Bowen Yang shares surprising reason he postponed his SNL exit
Lorne Michaels asked Yang to return after a wave of cast turnover, and Yang said the move helped guide new hires through the season.
- Bowen Yang delayed his Saturday Night Live departure after creator Lorne Michaels personally requested he return to shepherd new cast members through the first half of season 51.
- Yang initially planned to exit following the show's 50th season, believing the series was in a strong position without him and feeling his role was 'seasoning' rather than central.
- Michaels called Yang while he was at the Open, urging him to return: "Listen, you should come back. These are the people I've hired, it's a lot of new kids."
- Yang honored the request, remaining for the first half of season 51 before departing after his final appearance on December 20, 2025, concluding his seven years as a member.
- Speaking with Rachel Sennott for Variety, Yang reflected on his career transition, while Sennott, creator of the HBO comedy series Love LA, bonded with him over their shared New York comedy scene roots.
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Bowen Yang Sheds Light on His 'SNL' Exit
Jeffrey Mayer/JTMPhotos, Int'l. / MEGA Jeffrey Mayer/JTMPhotos, Int'l. / MEGA Bowen Yang shocked fans of NBC’s“Saturday Night Live” in December 2025 when he announced that he’d be leaving the show. This came months after the 51st season premiere, which saw notable cast changes. Now, the “Wicked” star is opening up about his decision to leave the show mid-season and why he never felt integral to the cast. Bowen Yang Says He Never Felt Central To …
Bowen Yang says he never felt 'that central' to “Saturday Night Live”
Bowen Yang insists he "never played the dad or the straight-man teacher" on "SNL" and "was always there as the seasoning."Bowen Yang on 'SNL'Credit: NBC/GettyKey PointsBowen Yang says he never felt "that central" to Saturday Night Live.Yang said he left mid-season after Lorne Michaels asked him to mentor a new crop of players for season 51.The actor considered himself just "the seasoning" on the show.Bowen Yang enjoyed his time on Saturday Night…
Out Magazine
Gay Pride - LGBT & Queer VoicesBowen Yang opens up about SNL exit: 'I never felt that central'
This story originally appeared on Them.When Bowen Yang announced that he would be leaving Saturday Night Live last year, many could already feel that the energy of the show would be different. To fans, he was a standout performer, racking up four Primetime Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series during his tenure. But as he expressed in a new interview, Yang never felt as important to the show as he might have seemed…
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