Saturday Night Live was made to make people laugh, but a new movie will focus on the behind-the-scenes drama that launched the late-night show in the 1970s.
Jason Reitman, 46, who has already cast Dickinson star Ella Hunt to portray the late Gilda Radner alongside Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman and Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, has now decided which actors will take on the roles of the men in The Not – Ready-for-primetime players.
Gabriel LaBelle, 21, best known for his role as budding filmmaker Sammy in Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, will portray creator and producer Lorne Michaels.
Nicholas Braun, 35, of Succession fame will take on the role of legendary puppeteer Jim Henson. He and The Muppets were part of the cast for the first year of the groundbreaking sketch comedy show.
Fargo and New Girl star Lamorne Morris, 40, will portray the hilarious Garrett Morris, who was the show’s first black actor.
Gabriel LaBelle, 21, is set to star in a new film about the origins of Saturday Night Live. The young actor, best known for his work on The Fabelmans, will portray SNL creator Lorne Michaels in SNL 1975
Although they share the same last name, the two actors are not related, but both share a gift for comedy.
Dylan O’Brien, 32, who took on the action in Teen Wolf and Maze Runner, will tackle the role of chameleon Dan Ackroyd, who impersonated Presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter alongside cooking host Julia Child.
Ackroyd’s fellow Blues Brother, the late John Belushi, will be portrayed by singer and actor Matt Wood. This will be the young star’s first big film.
“I am extremely honored, excited and grateful to announce that I will be playing the beautiful, ferocious, genius John Belushi in this amazing project,” he wrote as he shared the news on social media.
Nicholas Podany, 27, takes on the role of legendary comedian Billy Crystal.
In a bit of trivia, the budding actor was supposed to appear in the very first episode, but his scene was cut.
Crystal returned in episode 17 of the first season.
He hosted several times over the years and became a regular cast member nearly 10 years later, in the 1984-1985 season.
Nicholas Braun, 35, of Succession fame will take on the role of legendary puppeteer Jim Henson. He and The Muppets were part of the cast for the first year of the groundbreaking sketch comedy show
Fargo and New Girl star Lamorne Morris, 40, will portray the hilarious Garrett Morris, who was the show’s first black actor. Although they share the same last name, the two actors are not related, but both share a gift for comedy
During that time, he introduced the character Fernando, who would interview various celebrities and mistake them for someone else.
He introduced the catchphrases, ‘You look mahvelous’ and ‘It’s better to look good than feel good.’
Podany is perhaps best known for his role in the Apple TV+ series Hello Tomorrow, starring Billy Crudup. He also plays Albus Potter on Broadway in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Dylan O’Brien, 32, who tackled the action in Teen Wolf and Maze Runner, will tackle the role of chameleon Dan Ackroyd, who impersonated Presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter alongside cookery host Julia Child
The late John Belushi will be portrayed by actor Matt Wood. “I am extremely honored, excited and grateful to announce that I will be playing the beautiful, ferocious, genius John Belushi in this amazing project,” he wrote as he shared the news on social media
Cory Michael Smith, 37, will portray Chevy Chase, the original Weekend Update anchor, who left the show early in the second season to pursue a film career. Smith is best known for playing the Riddler in Gotham
Production on SNL 1975 is underway in New York
Cory Michael Smith, 37, will portray Chevy Chase, the original Weekend Update anchor, who left the show early in the second season to pursue a film career. Smith is best known for playing the Riddler in Gotham.
Reitman wrote the script for SNL 1975 with Gil Kenan, based on interviews conducted with original cast members who were part of the original inception of the variety show.
The director’s late father, Ivan Reitman, was involved in the first episode of SNL when the show debuted in October 1975.
He later collaborated with Belushi on Animal House and with Ackroyd and Bill Murray, who joined the cast in 1977, on the hit comedy Ghostbusters.
