on Instagram that he was leaving after three seasons, received a heartfelt message from Bowen Yang, who joked, "Jesus WAS Chinese. I love you, Michael." Yang was referencing a claim Longfellow had made during one of his "Weekend Update" segments.
Marcello Hernández added, "Love bro, thank you for letting me crash on your couch whenever, my roommate," to which Longfellow playfully replied, "The PS5 is yours now, brother." Wakim chipped in, "Yellow room forever. You can play as many Bones songs as you want."
Molly Shannon, a former cast member who was part of SNL from 1995 to 2001 and returned to host in 2007 and 2023, also commented on Longfellow's post, saying, "You RULE, Michael. So honored and happy to have met and worked with you. Congratulations on an excellent run on SNL! Love talking to you when I was there. Wishing you so much continued success."
Walker, who is also exiting the NBC comedy show after three seasons, received a fond farewell from Chloe Fineman on his Instagram post. She wrote, "I'll miss being your pregnant wife all the time!!!!!" Gardner also chimed in with, "I love you." Shannon added, "So nice meeting you, Devon! Wishing you so much continued success."
Wakim, who is leaving SNL after just one season, had earlier shared on social media that his departure was not by choice. Former cast member Punkie Johnson, who left the show last year, responded, "Omg, at first glance, I thought this was a birthday post... This is really truly surprising... I'm glad you're focusing on the good and are proud of yourself and the work you put in. Not many people can say they were on SNL, especially for the 50th anniversary. You're a legend, baby. The outside world ain't bad. Welcome back."
Fineman also commented, "You're such a star, and I'll miss sitting next to the best-dressed man at table reads!!!"
Gardner, who was a cast member for eight seasons, has yet to comment on her departure on social media. Executive producer Lorne Michaels and cast member Kenan Thompson had earlier hinted at potential cast changes. It remains uncertain whether more departures are expected ahead of the season 51 premiere on October 4.
