The Saturday Night Live Season 52 cast has 17 performers, including new featured players Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter. They join returning cast members Kenan Thompson, Michael Che, Colin Jost, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Marcello Hernández, James Austin Johnson, Sarah Sherman, Ashley Padilla, Jane Wickline, Ben Marshall, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska.
SNL Season 52 premieres September 26, 2026 on NBC and Peacock. Jalen Brunson hosts the premiere with KATSEYE as musical guest. The season also arrives after several notable departures: Chloe Fineman left after seven seasons, while Bowen Yang had already exited during Season 51. Martin Herlihy is also leaving the show, but his Season 51 role was on the writing staff and in digital shorts rather than as an official cast member.
SNL Season 52 at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Season | 52 |
| Premiere date | September 26, 2026 |
| Cast size | 17 |
| New featured players | Saidah Belo-Osagie, Grace Reiter |
| Season premiere host | Jalen Brunson |
| Season premiere musical guest | KATSEYE |
| Network | NBC |
| Streaming | Peacock |
| Creator and executive producer | Lorne Michaels |
Who is in the SNL Season 52 cast?
NBCUniversal confirmed the Season 52 roster on September 16. The lineup mixes long-running repertory performers, recent additions and two brand-new featured players.
| Cast member | Season 52 status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kenan Thompson | Returning | Longest-running cast member in SNL history |
| Michael Che | Returning | Weekend Update co-anchor |
| Colin Jost | Returning | Weekend Update co-anchor |
| Mikey Day | Returning | Repertory player |
| Andrew Dismukes | Returning | Repertory player |
| Marcello Hernández | Returning | Repertory player |
| James Austin Johnson | Returning | Repertory player and impressionist |
| Sarah Sherman | Returning | Repertory player |
| Ashley Padilla | Returning | Promoted to repertory player for Season 52 |
| Jane Wickline | Returning | Promoted to repertory player for Season 52 |
| Ben Marshall | Returning | Featured player |
| Tommy Brennan | Returning | Featured player |
| Jeremy Culhane | Returning | Featured player |
| Kam Patterson | Returning | Featured player |
| Veronika Slowikowska | Returning | Featured player |
| Saidah Belo-Osagie | New | New featured player |
| Grace Reiter | New | New featured player |
For another current TV ensemble with a large roster, see our Dancing with the Stars Season 35 cast guide.
Who are the new SNL cast members in 2026?
The two new featured players are Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter. NBC introduced both comedians ten days before the September 26 premiere.
Saidah Belo-Osagie
Saidah Belo-Osagie is a comedian, actor, writer and filmmaker from Queens, New York. NBC says she wrote and directed the short film Tinge and created the event series Afrobeats Futura and the solo show Saidah Gets Closure.
Her background suggests that viewers should expect character work and a performance style shaped by both live comedy and digital projects. As with any first-year SNL performer, however, the clearest picture of her role will emerge only after viewers see which sketches and recurring characters make it to air.
Grace Reiter
Grace Reiter is from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. NBC lists her credits as including Minimum Wage, a project on which she also wrote and directed, The Chair Company and the online parody The Hunger Games (but Better).
Reiter developed a following through online sketch comedy before joining the NBC series. That route fits a broader pattern in modern SNL casting, where performers can arrive with experience across social platforms, live comedy, television and self-produced video rather than following one traditional path.
Who was promoted for SNL Season 52?
Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline return for Season 52, and entertainment-industry reporting identifies both as moving up to repertory-player status. Each joined the cast before Season 52 and now enters the new season with greater experience inside the weekly live-production process.
The distinction between repertory and featured status matters to longtime fans because SNL credits the groups separately. It should not be treated as a weekly ranking, though. Featured players can still become major parts of episodes, while repertory performers may have larger or smaller roles depending on the host, sketches selected and material developed that week.
Which SNL cast members left before Season 52?
Chloe Fineman is not returning for Season 52. She announced in July that she was leaving after seven seasons. Fineman became particularly well known for celebrity impressions and character work during her time on the show.
Bowen Yang is also absent from the Season 52 cast, but the timing is different. Yang left during Season 51 rather than waiting until the summer before Season 52. He therefore should not be described as a brand-new September departure.
Martin Herlihy has departed the show as well, but there is an important distinction. After Please Don’t Destroy’s on-screen run changed, Herlihy remained with SNL during Season 51 as a writer and occasional digital-short contributor. His 2026 exit is a staff departure, not the removal of an official Season 51 repertory or featured cast member.
Is Kenan Thompson returning to SNL?
Yes. Kenan Thompson returns for Season 52. Peacock identifies him as the longest-running cast member in the show’s history. He joined SNL in 2003 and completed 23 seasons through Season 51, making Season 52 his 24th season on the program.
That continuity gives the cast a veteran presence while the show continues introducing younger comedians. The Season 52 lineup is therefore not a full reset. It combines several generations of performers, from Thompson and the Weekend Update anchors to first-year featured players.
Are Michael Che and Colin Jost returning to Weekend Update?
Yes. NBC’s Season 52 cast announcement includes Michael Che and Colin Jost, and Peacock continues to identify them as the current Weekend Update co-anchors.
Weekend Update is one of the most stable recurring segments in the show, but its material changes rapidly because it responds to the week’s news. The anchors’ return gives Season 52 continuity even as the wider ensemble changes.
When does SNL Season 52 premiere?
Saturday Night Live Season 52 premieres on Saturday, September 26, 2026. NBC lists the broadcast at 11:30 p.m. ET and 8:30 p.m. PT, and the show also streams live on Peacock.
The season premiere is hosted by Jalen Brunson, with KATSEYE making its debut as musical guest.
Readers following NBC programming can also visit our The Hunting Party NBC cancellation guide and our Scrubs 2026 cast guide.
SNL Season 52 hosts and musical guests announced so far
NBCUniversal has announced the first four Season 52 host and musical-guest pairings.
| Date | Host | Musical guest |
|---|---|---|
| September 26 | Jalen Brunson | KATSEYE |
| October 3 | Dakota Johnson | Turnstile |
| October 10 | Shane Gillis | Rosalía |
| October 31 | Inde Navarrette | Gracie Abrams |
NBC notes that the show takes a two-week break before returning on October 31. Additional hosts and musical guests will be announced as the season continues.
How can you watch SNL Season 52?
New episodes air live on NBC and also stream live on Peacock. Peacock also carries earlier seasons of the series. Availability outside the United States can differ by country and platform.
If you are planning other major live entertainment viewing, our How to Watch the Tonys 2026 guide covers another major U.S. broadcast event.
Why does the Season 52 cast look different?
SNL changes its cast regularly. Some performers remain for many years, while others leave for film, television, stand-up, writing or new creative projects. The Season 52 changes are noticeable because a familiar impressionist, Chloe Fineman, has left and two new featured players are arriving at the same time.
At the same time, most of the Season 51 ensemble remains. The show is therefore evolving rather than rebuilding from scratch. Viewers will still see familiar anchors and repertory performers while Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter begin establishing themselves.
Who should not be listed as a Season 52 cast member?
Outdated cast lists can create confusion. Chloe Fineman and Bowen Yang should not appear in a current Season 52 cast table. Martin Herlihy can be mentioned in the departures section, but he should not be counted as an official Season 52 cast departure because his most recent role was on the writing staff and in digital pieces.
Hosts and musical guests should also remain separate from the permanent ensemble. Jalen Brunson, Dakota Johnson, Shane Gillis and Inde Navarrette are announced hosts, not cast members. KATSEYE, Turnstile, Rosalía and Gracie Abrams are musical guests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the new SNL cast members for Season 52?
Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter are the two new featured players joining Saturday Night Live for Season 52.
Who left SNL before Season 52?
Chloe Fineman left after seven seasons. Bowen Yang had already departed during Season 51. Martin Herlihy also left the show, but his most recent role was as a writer and digital-short contributor rather than an official Season 51 cast member.
Is Kenan Thompson still on SNL in 2026?
Yes. Kenan Thompson returns for Season 52, which is his 24th season on Saturday Night Live.
When does SNL Season 52 start?
Season 52 premieres on September 26, 2026 on NBC and Peacock.
Who hosts the SNL Season 52 premiere?
Jalen Brunson hosts the September 26 premiere, with KATSEYE as musical guest.
How many cast members are in SNL Season 52?
NBC’s announced Season 52 lineup contains 17 performers, including 15 returning cast members and two new featured players.