Taran Killam and Jay Pharoah won’t be returning for season 42 of Saturday Night Live, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
Killam and Pharoah, who have each been with the NBC sketch show for six seasons, are leaving the Lorne Michaels-helmed franchise to pursue other opportunities, creating a major void for the show’s fall season that is sure to be filled with political bits.
Pharoah is best known for playing the likes of President Barack Obama, Jay-Z, Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington and former GOP presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson, creating an immediate void heading into the upcoming presidential election and Obama’s last days in office. When he joined the show, he was the second-youngest black male cast member (after Eddie Murphy). When creator Michaels was the center of headlines in 2013 criticizing the long-running series over its lack of diversity — specifically black female actresses — Pharoah memorably tackled the issue head on in a sketch with Kerry Washington where the Scandal star impersonated multiple black women in the same sketch including first lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey.
For the complete story, visit TheHollywoodReporter.com.