Bowen Yang Opens Up About His Surprising SNL Departure Before Finale
Bowen Yang is announcing his upcoming exit from Saturday Night Live after a remarkable seven years on the cast.
“I cherished my time at SNL, and above all, I cherished the people,” Yang, 35, expressed via Instagram on Saturday, December 20, mere hours before his final live Christmas episode. “I was present during a time when much in the world felt hopeless, but my experience at 30 Rock illuminated the importance of showing up when people make it worthwhile.”
He added, “I’m thankful for every single moment spent there. I discovered more about myself (not great with wigs). I learned about others (kind, open, attractive). I realized that human mistakes can simply be part of the process. I learned that comedy relies heavily on logistics and tends to fail until it ultimately succeeds, which is the best part.”
Yang began his journey with SNL in 2018 as a writer, making his on-screen debut in season 45 the following year.
“A heartfelt thank you to everyone who showed up: friends, colleagues, audiences, and hosts,” the “Las Culturistas” podcast host wrote on Saturday. “Thank you Celeste, Sudi, Will, Alison, Julio, Fran, Drez, Bulla, Marty, John, Ben, Jimmy, Ceara, Deetch, Jake, Asha, Jack, Auguste, Tucker, Kent, Streeter, James, Alex, Jasmine, Gary, and Billy for collaborating with me. Thank you to each cast member for making me laugh and cry.”
Yang also expressed appreciation for the entire SNL crew and wardrobe team for providing the “quickest, most enjoyable quick-changes in all of showbiz.”
“Thank you to Lorne [Michaels] for the job, for maintaining high standards, and for uniting everyone in the workplace,” the comedian remarked, acknowledging the veteran SNL showrunner. “Everyone genuinely cares about making sure people in the room enjoy themselves. I can’t fathom that I was ever part of that.”
Saturday’s live show, featuring host Ariana Grande and musical guest Cher, will be Yang’s final appearance with the SNL ensemble.
“Thank you to Ari for giving me an unforgettable send-off,” Yang concluded. “The show doesn’t continue just because it’s ready, but I sure hope I am.”
Yang and Grande, 32, have developed a close friendship since co-starring in the Wicked movie musicals.
“I’ve absorbed so much from Ariana Grande. I’ve learned about resilience,” Yang shared with Esquire earlier this month. “I felt disconnected from myself while filming Wicked due to the back-to-back demands of working on SNL and traveling to London for Wicked. It left me unmoored, and Ari gently helped bring me back.”
Yang plays a classmate of Grande’s Glinda at Shiz University in the upcoming Wicked film, as well as in the recently released Wicked: For Good.
In an interview with Esquire, Yang emphasized that his personal friendships hold greater significance than his career.
“Work is no longer the most meaningful aspect of my life,” he mentioned. “What truly matters is spending time with friends and working occasionally, without feeling trapped by it.”
Saturday Night Live airs on NBC Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET.
