Jean Smart, fresh off an Emmy win for “Hacks,” will guest host the inaugural episode of “Saturday Night Live’s” 50th season, which returns to NBC on Sept. 28.
It’s the actress’s first time hosting the sketch show. Joining her in her “SNL” debut will be musical guest Jelly Roll, the country and hip-hop artist whose latest album, “Beautifully Broken,” is due out Oct. 11. (Jelly Roll also appeared at the Emmys, performing during the actress’ memorial segment.)
The coming weeks will feature a who’s who of the comedy, music and film worlds, including host Nate Bargatze on Oct. 5, who most recently hosted last season; Ariana Grande on Oct. 12, who appeared last season as a musical guest; Michael Keaton on Oct. 19; and John Mulaney on Nov. 2, the final episode before Election Day on Nov. 4. Musical guests include Coldplay, Stevie Nicks, Billie Eilish and rising pop star Chappell Roan.
The historic season comes amid the presidential campaign between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, and is sure to be the subject of a series long known for its politically-themed openings and parodies of major political figures. Maya Rudolph will reportedly play Harris in the series this season, though representatives for the show have not officially confirmed the news. More recently, cast member James Austin Johnson portrayed Trump.
“Saturday Night Live” has been an institution on late-night television, spawning dozens of comedy stars over the decades (Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey and Kristen Wiig among them) and numerous movie spin-offs. The show aired its first episode in 1975 and has been under the direction of Lorne Michaels for nearly its entire run. In 2025, NBC will celebrate the series’ 50th anniversary with a weekend of rewatch that culminates with a three-hour primetime special airing Feb. 16.
However, the series has been criticized for its lack of diversity over the years, particularly when it comes to women of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Most recently, Punkie Johnson, who is Black and identifies as queer, Molly Kearney, the first nonbinary cast member, and Chloe Troast said they would not be returning to “SNL” for season 50.
Last week, “SNL” announced that several new A-listers would be joining the cast, including Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim and Jane Wickline. Meanwhile, Marcello Hernandez, Michael Longfellow and Devon Walker have been promoted to regular cast members.
