NEW YORK – Bowen Yang is set to leave “Saturday Night Live” midway through the season, with his final episode featuring his “Wicked” co-star Ariana Grande as host this Saturday.
Yang began his journey with “SNL” as a writer in 2018 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a featured player the following year. He then joined the main cast two seasons later. Over the years, Yang has become a beloved figure among fans, earning five Emmy nominations during his tenure.
Despite the buzz surrounding his departure, representatives for “Saturday Night Live” declined to comment on Friday, and Yang’s personal team has yet to respond to any email inquiries.
In a heartfelt Instagram post on Saturday, Yang expressed his gratitude, saying, “I loved working at SNL, and most of all I loved the people. I was there at a time when many things in the world started to seem futile, but working at 30 Rock taught me the value in showing up anyway when people make it worthwhile.”
The 35-year-old was featured in promotional material for Saturday’s show, appearing alongside Grande and musical guest Cher. The promos showcased his playful side, including a lighthearted moment where Grande was left giggling after Cher playfully slapped Yang.
Yang’s exit marks another shift in “SNL’s” lineup, following a significant turnover of cast members last summer before the start of Season 51 on October 4. This earlier wave of departures included familiar faces like Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, and John Higgins.
The news wasn’t entirely a surprise. Yang had publicly discussed the idea, telling People in September he had mulled it over with the NBC sketch comedy show’s creator Lorne Michaels. He got a vote of confidence from Michaels and decided to stay at that time.
“Lorne was like, ‘You have more to do,’ and that means a lot, because I even confessed to him. I was like, ‘I feel the audience is maybe getting sick of me.’ And he was like, ‘That’s not true. There’s more for you to do. I need you,’” Yang said.
Of Michaels, Yang added: “That man has changed my life, and I owe a lot of my life to that show. And I love working there. The people are the best. I really love each of them so much.”
In addition to “SNL,” Yang co-hosts the pop culture podcast “Las Culturistas” with his friend and fellow comedian Matt Rogers. He was in “Wicked” and “Wicked: For Good” as Pfannee and co-starred in the remade “The Wedding Banquet” this year.
In 2023, he appeared in “Dicks: The Musical” and “Fire Island” the year before that. He also co-starred in “Awkwafina is Nora from Queens” from 2020 to 2023.
Yang and Rogers hosted the spoof Las Culturista Culture Awards on Bravo last summer. Yang posted on Instagram that the two will be back for more pop culture comedy on the awards next year.
Mid-season departures from “SNL” are not unprecedented. Cecily Strong did it in December 2022.
Among the bits that earned Yang breakout status was his turn as the Titanic iceberg on the recurring “Weekend Update” segment, his favorite place on the show, according to an October interview with Esquire. He also played George Santos, a straight man who hooks up with Gina Gershon and Sydney Sweeney, and a gay Oompa Loompa. And he spoofed Vice President JD Vance.
Yang, the son of Chinese immigrants, was Esquire’s recent cover star. In an Oct. 28 interview accompanying his cover shoot, he told the magazine: “There’s an idea that all of what I do is queer and Asian, which I don’t think is true. I get sick of people reducing the work I do on the show to those identifiers.”
Work, he said, “is not the most meaningful thing for me anymore. The things I like are spending time with friends, working every now and then, not being caged by it.”
Yang noted some advice he once received from Kristen Wiig when she hosted “SNL.”
“She was like, ‘Have fun. It’s the most fun job in the world, and you’ll miss it when it’s done. You won’t realize how much you miss it until you leave.’”
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