Pete Davidson and Ice Spice will helm the Season 49 premiere on October 14 following the end of the WGA strike and approval from SAG-AFTRA
Saturday Night Live has scheduled its post-writers strike return — with additional blessing from the still-striking actors union — for Oct. 14.
Season 49 of the long-running sketch show will pick up, more or less, where it left off before its 48th season was curtailed, with former cast member Pete Davidson returning as host. Davidson was scheduled to host SNL the same week the Writers Guild of America strike began back in May, prompting the episode to be canceled. He was originally supposed to be joined by musical guest Lil Uzi Vert, though this time it’ll be Ice Spice making her SNL debut.
Along with Davidson/Ice Spice, SNL confirmed that Bad Bunny would pull double duty as host and musical guest on the second episode of the season, Oct. 21. Bad Bunny previously performed on SNL back in Feb. 2021 (with special guest Rosalía) and showed off his comedy chops in the pre-recorded sketch “Loco” with Davidson and Ego Nwodim, and a “Sea Shanty” sketch inspired the TikTok trend at the time.
Additionally, SNL confirmed that the show’s entire cast from last season would return. There will be one new addition, with comedian Chloe Troast joining as a featured player.
While the end of the WGA strike last month made SNL’s return possible, the show has also received an important blessing from SAG-AFTRA as it continues to fight for a fair contract. SAG issued a statement (via Deadline) noting that SNL is a “non-dramatic production” (similar to the late-night talk shows that just returned) and that members appearing on SNL as “either hosts, guests, or cast members are working under” a different contract than the one the union is striking.
The union added: “It is important to recognize that SAG-AFTRA is fighting against the studios and not members how are required to go to work everyday under other union contracts or personal service agreements. We stand with our union siblings across the industry as we also recognize our obligations under federal labor law.”
