If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.
On Oct. 11, 1975, Saturday Night Live, now known more affectionately as SNL, premiered on NBC with comedian George Carlin as its host and Billy Preston and Janis Ian as the musical guests. The late-night sketch comedy show was created by Lorne Michaels as an alternative to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson reruns the network was airing — and on that fall night, a comedy revolution was born in Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Center.
Fifty years later, NBC is rolling out the red carpet for a star-studded celebration on Sunday, Feb. 16 entitled, SNL50: The Anniversary Special. Former and current cast members, celebrity guest hosts, and artists are honoring Michaels and his game-changing legacy — from Amy Poehler to Kim Kardashian — they were all there on the red carpet in New York City.
Former head writer and cast member Tina Fey, who also helped create the anniversary special, shared on The Tonight Show on Feb. 12, that Bill Murray helped lighten the mood behind the scenes after a stressful week of preparation. “He came in, and he was in this incredibly wonderful mood, and he just was like, ‘Hey, guys, what’s going on in here? Maybe open a window. You seem like you’re all about to cry,'” Fey revealed. “And then he just gave us this pep talk, and I could’ve started crying because this is the pep talk that I’ve been dreaming of since I was a kid watching Meatballs, right? He’s just like, ‘Show’s gonna be amazing. I’m so excited. I’m seeing everybody at rehearsal. I feel like we’re all brothers and sisters.'”
Fans are in store for a hilarious and nostalgic show filled with five decades of memories, and given the A-list talent who showed up on the red carpet, it will be a night to remember. Happy 50th anniversary, SNL!
Ryan Reynolds & Blake Lively
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively surprised everyone by making their first joint appearance on the red carpet after the Justin Baldoni lawsuit. Lively first hosted SNL on Dec. 5, 2009, and backed out of the first episode of the 50th season due to the ongoing legal feud. Reynolds has only hosted the show once on Oct. 3, 2009, and, per In Touch Weekly, he reportedly avoids the show since his ex-wife, Scarlett Johansson, is married to the show’s writer and cast member, Colin Jost.
Tina Fey
Tina Fey was on SNL from 1997-2006, becoming the head writer in 2000. She is also a member of The Five-Timers Club, an elite group of people who have hosted the show fives times or more.
Pete Davidson
Pete Davidson might be one of the most beloved cast members from SNL, starring on the show for eight seasons from 2014-2022. And yes, he’s also known for his romance with Kim Kardashian after her guest stint in 2021.
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian surprised the world with her comedic chops on the Oct. 9, 2021, episode. She also famously starred in a sketch with Pete Davidson, playing Jasmine and Aladdin, where they shared their first kiss.
Emma Stone & Dave McCary
Emma Stone is not only a member of The Five-Timers Club, but she also met her husband Dave McCary, a former SNL writer and director, on the show during her December 2016 appearance.
Scarlett Johansson & Colin Jost
Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost are another host and cast member who found love in Studio 8H. Johansson is a member of The Five-Timers Club and Jost has been a writer on the show since 2005. He began doing “Weekend Update” in 2014.
Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep is another A-list star who has never hosted the show, but needs to. She was at the 50th anniversary to support her rumored boyfriend, Martin Short, who was on the series for only one season from 1984-1985.
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter’s made an iconic lyric change in her song, “Feather,” when she appeared as the musical guest on May 18, 2024. She sange, “I’m on SNL and you’re not!” We love her for that.
Quinta Brunson
In April 2023, Quinta Brunson made her guest host debut on SNL.
Kevin Costner
You might be shocked to find out Kevin Costner has never hosted Saturday Night Live. Lorne Michaels needs to fix that!
Keke Palmer
Keke Palmer’s hilarious episode of Saturday Night Live aired on Dec. 3, 2022.
Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler was a cast member from 2001-2008 and she co-hosted the “Weekend Update” segment from 2004 until her departure.
Paul Rudd
Paul Rudd is also a member of The Five-Timers Club and made his first SNL appearance on Nov. 15, 2008.
Hilaria & Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin holds the honor of being the person who’s hosted the most times in SNL history — 17, if you’re keeping track.
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manuel Miranda hosted the show on Oct. 8, 2016.
Jenna Ortega
Wednesday star Jenna Ortega made her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live on March 11, 2023.
Laraine Newman
Laraine Newman was an original cast member and she’s also the mother of Hacks star Hannah Einbinder.
Laura Dern
Laura Dern is another A-list actor who has never hosted SNL — it’s time to book her!
Sandra Oh
On March 30, 2019, Sandra Oh became the first Asian-Canadian woman to host Saturday Night Live.
Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson
Tom Hanks’ first host appearance goes back 40 years to Dec. 14, 1985. Not only is he a member of The Five-Timers Club, he’s hosted SNL a total of 10 times.
Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore still holds the record as the youngest host of the show — she was only seven when she made her first appearance in 1982. She’s also a member of the SNL Five-Timers Club.
Willie Geist
Sunday Today anchor Willie Geist at SNL 50: The Anniversary Show held at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Feb. 16, 2025 in New York, New York.
Pedro Pascal
Pedro Pascal hosted the Feb. 4, 2023, episode of Saturday Night Live for the first time with Coldplay as the musical guest.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Louis-Dreyfus joined Saturday Night Live at the age of 21 and remained with the show from 1982 to 1985.
Natasha Lyonne
Poker Face star Natasha Lyonne made her guest host debut on the variety show on May 21, 2022.
Jackie & Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler joined SNL as a writer in 1990 and became a featured player in February 1991, midway through Season 16. He stayed on the show until 1995.
Maya Rudolph
Maya Rudolph was a cast member of SNL from 2000 until 2007, but she might be best remembered for her portrayal as former Vice President Kamala Harris. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2020 for the show.
Lucy Liu
Lucy Liu became the first Asian woman to host SNL in December 2000.
Lady Gaga & Michael Polansky
Lady Gaga made her musical guest debut on Saturday Night Live on Oct. 3, 2009, and her first host stint was on Nov. 16, 2013, episode.
Chris Fischer & Amy Schumer
Amy Schumer has hosted the show three times, hoping to one day make The Five-Timers Club!
Zooey Deschanel & Jonathan Scott
Zooey Deschanel hosted SNL one time on Feb. 11, 2012.
John Mulaney
John Mulaney is a member of the prestigious Five-Timer’s Club, after his numerous hosting gigs on the show, but he began his association with the show as a writer from 2008 until 2013.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus is a three-time host and a five-time musical guest, making her a Saturday Night Live favorite.
Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy might be the biggest star to emerge from SNL. He appeared as a cast member from 1980 to 1984 and he’s best known for his characters, Gumby, Buckwheat, and Mr. Robinson.
Jimmy Fallon & Nancy Juvonen
Jimmy Fallon was a fixture on Saturday Night Live from 1998 through 2004 and he was well known for breaking character during his sketches.
Dakota Johnson
Dakota Johnson first hosted Saturday Night Live on Feb. 28, 2015, and returned to the late-night show on Jan. 27, 2024.
Jessica & Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld made his guest host debut on SNL on April 18, 1992, and surprisingly, he was never a cast member.
Anthony Michael Hall
Anthony Michael Hall was only 17 when he joined the cast for one season from 1985-1986.
Jon Hamm
Jon Hamm has hosted the show three times, making his first appearance on the show on Oct. 25, 2008.
Sarah Jessica Parker & Matthew Broderick
Sarah Jessica Parker hosted Saturday Night Live over 30 years ago on Nov. 12, 1994. Matthew Broderick is a two-time guest host — once in 1988 and a return gig in 1998.
Zahra & Chris Rock
Chris Rock joined the cast as a featured player in Season 16 when he was just 23 years old. He stayed on the show from 1990-1993.
Alexander ‘AE’ Edwards & Cher
Cher has never hosted SNL, but she was a musical guest on the Nov. 21, 1987 episode.
Bowen Yang
Bowen Yang, current cast member and Wicked star, was hired as a staff writer on Saturday Night Live in 2018. He was promoted to a featured player and the following year, and has been nominated for four Primetime Emmys. Yang is the show’s first ever Chinese-American cast member.
Anya Taylor-Joy
Anya Taylor-Joy is a one-time celebrity host, appearing on SNL on May 22, 2021.
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg has made a cameo on the show, but she’s another surprising comedian who has never hosted SNL.
Leave a Comment