Fresh off her Emmys win, Jean Smart is taking her comedy to a new audience as she kicks off “Saturday Night Live’s” landmark 50th season. NBC announced on Thursday that Smart will host the premiere on Sept. 28, with Jelly Roll as the musical act. Jelly Roll, who performed during the Emmys’ in memoriam segment, will be making his debut on the iconic show alongside Smart, who will be hosting “SNL” for the first time.
Smart enthusiastically shared the news on Instagram, mentioning that hosting the show was a “bucket list” item for her. This star-studded season continues with comedian Nate Bargatze hosting on Oct. 5, accompanied by Coldplay, who will perform just after releasing their newest album, “Moon Music.” This will mark Coldplay’s eighth appearance on the show.
Ariana Grande, fresh off her role in the upcoming “Wicked” film adaptation, will host on Oct. 12. Although Grande has performed as a musical guest twice, this episode will feature Fleetwood Mac legend Stevie Nicks, who will make her return to the “SNL” stage for the first time since 1983.
On Oct. 19, “Beetlejuice” star Michael Keaton will host his fourth show, with Billie Eilish performing as the musical guest for the fourth time. The pre-Halloween episode promises to be memorable as both Keaton and Eilish bring their unique flair to the stage.
John Mulaney, a favorite among fans and an “SNL” alum, will close out the initial announced lineup on Nov. 2, hosting for the sixth time. He’ll be joined by breakout sensation Chappell Roan, who will make her musical guest debut. Mulaney, well-known for his work as a writer on the show, is credited with creating some of its most iconic sketches, including Bill Hader’s Stefon on “Weekend Update.”
This highly anticipated 50th season comes after a summer hiatus filled with fan speculation and excitement. There have been calls for Maya Rudolph to reprise her role as Kamala Harris, and fans hoped for an appearance by Steve Martin as a vice-presidential candidate lookalike, a role he ultimately declined.
