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SNL 52's New Faces: Belo-Osagie and Reiter Debut as Fineman Exits
By @sharedot · · 6 pages
E! News reports SNL's 52nd season opens with just two new featured players, Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter, after Chloe Fineman and Martin Herlihy left.
A Minimal Cast Makeover for Season 52
E! News reports that Saturday Night Live's season 52 refresh is unusually light: after the 'post-season 50 bloodletting,' only two new featured players join the lineup. Chloe Fineman announced in July she was leaving after seven seasons, later telling The Hollywood Reporter her contract ended just as a Netflix series opportunity arrived, and Please Don't Destroy's Martin Herlihy followed her out the door. Otherwise, most of last season's rookies are staying on, and Lorne Michaels' usual shake-up philosophy — 'It's how it revives itself,' he told Entertainment Tonight at the 2025 Emmys — translated into less churn this year.
Meet the Two Newcomers to Studio 8A
According to E! News, Saidah Belo-Osagie, 29, first gained a following with viral sketches like 'My impression of a yoga instructor with unrealistic expectations' and was a local New York star, appearing on Subway Takes in 2024. Grace Reiter, 25, hails from Wisconsin; E! notes she appeared on Tim Robinson's HBO series The Chair Company and on TikTok's live comedy series Stapleview, which also counts cast member Jane Wickline as an alum. Yahoo's entertainment coverage, citing Rolling Stone, similarly frames Reiter as a comedian and TikTok star and Belo-Osagie as a native New Yorker joining the Emmy-winning series.
Who's Back — and Who Got Promoted
E! News details the returning lineup: veterans Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Marcello Hernández, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Sarah Sherman and Kenan Thompson — back for his 23rd season. Second-year featured players Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson and Ben Marshall return, while Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline have been elevated to repertory players. Yahoo reports the premiere airs Sept. 26 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC, with Knicks star Jalen Brunson hosting and KATSEYE as musical guest.
The Fineman Sendoff and What Comes Next
E! News quotes Fineman's own words about her exit: 'I'm genuinely really good friends with everybody, and I genuinely couldn't love that job more... So, it's really bittersweet, but I'm gonna be in New York. I'm down the street. Maybe you'll see me.' Yahoo also notes Bowen Yang left mid-season and is currently playing the title role in Oh, Mary! on Broadway. For cord-cutters, Yahoo's Rolling Stone guide lists streaming options including DirecTV and Fubo five-day free trials, Peacock at $12.99 a month, and Sling Blue at $45.99 a month. The next milestone is the season's first cold open, whose topical subject E! leaves as a guessing game for readers.