Five new cast additions, including Ben Marshall from "Please Don't Destroy," are set to join the crew of "Saturday Night Live."
Saturday Night Live (SNL) is gearing up for its 51st season, set to premiere on Oct. 4. In preparation for the new season, the iconic sketch comedy series has announced several new members to join its ensemble.
Among the fresh faces are Ben Marshall, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson, and Veronika Slowikowska.
Ben Marshall, a writer on SNL since 2021 and a member of the comedy trio "Please Don't Destroy," which he co-founded at New York University in 2017, will now be a featured player. Marshall, who holds a BFA from NYU's Kanbar Institute of Film & TV, has also been a writer for the show.
Marshall's departure from the writing team and promotion to a featured player comes after the announcement that John Higgins, another member of Please Don't Destroy, is leaving SNL. Higgins, who joined the writers' room in 2021, will no longer be a part of the show. However, the trio has confirmed that they will continue working together on projects outside of SNL.
The newcomers join a cast that has recently undergone a significant change, with Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim, and Devon Walker leaving the show. This marks the largest cast turnover since 2022.
In addition to the new members, Martin Herlihy will remain a writer on SNL. Herlihy is also a member of Please Don't Destroy.
The NBC sketch series, which has been a staple of American comedy for over four decades, will continue to bring laughter and satire to audiences with its upcoming season.
Meanwhile, stand-up comic Kam Patterson is set to make an appearance in Netflix's movie 72 hours, alongside Kevin Hart. Patterson is a regular on Tony Hinchcliffe's podcast Kill Tony.
Jeremy Culhane, a regular on Dropout TV, performs with the Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles, and has appeared on The Sex Lives of College Girls and American Vandal. Tommy Brennan has been named a Just for Laughs New Face of Comedy and has performed on The Tonight Show. Veronika Slowikowska has a large social media following for her sketch comedy and has appeared on What We Do in the Shadows and Tires.
The announcement of the new featured players was made after a week of cast departures from Saturday Night Live. The article was updated on Sept. 2 with the news that John Higgins is leaving the SNL writers' room.
Stay tuned for more updates on the upcoming season of Saturday Night Live.
