SNL Boosts Cast To Replace Moynihan, Bayer and Zamata

SNL lost Bobby Moynihan, Vanessa Bayer and Sasheer Zamata at the end of last season. However, the good news is that the Peacock Network perennial gained Heidi Gardner, Luke Null and Chris Redd for the fresh season.

Season number 43 of the hit program features newbies Gardner, Null and Redd on its roster for the late night shenanigans formally known as Saturday Night Live.

This trio’s first go is on Saturday when they’ll join regulars Beck Bennett, Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson, Leslie Jones, Kyle Mooney, Cecily Strong and Kenan Thompson–the most experienced of the bunch as he starts his 15th SNL stretch. Mikey Day, Alex Moffat and Melissa Villaseñor are also back, each for their second season.

Meanwhile, these fresh faces are in for a fast ride on the live NBC broadcast that, once again, is at the top of its game, snagging nine Emmys earlier this month.

Fans who tune in this weekend may recognize Chris Redd who played Hunter the Hungry opposite SNL alum Andy Samberg’s character in Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, a 2016 rockumentary.

The comedian has ties to Chicago’s Second City and is featured on Comedy Central Stand-up. Check out some of Redd’s previous work on Netflix’s Disjointed, Love and Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later. He also enjoyed a recurring role on Empire.

Heidi Gardner comes equipped with Los Angeles’ The Groundlings experience and is writer/voice actor of SuperMansion, a Crackle animated series. According to IMDb, Gardner is set to be seen alongside Melissa McCarthy in the 2018 feature, Life of the Party.

New SNLer Luke Null has been a member of the three-man, Chicago-based improv/sketch group, Newport Hounds, with Matt Lusk and Tom Fell. IMDb says Null is not void of film experience being that he is listed as part of the cast of  The Heart: Final Pulse. Luke played Luke in that 2013 murder mystery flick.

Saturday Night Live, season 43, debuts on Sept. 30 on NBC with Ryan Gosling as the host and Jay-Z as the musical guest.

Are you excited to see how these three newcomers fit in with the veteran cast members? Check out the season premiere promo below!