Saturday Night Live Wraps Season 52 Casting Showcases as Chloe Fineman Exits
Saturday Night Live has completed its fifth and final casting showcase for Season 52, with screen test calls now going out to advancing performers, according to Deadline's The Dish column Deadline.
The showcases — essentially audition events where comedians perform characters and sketches for SNL's casting team — took place across three cities over two weeks in August 2026. Los Angeles hosted the first event, dubbed the "Characters Showcase," on August 6. Chicago followed on August 10 and 11 at the Annoyance Theatre and The iO Theater respectively. New York closed things out at UCB on August 17 and 18.
The casting push comes as the show prepares for its Season 52 premiere on September 26, 2026 — its earliest season opener in 14 years LateNighter. It also follows the departure of Chloe Fineman, who announced in July 2026 that she was leaving after seven seasons to focus on acting. Fineman has lined up her next role in Netflix's drama series Myron Bolitar Deadline.
Deadline named several performers as standouts from the Los Angeles showcase: Trent Mason, Kaba Hues, Chase Rosenberg and April Rock. In Chicago, Peyton Ruddy — a 2026 Just for Laughs New Face, a widely watched comedy talent designation — was described by Deadline's sources as having "dominated." New York's showcase drew buzz around Joey Welsh, with additional attention on Allisha Edwards, Amber Singletary and Saidah Belo-Osagie.
Other names appearing on the showcase lists included Ismael Loutfi, Ethan Edenburg, and three members of comedy rock band Wolves of Glendale — Eric Jackowitz and Tom McGovern among them.
The casting process reflects an effort to address the cast's lack of Black female representation since Ego Nwodim departed in 2025 after seven seasons, according to Deadline. Of the highlighted standouts, Kaba Hues, April Rock, Allisha Edwards, Amber Singletary and Saidah Belo-Osagie are all female performers of colour.
For fans, what matters is simpler: who will actually make the cast. The next stage is screen tests — on-camera auditions that typically determine final casting decisions. Deadline reports that calls to advancing talent have already begun going out.
Representatives for SNL did not respond to Deadline's requests for comment on the showcases. No official casting announcements have been made.
