Chelsea Alexandra
On October 11, 1975, a group of unknown “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” took the stage at NBC’s Studio 8H television studio to perform a live sketch comedy show titled Saturday Night Live. Comedian George Carlin was the first in a long line of impressive weekly guest hosts that were to come. The first to musically perform on the Saturday night stage would be Billy Preston and Janis Ian. No one could imagine the cultural impact the show would have almost 50 years later.
In the coming years, Saturday Night Live (SNL) would churn out household names like Adam Sandler, Bill Hader, Amy Poehler, and many more. SNL has been a staple in many people’s lives, mine included.When speaking to most strangers, they can name their favorite generation of SNL. Everyone has their favorites and so do I. The 1975 cast holds a special place in my heart. They were the cast that started it all, with some of the most notable names when speaking about comedy.
In a time where Hollywood is churning out biopic after biopic, it was only a matter of time before a film about SNL and its creator Lorne Michaels would be made. However, to say that Saturday Night is one of my most anticipated releases of 2024 would be an understatement.
First and foremost, the costume and design team that worked on Saturday Night deserves a round of applause. Down to the minute details featured in the trailer they were able to pull you back in time to 1975. It was almost uncanny how detailed and historically accurate they were able to make their set pieces.
When casting announcements were made there was little to no skepticism. To name a few Dylan O’Brien is playing Dan Aykroyd, Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris, and Ella Hunt as the sensational Gilda Radnor. The cast isn’t just stacked with familiar names, but some of the most capable and talented actors to take on some of these legendary heavyweights.
Leading the all-star ensemble cast is Gabriel LaBelle. LaBalle has been recently seen in Adam Rehmeier’s Snack Shack. Before the comedy, he led Steven Speilberg’s The Fabelmans as Sammy Fabelman. LaBelle’s career trajectory has been one that I have been rooting for. He has given some great performances ranging from comedic to more dramatic. With such range, he already captures the intensity of the legendary Saturday Night Live titan seamlessly. It will be exciting to see the full performance when the film is released.
When Cory Michael Smith appeared in the trailer as Chevy Chase and uttered the line, “Is this an ensemble?” I knew they hired the right person to take on the self-proclaimed star of Saturday Night Live. There were a few times that I had to do a double-take watching Smith embody Chase’s clumsy mannerisms.
Another actor to be noted in the trailer is Nicholas Braun. He will be taking not only the role of legendary puppeteer Jim Henson but also neurotic comic Andy Kaufman. Braun is known as Cousin Greg in Jesse Armstrong’s Succession, and to be honest, the clueless cousin was not my favorite in the show. However, in the few seconds, Braun was featured he convinced me he would be an impressive Henson.
For better or for worse (depending on your opinion) no one on this earth will be able to conjure the spirit of Kaufman quite like Jim Carrey did in 1999’s Man on the Moon. I do believe that Braun will do the Taxi star justice.
Director Jason Reitman (Up in the Air, Thank You For Smoking) will bring the craziest night in late-night television to life. You already are keyed into how high the stakes are to put on the first live show. It has been noted by several past alumni how high-stress putting on a weekly live show can be. Reitman right out of the gate captures that intensity.
As of late, Reitman has recently been attached to the Ghostbusters revival films starring Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace, and Paul Rudd. His father, Ivan Reitman, was the original director of the Ghostbusters films which starred Aykroyd and Bill Murray (also an Saturday Night Live alumni). Although the latest Ghostbusters films may not be for everyone, there is no arguing the legacy and story are handled with great respect and care. With Reitman’s indirect connection to the legacy of SNL, I am sure that there is a deep admiration and respect for the legacy.
