One SNL Actor Is Leaving Ahead Of Season 50 – But It Wasn't Their Choice

The 50th season of "Saturday Night Live" will premiere on September 28, 2024, and we already know that some faces from recent seasons won't be coming back. Punkie Johnson and Molly Kearney have both already announced their official departure from the late night sketch comedy series before season 50 begins later this month. With just under three weeks left until the show starts this milestone season, the show has shed one more cast member. However, thanks to three newly hired featured players, it seems as if the size of the overall ensemble will remain the same.

Before we introduce the new cast members, it's truly disheartening and disappointing to report that Chloe Troast will not be returning for season 50. Troast joined "SNL" as a featured player in season 49, and it felt like she actually had quite the impressive debut season on the show. The comedian was not only a regular musical performer with an impressive voice and a twisted sense of humor, but she had some truly great sketches last season. Take this fantastic sketch from Timothée Chalamet's most recent episode, which has an amusingly odd twist:

Troast felt like she was fitting in perfectly on "SNL," and it's a shame we won't get to hear her voice on the show anymore, both in music and in comedy. Deadline was first to report on Troast's departure from the series, much to the comedian's chagrin, as she posted on Instagram:

"Hey all, I was going to wait to post, but Deadline beat me to it. Unfortunately I was not asked back to 'SNL' this season. I wish I was going back to be with all the amazing friends I made there, it truly felt like home. But it wasn't in the cards. I wanna thank everyone who supported me. Especially everyone who came to see my tour this summer, wore costumes from characters, and had such wonderful things to say. You mean everything to me. I hope I was able to spread joy and laughter, all love. Onwards and upwards."

But the show must go on, and go on it will. At the same time Troast is leaving the show, previous featured players Marcello Hernandez, Michael Longfellow, and Devon Walker are now full fledged main cast members. Their promotion makes way for the three new cast members joining the show as featured players this season, and we'll break them down below.

First up, we have Ashley Padilla, who can be seen in roles on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and the new "Night Court" series on NBC, as well as Cooper Raiff's indie comedy "S**thouse." Like many "SNL " alum before her, she comes from The Groundlings, where she's been a member of the Main Company since 2021. It's a hell of a place to cut your teeth in comedy, and it likely means she has the goods as both a writer and performer. If you'd like a taste of her skills at The Groundlings, here's a sketch that she co-wrote and stars in:

Next, there's Emil Wakim, a Lebanese-American comedian who has already had a big break by appearing as a stand-up on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in 2022, which just so happens to be executive produced by "SNL" showrunner Lorne Michaels. Wakim also had the honor of being named as New Face of Comedy at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, often a respectable title to earn for up and coming comedians. He's also opened for some big names, like Nikki Glaser and Roy Wood Jr. Here's a clip from one of his stand-up bits from just a few months ago:

Finally, Jane Wickline is making the jump from TikTok, where she's one of the stars of a live comedy show called "Stapleview," which has a pretty impressive following. If you've been scrolling the time-wasting app, then there's a good chance you've stumbled on one of her many viral videos. In addition, she's also been touring with a sketch comedy group. Now Laugh has a compilation of Wickline's TikTok clips here:

Joining "SNL" as a featured player is undoubtedly a huge move, but it also comes with immense pressure. Featured players are desperate to get a sketch on the air, they struggle to find their place in the show (and some never truly do), and they have to compete against cast members and writers who have already been doing this for years. It's one of the most exhausting jobs in show business, and all of that will be taken to another level because so many eyes will be watching throughout this milestone 50th season.

Stay tuned for our reviews and recaps of all new episodes, and if you want to keep up with other "SNL" antics, be sure to check out "The Ten to One Podcast" from yours truly.