Did SNL’s Film Star Pipeline Die?
The entertainment industry follows the idiom, ‘Strike while the iron is hot.’ Saturday Night Live has been the launch pad for many careers, as there is no better place for up-and-coming artists to attract attention from the business and fans and hopefully continue a career after leaving SNL.
As the show's 50th anniversary special will air on Sunday, February 16th, here is a list of notable SNL alumni who went on to have a successful career in comedy films after leaving the show. The criteria for the list are films released a year or two after leaving SNL and primarily focused on the 1980s and 90s.
Dan Aykroyd left SNL in 1979. Blues Brothers premiered in 1980.
Chevy Chase left SNL in 1977. Caddyshack premiered in 1980.
Bill Murray left SNL in 1980. Stripes premiered in 1981.
Eddie Murphy left SNL in 1984. Beverly Hills Cop premiered in 1984.
Adam Sandler left SNL in 1995. Billy Madison premiered in 1995.
Mike Myers left SNL in 1995. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery premiered in 1997.
Will Ferrell left SNL in 2002. Old School premiered in 2003.
After Ferrell’s star took off, twenty-two years in between there have been some notable names whose careers succeeded upon their SNL exit. Cast members for instance, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Jason Sudeikis, and Maya Rudolph continued to work in film and television but never surpassed the cultural impact of their senior cast. The only exception in this fourth and fifth generation of talent from SNL is Bridesmaids, written by and starring Kristen Wiig right after she departed from the show in 2011.
Now, the only reach for being remembered after the show is getting a streaming series, which will get buried in an Interestellar library after two seasons. The measure of success has shrunken to being a supporting actor and background dancer in the next live-action musical.
There just isn’t much heat put on unknown names to lead a project or the desire from an audience to see more of their talents outside of what is presented while scrolling through social media and popping up in a YouTube algorithm.
