EXCLUSIVE: This is quite a breakthrough for emerging comedy artists Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim And Jane Wickline who gets to participate in NBC’s venerable late-night sketch program Saturday Night Live for its 50th season, a milestone that will be marked by festivities, reunions and important guests.

This trio will be the main characters in next season’s show. Chloe Troast who was brought in as a featured player last season, is leaving. Meanwhile, after two years as a featured player, Marcello Hernández, Michael Longfellow And Devon Walker are promoted to main cast.

The majority of SNL performers, including all of the show’s veterans, will return for Season 50, premiering September 28, with alumna Maya Rudolph returning to reprise her Kamala Harris impression during the presidential election. In addition to Troast, Punkie Johnson is leaving after four seasons and Molly Kearney is leaving after two.

“Unfortunately I was not asked back to do SNL this season,” Troast wrote on IG after Deadline’s story broke. “I wish I could go back and be with all the amazing friends I made there, it truly felt like home. But that wasn’t going to happen.” (You can read Troast’s full post below.)

Created and produced by Lorne Michaels, Saturday Night LiveThe #1 entertainment series on television and cable for the 2023-24 season in 18-49, is produced in association with Broadway Video. The show’s 50th season celebrations are expected to culminate in a live primetime special on February 16.

Padilla joins from The Groundlings, where she has been a member of the Main Company since 2021. She recently guest-starred on HBO’s Curb your enthusiasm and NBC’s Night court. Padilla is represented by Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment and Verve.

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Lebanese-American comedian Wakim made his late-night TV debut in 2022 on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallonwhich is executive produced by SNL boss Michaels. He was selected as the New Face of Comedy at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival that same year and opened for Roy Wood Jr., Nikki Glaser and Hasan Minhaj. Wakim is represented by UTA and Strig Artist Management.

Wickline has built a strong following on TikTok, where she is a cast member in a live show Stapleviewwith her comedy bits garnering over 45 million likes. Her acting credits include the 2024 Mubi film My first movieand she performs sketch comedy on tour. Wickline is represented by Gersh and Stapleview.