SNL Star Reveals Why She Didn't Leave The Show Sooner

Former Saturday Night Live star Aidy Bryant opens up about the reasons she stuck with the sketch comedy series after planning to leave sooner.

SNL Star Reveals Why She Didn't Leave The Show Sooner

Former Saturday Night Live star Aidy Bryant opens up about the reasons she stayed with the show through season 47. Saturday Night Live has been delivering laughs to audiences since 1975, with its unique brand of sketch comedy helping to launch the careers of numerous stars, such as Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, and Adam Sandler. Recent seasons have seen further comedic talent finding success through their work on the show, with standouts like Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson, Cecily Strong, and Bryant all making themselves household names.

One of the most distinct aspects of the show is the ever-changing roster of talented performers, and with SNL season 47 wrapping up in May, it also came with the announcement of a few departing cast members. Bryant, McKinnon, Davidson, and Kyle Mooney all chose to part ways with the series, with many already lining up future projects. Davidson has spoken out regarding his departure, even making it the purpose of his final Weekend Update appearance, and Bryant is now discussing her motivations for leaving SNL.

In a recent interview with Variety, Bryant reveals that she likely would’ve left SNL sooner if it hadn’t been for the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw the show shutting down and retooling production. Bryant’s Hulu series Shrill was keeping her occupied, causing her to miss a few episodes of SNL, which encouraged her to pursue “one last normal year.” After spending a decade with the series, Bryant felt she could finally step away. Check out Bryant’s comments regarding her Saturday Night Live exit below:

If it weren’t for COVID, I probably would have left a few years earlier. But it was such a huge change. When COVID hit, it was so jarring that we were all like, ‘I’m definitely going to come back next year.’ And then I had to shoot Shrill for half of last season, and so I missed a lot. And then it was like, ‘Well, now I should go back one more.’ I kept trying to seek one last normal year. This year wasn’t the normal year that I hoped for, but it was closer to that. It was like, ‘OK, it’s really time now.’ And 10 felt like a nice, solid round number.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, SNL took some time off before coming back with SNL at Home, which saw the stars performing and filming skits from their own homes. Bryant’s trepidation in leaving is understandable given that it was an uncertain time for the entertainment industry, with many films and shows still figuring out the future. However, Bryant’s SNL sketch appearances continued to shine when the show returned to live tapings, with her final season continuing to prove why she made a name for herself across her decade-long tenure.

Bryant has been making an impact outside of SNL as well, with her Hulu series Shrill, which she created, executive produced, and starred in across its three-season run. She is also currently starring in Netflix’s Human Resources, a spinoff of the hit animated comedy Big Mouth. And while Bryant is putting SNL in the rear-view mirror, audiences can keep an eye out for new projects like Cheeky, an illustrated interview series about the human body.