Bowen Yang Leaves SNL: Star Breaks Silence on Exit

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I was really surprised to hear that Bowen Yang is leaving Saturday Night Live! He quickly became one of my favorite cast members, and it’s definitely a loss for the show. He’s put out a statement, but honestly, a lot of us are wondering what led to his decision to leave.

After keeping quiet about leaving Saturday Night Live, Yang finally spoke up on Instagram, sharing a heartfelt message to the show’s creator, Lorne Michaels, and his Wicked co-star, Ariana Grande.

In his goodbye message, Yang didn’t explain why he’s leaving. Instead, he shared well wishes for his fellow cast members, the writers, guests, and viewers, and included some favorite SNL sketches and photos from behind the scenes.

I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who came out and supported this project – my friends, colleagues, and of course, the audience and the amazing hosts. A special shout-out to Celeste, Sudi, Will, Alison, Julio, Fran, Drez, Bulla, Marty, John, Ben, Jimmy, Ceara, Deetch, Jake, Asha, Jack, Auguste, Tucker, Kent, Streeter, James, Alex, Jasmine, Gary, and Billy – writing with you all was such a joy. I’m so grateful to every single cast member for the laughter and tears we shared. And to Liz and Don, Tom, Jodi, Louie, Eamon, Gena, Chris, and Eddie – thank you. A massive thank you also to all the incredible crew and pages who kept everything running smoothly. Seriously, Audrey, Jameson, Cassandra, and Chris – you guys were the fastest and most fun quick-change team in the business! Finally, thank you to Ari for sending me off in the most magical way possible.

Bowen Yang is leaving Saturday Night Live in the middle of the current season. He joined the show in 2018 as a writer and became a featured player the following season. He was promoted to the main cast in 2019 and was nominated for an Emmy Award for supporting comedic actor in 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025. He’s been with the show for eight seasons.

This comedian and actor is well-known for more than just his work on Saturday Night Live. He’s become popular thanks to his podcast, Las Culturistas, which he co-hosts with Matt Rogers. He’s also appeared in several projects, including Wicked, Wicked: For Good, The Wedding Banquet, Fire Island, and Dicks: The Musical.

Yang wasn’t the only cast member to leave Saturday Night Live this year. After season 50 wrapped up, Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, and Emil Wakim also departed during the summer.

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Now that Yang has left Saturday Night Live, it’s uncertain what he’ll do next, but hopefully we’ll continue to see him on television.

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2025-12-20 18:58