Michaels Hails Fresh Faces as SNL50 Wins Emmy at 2025 Awards

Lead Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels celebrated a major triumph at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, accepting Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for SNL50 while praising new talent for keeping the show fresh.

Nut Graf On September 14 in Los Angeles, Michaels reflected on the secrets behind SNL’s longevity and underscored the importance of yearly cast renewals, offering rare red-carpet insights into upcoming shakeups before season 51’s October premiere.

Breaking Down the Win

  • Award: SNL50: The Anniversary Special secured the Outstanding Variety Special (Live) Emmy at the Emmys’ live telecast from Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
  • Victory speech: Michaels recalled winning his first Emmy for the show in 1975 and marvelled, “I was younger and I had a lot of dreams about what would happen in my life, and not one of those dreams was that I’d still be doing the same show for the next 50 years. However, here we are.”

Casting Shakeups and Strategy

  • Departures: Fan-favourites Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, Devon Walker and Emil Wakim announced exits ahead of season 51’s Oct. 4 launch.
  • Returnees: Kenan Thompson, Bowen Yang, Michael Che, Colin Jost and Chloe Fineman will anchor the cast.
  • New blood: Five newcomers-Veronika Slowikowska, Kam Patterson, Ben Marshall, Tommy Brennan and Jeremy Culhane-join the roster.

Michaels on Freshness When asked how he keeps SNL vital after 50 seasons, Michaels quipped, “It’s essential that we bring new people in every year,” adding that the show’s youthful audience demands continual reinvention.

Looking Ahead Season 51 promises a blend of veteran voices and fresh perspectives, with Michaels steering the show into its next chapter. The new season premieres October 4 on NBC.