How the cast of ‘Saturday Night’ compares to the real people they're playing
Live from New York, it’s the cast of “Saturday Night.”
Director Jason Reitman’s “thriller-comedy,” as he described it to Vanity Fair, takes place on Oct. 11, 1975, the day of the first-ever broadcast of “Saturday Night Live.”
The film is based on the actual events that unfolded behind the scenes in the tense 90 minutes prior to the pilot episode of the hit sketch comedy series.
Comedian George Carlin hosted the premiere of the show, which featured Billy Preston and Janis Ian as the musical guests.
Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Garrett Morris, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtin, John Belushi and Laraine Newman were also featured in the episode and later became known as the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players,” per NBC.
Gabriel LaBelle, Dylan O’Brien, Lamorne Morris and others co-star in “Saturday Night,” set to be released in theaters Oct. 11 — 49 years to the day of the events that transpire in the film.
Below, see the cast alongside the real-life figures they portray in the film.
Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels
Gabriel LaBelle plays Lorne Michaels, the creator of “Saturday Night Live,” who continues to serve as the series’ lead producer.
LaBelle, 21, recently appeared as Sammy Fabelman in Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated semi-autobiographical film “The Fabelmans.”
In an interview with Variety at the magazine’s Power of Young Hollywood event, LaBelle expressed his pride in being a part of the film.
“I saw the movie a couple weeks ago. It’s really good. Jason did such a good job. I’m so proud to be a part of that,” he said.
To prepare for the role, LaBelle reflected on a comment Bill Murray once made to Michaels, per The Hollywood Reporter.
“Everyone sees him as this fearless leader, this captain who’s steering the ship in the fog,” LaBelle said. “Bill Murray, when he came back to host the show 15 or 20 years after he left, said to Lorne, ‘Wow, you really figured out how to do this.’”
For LaBelle, Murray’s comment proved that “nobody knows what to do when they first start,” and that Michaels had to learn over the years.
Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase
Cory Michael Smith assumes the role of Chevy Chase, a standout cast member in the first season of “Saturday Night Live” and the first anchor of the series’ recurring “Weekend Update” segment.
Chase became the first prominent cast member to depart from the show in 1976. In his biography, “I’m Chevy Chase... and You’re Not,” Chase revealed that he did so “for a girl that I was in love with.”
“It had nothing to do with lucrative film deals awaiting me. I didn’t make a movie for three years. It was just a lot of bunk... I was very much in love with a girl who just would not leave California,” he wrote.
Smith, 37, was the Riddler on Fox’s “Gotham” and Georgie in the 2023 Netflix film “May December.”
Matt Wood as John Belushi
Matt Wood portrays John Belushi, the cast member behind characters like Samurai Futaba, Henry Kissinger and Captain James T. Kirk.
Wood was part of the original Broadway cast of “SpongeBob SquarePants.” He also appeared in episodes of “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” and “Difficult People.”
Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner
English actor Ella Hunt plays Gilda Radner, the “Saturday Night Live” cast member known for characters like Roseanne Roseannadanna and “Baba Wawa,” a spoof of Barbara Walters.
In 1978, Radner received an Emmy Award for her performances on the sketch comedy series.
Hunt starred as Sue Gilbert in “Dickinson” on Apple TV+ and appeared in the first installment of Kevin Costner’s “Horizon: An American Saga.”
Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd
Dylan O’Brien takes on the role of Dan Aykroyd, the “Saturday Night Live” cast member part of the series’ hit “Coneheads” sketch.
Aykroyd was part of the blues and soul band The Blues Brothers with his “Saturday Night Live” co-star John Belushi. He also co-wrote and starred as Dr. Raymond Stantz in “Ghostbusters” and “Ghostbusters II.”
O’Brien rose to fame as Stiles Stilinski in MTV’s “Teen Wolf” and went on to star in the “Maze Runner” trilogy. His other credits include roles in “Not Okay,” “Bumblebee” and Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well: The Short Film.”
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the premiere of this year’s “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” Aykroyd shared his thoughts on O’Brien’s portrayal of him in the film.
“We’ll see. You know what, I’m just glad the young actor got work,” Aykroyd said. “If he’s compelled to play me, well, I’m glad he got work.”
Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris
Lamorne Morris portrays Garrett Morris, the first Black cast member on “Saturday Night Live.”
Lamorne Morris is widely known for his role as fan-favorite Winston Bishop in the Fox sitcom “New Girl” and appeared as Deputy Witt Far in the fifth season of “Fargo.”
Even though the two aren’t related, Lamorne Morris used to tell people that Garrett Morris was his father, as he shared with The Hollywood Reporter.
“Obviously, we had the same last name, so I used to tell people that he was my dad,” he admitted.
The pair have since developed a friendship, and Garrett Morris has even joined in on the joke.
“He called me and said something about owing my mom a call because he’s not convinced that he’s not my dad,” Lamorne Morris recounted.
When it came to his portrayal of Garrett Morris in the film, Lamorne Morris recalled that the “Saturday Night Live” alum had one request: “Tell the story as it happened. Be honest about it. I just want the audience to know that I did not quit. I never gave up.”
Kim Matula as Jane Curtin
Kim Matula takes on the role of Jane Curtin, who was also part of the “Coneheads” sketch. She later earned Emmys for the sitcom “Kate & Allie" in the '80s.
Matula has appeared in projects such as “UnREAL,” “LA to Vegas” and “Fighting with My Family.” She earned a Daytime Emmy nomination in 2014 for her portrayal of Hope Logan in “The Bold and the Beautiful.”
Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman
Emily Fairn is Laraine Newman, who played characters like Christy Christina and the parody of a Valley girl named Sherry.
Fairn recently appeared in “Black Mirror,” “Mary & George” and “The Responder.”
Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster
Rachel Sennott plays Rosie Shuster, an Emmy-nominated writer for “Saturday Night Live” and former spouse of the series’ creator, Lorne Michaels.
Sennott gained recognition for her roles as Danielle in “Shiva Baby” and Alice in “Bodies Bodies Bodies.” However, she is best known for co-writing and starring as PJ in 2023’s “Bottoms.”
Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson
Nicholas Braun plays both "SNL" alum Andy Kaufman and "Muppets" creator Jim Henson.
Braun is a three-time Emmy nominee for his role as "cousin" Greg Hirsch in HBO’s “Succession.” His other credits include appearances in “Sky High,” “Princess Protection Program” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”
Andrew Barth Feldman as Neil Levy
Andrew Barth Feldman takes on the role of Neil Levy, who worked as a production assistant and talent coordinator on “Saturday Night Live” for ten seasons, per Levy’s IMDb profile.
Feldman starred opposite Jennifer Lawrence in 2023’s “No Hard Feelings.” He also portrayed Evan Hansen in Broadway’s “Dear Evan Hansen."
J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle
J.K. Simmons plays comedian and actor Milton Berle, who got banned from "Saturday Night Live" after his hosting gig in 1979.
Simmons won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for the 2014 movie “Whiplash.” The prolific actor appeared on "Law and Order" for years, plus movies like "Juno" and "La La Land."
Willem Dafoe as David Tebet
Willem Dafoe plays the role of David Tebet, the vice president of talent relations at NBC when “Saturday Night Live” launched in 1975, per Deadline.
Dafoe, a four-time Oscar nominee, is famed for his performance as Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin in Tobey Maguire’s “Spider-Man” franchise, a character he reprised in the 2021 film “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
