Why is Kate McKinnon leaving Saturday Night Live as main cast member?
The first thing we should note here is that clearly, this is not something we want to see happen. We love having Kate onscreen every week during the season, and she’s been almost undoubtedly the marquee star of the series for years. While Pete Davidson may be the bigger celebrity, she’s been the most acclaimed performer week in and week out. Think about all of her characters, from real-life people like Hillary Clinton to fictional ones like the patron of the Last Call bar who does all sorts of inappropriate things to the host. She’s constantly funny and never afraid to go for it.
The reality behind Kate’s reported exit is simple: People leave. It’s just a part of what happens with SNL. It’s not anything that is controversial. After a lot of years on the show, everyone wants to expand their horizons and try other things. Kate has already been doing that for years; she even took a hiatus this past fall to play Carole Baskin for a project over at Peacock. Leaving the show gives her a chance to take bigger risks and try other things.
Will we see her again at Studio 8H down the road? It feels almost like a sure thing so long as she wants to come back! Lorne Michaels and producers would be insane to not ask, especially with everything that she has done over the years here including memorable sketches and offbeat characters. We’ve also seen plenty of other alumni leave and come back over the years, sometimes after only just a couple of years away.
Are you sad that Kate McKinnon could be leaving Saturday Night Live after so many years on the show?
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