Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!
The first trailer for Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night Live film — previously referred to as SNL 1975 — debuted on Thursday, giving fans a look at the fictionalized account of SNL’s first-ever episode.
The clip shows The Fabelmans’ star Gabriel LaBelle as comedy mastermind Lorne Michaels, fighting for his life and his airtime amid creative chaos.
“It doesn’t matter that we’re ready, it matter that it’s 11:30,” he says, parroting one of Michaels’ infamous real-life mantras. “That’s when we go on.”
Elsewhere, Cory Michael Smith embodies Chevy Chase, questioning whether or not the sketch series is truly “an ensemble,” Matt Wood’s John Belushi throws a violent tantrum, and Succession star Nicholas Braun channels Jim Henson, in a hilarious lament about how the writers strung up Big Bird in his dressing room.
Watch the full trailer below:
Based on interviews with surviving cast members and behind-the-scenes players, and written by Reitman and Gil Kenan, Saturday Night has cast a host of young talent to portray the seven iconic comedians — plus the producers, writers and crew — who went on to change television forever.
The official synopsis reads:
“On October 11th, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. This is the true story of what happened that night behind the scenes in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of SNL. The chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, as we countdown the minutes in real time to the infamous words, Live From New York, it’s Saturday Night.”
Here’s a look at the cast of Saturday Night:
Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels
The Fabelmans star will follow up his breakout role with another iconic part as the SNL head honcho, who created the iconic comedy series and has served as its executive producer since its 1975 premiere (with a brief, five-year break from 1980-85).
Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase
The May December standout will portray the volatile breakout star, who left SNL early in its second season to pursue his film career. During his brief time on SNL, Chase anchored “Weekend Update” and his deadpan delivery was instrumental in making the segment a lasting iconic bit.
Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd
The Teen Wolf star will play Aykroyd, who spearheaded the infamous “Blues Brothers” and “Coneheads” sketches on SNL, both of which went on to become feature films. Since his departure, Aykroyd has returned to SNL more than a dozen times, in hosting and guest appearances.
Matt Wood as John Belushi
Wood, a comedian and theater actor, is set to take on the role of John Belushi, SNL‘s embattled star who debuted brash characters as well as the iconic “Blues Brothers” sketch during his time on the show. Belushi struggled with drug use throughout his career and was dismissed from SNL — and later brought back — several times due to his lack of accountability. He died in 1982 from a drug overdose after being injected with a speedball at the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Hollywood.
Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris
The New Girl star will play Garrett Morris (no relation), SNL‘s first Black cast member. A classically trained singer, Morris often showed off his skills to comedic effect on SNL, usually with subtitles incorrectly translating the foreign lyrics. Other memorable roles include baseball player Chico Escuela and a “Hard of Hearing” interpreter for “Weekend Update” — who merely shouted the headlines at the camera.
Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner
The English actress and singer, best known for her role as Sue Gilbert on Dickinson, will play Radner, one of SNL‘s first iconic comediennes. Best known for bold, loud-mouthed characters like Roseanne Roseannadanna and Emily Litella. Radner won an Emmy for her SNL performance in 1978. She died in 1989, after a private battle with ovarian cancer.
Kim Matula as Jane Curtin
The Bold and the Beautiful and Unreal star is set to play SNL‘s first resident straight woman. Curtin’s SNL highlights include starring in the “Coneheads” sketches and co-anchoring “Weekend Update,” often serving as a foil to Aykroyd, Radner and Bill Murray. She went on to win two Emmy Awards for her starring role in the ’80s sitcom Kate & Allie.
Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman
Fairn, who recently appeared in the West End production of Brokeback Mountain, will play Newman, the final member of SNL‘s first female trio. While she tended not to repeat characters — and thus had fewer iconic roles than some of her castmates — some of Newman’s most famous SNL moments include her roles as Connie Conehead, Valley girl Sherry, and ditzy TV host Christie Christina.
Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol
The Licorice Pizza star (and son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) will play the young NBC executive who helped Michaels develop SNL into the late-night phenomenon it eventually became. He also executive produced the show during Michaels’ brief departure in the early ’80s. Ebersol would go on to become president of NBC Sports in 1989, shepherding the network as it became a sports broadcasting powerhouse, producing multiple Olympics, Super Bowls and more.
Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster
The Bottoms star will play Shuster, who was an instrumental behind-the-scenes figure in the early years of SNL. The daughter of famous comedian Frank Shuster, she and Lorne Michaels met in middle school and were married from 1971-80. She helped him assemble the Not Ready for Primetime Players and was an SNL writer during the ’70s and ’80s. She teamed up with Radner to help her develop some of her most iconic characters, wrote the “Killer Bees” sketch and later helped Dana Carvey develop his “Church Lady” character.
Finn Wolfhard as an NBC Page
Wolfhard, 21, previously worked with the film’s director on Ghostbusters: Afterlife in 2021 and sparked casting rumors on Monday when he shared an Instagram post about the film from Reitman to his Instagram Story. His character’s name has not been revealed.
Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson
The Succession star will take on the role of the beloved puppeteer. The Muppets creator and his team appeared on the first season of Saturday Night Live.
Jon Batiste as Billy Preston
The Late Show bandleader and five-time GRAMMY winner will play Billy Preston, the R&B singer and iconic backing musician, who performed on SNL‘s very first episode, playing his Billboard No. 1 hit, “Nothing From Nothing,” as well as his current single at the time, “Fancy Lady.”
Naomi McPherson as Janis Ian
Muna guitarist and vocalist Naomi McPherson will play another iconic musician, singer-songwriter Janis Ian in Saturday Night. Ian was the second musical performer on SNL‘s premiere episode, taking the stage to singer her biggest hit, “At Seventeen,” as well as “In the Winter.”
Nicholas Podany as Billy Crystal
The Hello Tomorrow actor will portray comedian Billy Crystal, who was scheduled to be in the first episode of SNL but his sketch got cut.
Tommy Dewey as Michael O’Donoghue
The Casual star will take on the role of Michael O’Donoghue, the first head writer of Saturday Night Live and the first performer to deliver a line on the series.
In the show’s inaugural sketch, O’Donoghue played an English-language teacher who instructs John Belushi to repeat phrases such as, “I would like to feed your fingertips to the wolverines,” and, “We are out of badgers. Would you accept a wolverine in its place?” He then drops dead of a heart attack.
Willem Dafoe as David Tebet
According to Deadline, Dafoe will play David Tebet, a former talent executive at NBC.
J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle
The 69-year-old Whiplash star and Academy Award winner stars as Milton Berle, the actor and comedian known for his starring roles in shows like Uncle Miltie and Mr. Television.
Taylor Gray as Al Franken
Gray — who lent his voice to Star Wars: Rebels for 74 episodes as Ezra Bridge, according to his IMDB page — will play the comedian-turned-senator who got his start as a writer and performer on Saturday Night Live.
Joe Chrest as Herb Sargent
Chrest — who most recently appeared in Zelda Williams’ directorial debut Lisa Frankenstein — will play Herb Sargent, credited with the creation of “Weekend Update.”
Mcabe Gregg as Tom Davis
The actor, best known for his role in projects like Shameless and Teenage Badass, will portray Tom Davis — one-half of the comedy duo Franken & Davis, who performed on SNL, as well as wrote for the series.
Andrew Barth Feldman as Neil Levy
The No Hard Feelings actor is set to play Neil Levy, a writer and talent coordinator for the original Saturday Night Live, according to his IMDB page.
Kaia Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin
The 22-year-old daughter of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber will portray the ex-wife of Chevy Chase, played by Cory Michael Smith. While Carlin and Chase did not marry until 1976, they began dating in 1975 — the year the movie is set.
Billy Bryk in an Undisclosed Role
Bryk, who previously worked with Reitman on 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife, has joined the cast in a role with limited details.
Saturday Night is in theaters Oct. 11.
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