SNL50: From Dana Carvey to Bill Hader, Find Out the Cast Members Who Were Absent From The Anniversary Special

The SNL cast came together to celebrate the anniversary special episode. Although many of the regulars were present for the festivities, five key individuals were notably absent.

Written by Rashi Desai , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Feb 17, 2025 | 09:35 PM IST | 43.2K

Dana Carvey via SNL/YouTube

Saturday Night Live celebrated its 50th anniversary with dignitaries present for the special episode. While the cast members enjoyed and celebrated throughout the broadcast, notable personalities who have been associated with the comedy sketch show for years were absent from the taping.

Dana Carvey, who has appeared in multiple episodes of the show, skipped the anniversary special.

The actor-comedian, well known for his portrayal of former President Joe Biden, also refrained from posting any messages about the show on his social media platforms.

Another cast member who was highly anticipated but did not make an appearance was Bill Hader. The comedian politely declined the invitation due to his longstanding work commitments.

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Meanwhile, Dan Aykroyd, who expressed his excitement about SNL turning 50 on his X account, also skipped the event. While the reason for his absence remains unclear, Aykroyd wrote in his post: “Cracking a Head with pride at having been a co-founder of SNL, along with everyone we were together with in those four years, five decades ago.”

He further added: “This telecast is as historical as the next moon landing.”

The Canadian native went on to state: “Comedy stars of our age all gathered under the aegis of America’s greatest living impresario, my boss Lorne Michaels.”

Colin Quinn also missed the anniversary special. He was associated with the show from 1998 to 2000 and notably stepped up to host Weekend Update.

As for the celebrities who attended the special episode, the lineup included Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Chevy Chase.