Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

As a huge fan of Saturday Night Live and its rich history, I am beyond excited about this upcoming film adaptation, SNL 1975. Each casting choice feels like a piece of the puzzle falling into place, bringing these legendary figures back to life on the silver screen.


As a long-time fan of Saturday Night Live (SNL), I find it fascinating to see how the show started and evolved over time. Growing up, I remember staying up late on Saturdays just to watch SNL, and now, being able to witness the casting of actors for the upcoming movie SNL 1975 is a dream come true.

The C-Suite

Gabriel La Belle as Lorne Michaels

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

As a devoted movie enthusiast, I’m ready to put in extra hours, following in the footsteps of Labelle’s Lorne, to ensure that Saturday Night Live graces our screens once more. After years spent digging deep in the Lily Tomlin content mines, it’s time for something new. Speaking of which, remember Armen Weitzman? He brought Michaels to life in AFASG, a performance I won’t forget anytime soon!

Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In the development phase, Eberssol held a significant role as Michael’s key collaborator, and his contributions to Saturday Night Live (SNL) are deeply ingrained in its live chronicles, Live From New York. Later on, he temporarily managed SNL, recruiting Eddie Murphy, Martin Short, and Billy Crystal. He was portrayed by Kevin Scannell in The Late Shift.

Willem Dafoe as David Tebet

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

As a devoted admirer, I’m excited to share that Michael and Ebersol, two business trailblazers, will be working alongside Daniel Day-Lewis, who is set to embody the role of Tebet. At that time, he was NBC’s vice-president of talent relations.

Finn Wolfhard as NBC Page

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

According to Deadline, Wolfhard is portraying a character yet to be named on NBC, although speculation arises whether he’s playing an insignificant page or another rising talent like those who began in “30 Rock.” As for Wolfhard, his “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “Hell of a Summer” collaborator Billy Bryk has also been cast in an unspecified role. Could it be that they both made their mark at “SNL” as pages? Additionally, Bryk has landed another mysterious part.

The “Not Ready for Prime-Time” Players

Matt Wood as John Belushi

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In the upcoming production, Wood is set to embody the character of Belushi, who was previously portrayed by John Gemberling in “A Futile and Stupid Gesture” and Michael Chiklis in “Wired”. Initially, Belushi was brought on board as a last-minute addition due to concerns about his unpredictable behavior. These apprehensions were unfortunately validated over time.

Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In the spotlight, it’s O’Brien, known for “Ponyboi” and “All Too Well,” who will take on the role previously held by Aykroyd. Aykroyd, a significant figure in shaping Saturday Night Live’s identity (with a touch of Canadian flair), had a life before comedy. He operated a cash-only bar in Canada and later co-founded an after-hours blues bar with Belushi during his SNL days. His Crystal Head Vodka brand, therefore, is the ultimate celebrity liquor. In the film “AFASG,” Aykroyd was portrayed by Jack Cook.

Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In a fascinating casting choice, actor Lamorne Morris from “New Girl” will portray Garrett Morris (unrelated), who was a playwright prior to his time on Saturday Night Live. It’s not widely known, but it certainly should be! Garrett recently shared the advice he gave to Lamorne about embodying him. At that point, Garrett was 39, while most of the cast (with George Coe being an exception) were significantly younger. According to Garrett, “The Black thing is you take longer to do what the younger white people do, and you usually have to do it two or three times as good. We discussed that, and he’s already told me he plans to play it like that – an older African-American man navigating these younger individuals.”

Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

Smith from the movie “May December” has been cast as Chase. Previously, Smith portrayed the Riddler on the show “Gotham”. Interestingly enough, this marks three consecutive roles for him following his time with Joel McHale, his co-star from “Community”, who played Chase in “AFASG”.

Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In this scenario, Dickinson’s Hunt will portray Jackie Tohn, who was the initial cast member for Saturday Night Live. Similar to several of her fellow actors, Tohn had a background with National Lampoon Radio Hour and Second City.

Kim Matula as Jane Curtin

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In the upcoming project, the character Curtin will be portrayed by Matula from ‘LA to Vegas’. On Live From New York, Curtin mentioned that she avoided the cast’s nighttime antics since she was married, took good care of her skin, and had no time for distractions at that moment.

Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

Newman won’t be portrayed by either of Hannah Einbinder (from Hacks) or Spike Einbinder (from Problemista), who are her real-life children. Instead, Fairn, known from Black Mirror, has been chosen to take on the role of the founding member of The Groundlings.

Nicholas Podany as Billy Crystal

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In the original show, the character of Crystal was initially portrayed by someone else, but later on in the 1980s when Ebersol took over as head, Podany stepped into the role of Crystal. Interestingly, a sketch featuring Crystal was even trimmed from the very first episode of the series.

Kaia Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

Gerber is now known as Carlin, but it’s important to clarify that Jacqueline Carlin wasn’t a relative of the original host, George Carlin. Instead, she was dating Chase at the time (they got married in 1976). Later on, Jacqueline tied the knot with Terry Melcher, who is a music executive and the son of Doris Day, as well as a person of interest to Charles Manson.

??? as George Carlin

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In the initial images from SNL’s 1975 debut, there appears to be a flyer featuring someone impersonating host George Carlin. Could it be Paul Rudd, frequent collaborator of Reitman? Maybe Bradley Cooper in Jackson Maine’s costume? Or possibly, as heavily suggested, Matthew Rhys?

Jon Batiste as Billy Preston

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

However, it’s hard to imagine a SNL host without their musical performer. Stepping into the shoes of SNL’s inaugural musical act, we have Preston. Guess who? None other than Batiste, who will be doing double duty by also composing for the movie.

Naomi McPherson as Janis Ian

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In my perspective, I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be working alongside another talented artist dipping into the world of acting: MUNA’s Naomi McPherson will portray Janis Ian in an upcoming project. Interestingly, this will mark her first foray into acting.

The BTS (Behind the Scenes) Army

Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In the new role, actress Sennott will portray Shuster, an individual who joined the program as both a writer and partner to Michaels. Later, Shuster developed romantic feelings for Aykroyd, as depicted in the early seasons of the show, often referred to by frequent host Carrie Fisher as one big affectionate gathering.

Tommy Dewey as Michael O’Donoghue

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In the TV series ‘Casual’ from Hulu, Dewey will portray the character of head writer O’Donoghue. Known for his hot-headed nature and pushing the boundaries of humor at Saturday Night Live towards darker territories, such as setting ABBA on a sinking Titanic stage, he was previously played by Thomas Lennon in ‘AFASG’.

Andre Barth Feldman as Neil Levy

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In the upcoming production, Feldman has been cast as Levy. During his stint on the series, Levy served as a talent coordinator, scriptwriter in the third season, and appeared as an extra in various episodes.

Taylor Gray as Al Franken

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

In the show “Star Wars Rebels,” Gray will be part of the writing team Franken and Davis as one half. According to “Live From New York,” Franken infamously refused Henry Kissinger tickets for Saturday Night Live. Over the phone, he exclaimed, “If it wasn’t for the Christmas bombing, you’d have those tickets!” After this incident, he went on to serve in Congress but later left.

Mcabe Gregg as Tom Davis

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

Completing the second part of the duo Franken and Davis is Gregg, who’s fondly known as Teenage Toughie. Davis was instrumental in developing popular skits like “The Coneheads” and “Nick the Lounge Singer.”

Joe Chrest as Herb Sargent

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

Chester is stepping onto the “Stranger Things” set, teaming up with “Weekend Update” co-creator Sargent and Finn Wolfhard’s son. On this typically youthful set, Sargent, an industry veteran, shared his late-night show expertise. Prior to “SNL”, Sarger was a writer on “The Steve Allen Show”, which is different from “Tonight Starring Steve Allen”.

J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

A well-known comedian, Berle, is set to be portrayed by the well-recognized actor Simmons. Berle was suspended in 1979 during season four due to disagreements about creative direction. However, writer Alan Zweibel claims he had a glimpse of Berle’s infamous large private part. “He pulls out this – this anaconda,” Zweibel said in Live From New York. “He lays it on the table, and I’m looking into this thing, right? I’m staring at the head of Milton Berle’s penis. It was enormous. It resembled a pepperoni.” Whether Simmons will carry a prop penis like Mark Wahlberg in Boogie Nights remains to be seen.

Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson Andy Kaufman?

Everybody Playing Everybody in Saturday Night

It was revealed that Braun would portray Henson, which is quite surprising. While Henson was tall and gangly, and Braun possesses a somewhat Muppet-like voice, there’s something unsettling about the casting choice. Later, pictures emerged of Braun in costume on set, dressed as Andy Kaufman, adding to the confusion. Interpret that as you wish.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=vG_KWZ-CHTU

In case you’re curious about why Braun (as Henson) was brought on board initially, it’s because the inaugural 1975 season of SNL included a recurring Muppet segment called “The Land of Gorch,” which was disliked by many. Fortunately, Henson departed after the first season and went on to create The Muppet Show instead.

Who’s Been Cut for Time?

There are many individuals crucial to the premiere of SNL who have yet to be identified as their modern counterparts. Significant writers from SNL’s 1975 season include Anne Beatts, Judith Belushi (John Belushi’s wife), Marilyn Suzanne Miller, and Alan Zweibel. Additionally, key executives credited with birthing Saturday Night Live in the oral history Live From New York are manager Bernie Brillstein, former NBC president Fred Silverman, and former NBC chairman and Mary Tyler Moore’s husband Grant Tinker. It is also worth noting that Albert Brooks was present during SNL’s first season, and we have yet to find any mention of veteran SNL player George Coe. Where is Coe?

As a movie enthusiast, I ponder if any actor could do justice to the roles of music maestros like Howard Shore and Paul Shaffer. If Paul Shaffer makes an appearance in SNL 1975, he would be the lone star appearing in all three significant films within the NBC Extended Universe (NBCEU).

Read More

2024-07-31 05:54