When did Pete Davidson Join SNL? All about the Season 40 Cast
Pete Davidson’s debut season made him the first SNL cast member to be born in the 1990s.
Even 40 years in, Saturday Night Live was innovating and shaking things up.
The sketch comedy underwent some changes as it celebrated a landmark anniversary, bringing in alum Darrell Hammond as the new announcer following the death of Don Pardo. Additionally, new cast members like Pete Davidson and Leslie Jones were added, each bringing their own unique sense of comedy to the series in memorable sketches that fans still discuss today.
Those changes only served to improve the show and bring it into the modern era, one defined by social media trends and the emergence of true crime podcasts like Serial.
Notably, in the SNL40 special, fans got to see new and old worlds come together in the hilarious "Celebrity Jeopardy" sketch, featuring Will Ferrell, Jim Carrey, Alec Baldwin, and Norm MacDonald, aka "Turd Ferguson." Kate McKinnon got to play a then-teenaged Justin Bieber going up against Baldwin's Tony Bennett.
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Who's in SNL's Season 40 cast?
Pete Davidson
Upon landing an audition through SNL alum Bill Hader (2005-2013), Pete Davidson impressed enough to not only carve out a role for himself in Season 40, but to stay aboard through the Season 47. Davidson rose to fame on the sketch show by wielding his unabashed sardonic humor any chance he could. He's gone on to star in numerous films, including The Suicide Squad, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and Meet Cute.
Michael Che
The other half of "Weekend Update" team alongside Colin Jost, Michael Che joined the cast in 2014 for Season 40 after serving as a writer on the show and remains a fixture still to this day. As a veteran stand-up comedian, Che has always been a sought-after talent, even hosting the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2018.
Leslie Jones
Leslie Jones made her debut in Season 40, appearing in two episodes as a features player before Lorne Michaels promoted her to repertory player in the memorable fourth episode that Jim Carrey hosted. Known for her larger-than-life presence on screen, Jones has parlayed her time on Saturday Night Live into a successful feature film career, starring in Ghostbusters, Our Flag Means Death, and Coming 2 America, to name a few. She's also known for her enthusiastic commentary on the Olympics, which earned her a gig as "chief superfan commentator" for NBC and Peacock.
Beck Bennett
Having joined in Season 39, Beck Bennett’s range as an entertainer was on full display in Season 40 of SNL. An actor, comedian, singer, writer, Beck honed his skills in Los Angeles, California as a performer in the renowned Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) sketch comedy training school while also performing with his sketch group Good Neighbor, which also featured his best friend, Kyle Mooney. Beck remained on SNL until the end of the 46th season in 2021.
Kyle Mooney
Kyle Mooney started out in the sketch comedy group GoodNeighborStuff alongside friend and fellow SNL alum Beck Bennett. Mooney, as well as his bestie Bennett, began his Saturday Night Live career in 2013 and was a cast member on the show until 2022, though he has made multiple cameos since his departure. He's known for his appearances as Baby Yoda on "Weekend Update," as well as his hilarious digital shorts that parodied his love life. One long-running sketch centered around his fake relationship with fellow cast member Leslie Jones.
Colin Jost
Though he officially began working as a writer on SNL in 2005, Colin Jost, who’s still going strong after a decade on the show, joined as a cast member in Season 39. With his sharply acerbic wit and intrinsic charm, Jost, who’s married to Scarlett Johansson, is now equally synonymous for skewering celebrities, politicians, and anyone else who’s fated to fall between his crosshairs on "Weekend Update" alongside Michael Che.
Sasheer Zamata
Sasheer Zamata started her career on Saturday Night Live during Season 39. A drama major at the University of Virginia and a member of Upright Citizen’s Brigade, Zamata was recognized for theatrical performing excellence.
Vanessa Bayer
Prior to joining Saturday Night Live, Vanessa Bayer perfected her craft through her time in Chicago’s famous improv comedy scene. Bayer, who received an Emmy nomination in 2017 for her time on the show, spent time at ImprovOlympic and Second City before joining SNL in 2010. While she played a myriad of original characters during her seven-year run, her most memorable impressions include Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, and Hillary Clinton.
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Aidy Bryant
Aidy Bryant first joined the sketch comedy series in Season 38 and left in 2022 after 10 seasons, departing with three Primetime Emmy Award nominations under her belt for her work on the show. Like many of peers, she honed her talents at ImprovOlympic and Second City in Chicago before landing a coveted spot on SNL. Bryant frequently appeared on "Weekend Update" as a socialite alongside Bowen Yang in the "Trend Setters" sketch, which saw the duo sassily declare the styles of the season.
Cecily Strong
Classically trained at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, Cecily Strong played a wide range of characters and even co-anchored "Weekend Update" with seasoned anchor Seth Meyers. Her versatility helped propel her success away from the show, even starring as a featured entertainer during President Barack Obama’s 2015 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. She left the show in 2022, joining Host Austin Butler and the cast in a rendition of "Blue Christmas" that made for an emotional sendoff.
Kate McKinnon
Over Kate McKinnon's decade-long run on SNL, which began in 2012, she was one of the show's most versatile performers. Her standout impression of Hillary Clinton was a reliable fixture during the 2016 presidential race between Clinton and Donald Trump. And who could forget her turns as Justin Bieber, or the down-on-her-luck victim of multiple alien abductions.
Taran Killam
Appearing on Saturday Night Live for six seasons from 2010-2016, Taran Killam is a veteran improv comedy performer, but did you know he’s also very active on Broadway? He’s appeared in Spamalot as Lancelot and King George III in Hamilton. Other entertainment ventures of Killam’s include writing and directing Kill Gunther, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, and writing The Heat, starring Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock.
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Bobby Moynihan
Bobby Moynihan was a cast member and writer on Saturday Night Live from 2008-2017. During his tenure on the show, the comedian became known for his character Anthony Crispino, an oft ill-prepared reporter on "Weekend Update," and Drunk Uncle, another figure that appeared at the anchor desk for updates on that week's events. He's continued to put his comedic talents to use as a voice actor on shows like Duck Tales, We Bare Bears, and Nature Cat.
Jay Pharoah
As a performer on Saturday Night Live from 2010-2016, Jay Pharoah carved out a name for himself as an accomplished impressionist. His comedic takes on Eddie Murphy, Barack Obama, Jay-Z and, among others, Lil Wayne and Denzel Washington prompted TV Guide to name him as the “Breakout Player” for that season.
Kenan Thompson
Thompson joined the sketch comedy in 2003 and is still going strong more than 20 years later. He’s come a long way since his time on Nickelodeon's All That, Good Burger, and Kenan & Kel, even converting one of his five Primetime Emmy Award nominations into a win, but those experiences helped lay the foundation for his continued success. He's known for his recurring sketches "What Up with That" and "Black Jeopardy," as well as his impersonations of Steve Harvey.
