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Molly Kearney has announced that they are leaving Saturday Night Live.
Kearney, 32, uses they/them pronouns and made history as the first nonbinary cast member in the sketch show’s history when they were hired in 2022.
Writing on Instagram, Kearney said: “Yall that’s a wrap on my time on SNL! Reflecting on the amazing 2 seasons I got on this show, it was such a dream come true.
“So incredibly grateful for this period in my life. So much love to all my big hearted buddies behind the scenes who make the magic happen every week. So many bald caps, so little time.
“It was a true honor to work with such a talented group of writers and DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE CAST.”
Kearney’s announcement follows the recent news that fellow cast member Punkie Johnson is also departing the show ahead of its 50th season.
The comedian also made the announcement on Instagram on Thursday, posting a video in which she said: “After four seasons, I will not be returning to SNL for the 50th.”
“It’s no bad blood, it’s no bridges burned, it’s no hard feelings,” Johnson said in the clip. “I love my people!”
“I didn’t think none of this was going to be a big deal,” she added, going on to joke: “See, this is why Dave Chappelle makes people lock up their phones.”
Johnson, who joined the show in 2020, called SNL “a dream I didn’t even know that I could achieve” and said she was “a part of one of the most elite institutions in comedy.”
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“I am so grateful for it,” she said in the video. “That’s still my people. I love them.”
One person who will return to the show is Maya Rudolph who is set to reprise her beloved Kamala Harris impersonation in season 50.
SNL fans have begged for Rudolph’s return since President Joe Biden abandoned his re-election campaign and endorsed Harris to replace him in the 2024 presidential race against Donald Trump. Her comeback has been confirmed by Deadline but Rudolph herself is yet to comment.
Back in 2019, during an appearance on MSNBC, Harris joked that she intended to “keep Maya Rudolph in work for the next eight years.”
The show recently opened the ticket lottery for the upcoming season, which begins on September 28.
SNL is filmed at New York City’s famed 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Season 50 premieres on September 28, with episodes airing on NBC at 11:30pm ET on Saturdays.
