Kenan Thompson Reflects on His Future with SNL: Is It Time for a New Chapter?
Kenan Thompson, a cast member of Saturday Night Live since 2003, has achieved the distinction of being the longest-tenured performer on the iconic late-night show. His enduring presence raises questions about his eventual departure.
In a recent interview with People, Thompson admitted he sometimes thinks about leaving the show. “I definitely do. It’s gonna suck. There are just so many layers to it. It’s not just the onscreen that you see in that one camera shot. It’s so many people behind the scenes and years and years and years with each one of those people. So it’s gonna be a lot,” he explained.
Thompson lightheartedly suggested, “I might have to just rip the Band-Aid and run out the back door and not say nothing to nobody and just write letters.”
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The Emmy-winning comedian expressed his sadness at the departure of fellow cast members, citing the example of former co-star Bowen Yang, who left midseason last year after having joined SNL as a staff writer in 2018. Thompson shared, “I’m dreading the moment [of his departure]. I might collapse in the moment because it’s been so many years and so many relationships.”
He added, “That’s gonna be a drastic change at this point that I never thought, you know, SNL would be such a large component in my life. I never thought I’d even get the job in the first place.”
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly last April, Thompson humorously remarked, “It would be cool if I never left the show. That’d be crazy.” He also shared uncertainty about whether he or creator Lorne Michaels would depart first, stating, “I feel like we’ll both just ride until the wheels fall off.”
While his future with SNL remains uncertain, Thompson is returning to his comedic roots. He will reunite with Kel Mitchell, his co-star from the Good Burger films and Kenan & Kel, to produce and star in Kenan & Kel Meet Frankenstein, a horror comedy set to be filmed this summer, co-produced by Thompson’s Artists for Artists and Range Media Partners.
