NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 14: SNL current and former cast members, Chloe Fineman, Taran Killam, ... [+]
The SNL 50: The Anniversary Special premieres live on Sunday, February 16, at 8 p.m. EDT/5 p.m. PDT on NBC and Peacock. NBC will also broadcast a red carpet event beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. The special comes after the SNL 50: Homecoming Concert earlier in the weekend.
Sunday’s SNL 50: The Anniversary Special will feature cast alums, special guests and iconic returning hosts.
Returning cast members include Adam Sandler, Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Chevy Chase, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, Fred Armisen, Jason Sudeikis, Jimmy Fallon, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Molly Shannon, Pete Davidson, Seth Meyers, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Martin Short, Will Ferrell and Will Forte. Members from the original 1975 cast of the show, including Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin and Laraine Newman, are also set to appear on the special.
The celebration will also feature celebrity appearances, many of whom are past hosts of the show. This list includes Adam Driver, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Kim Kardashian, Miley Cyrus, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Pedro Pascal, Peyton Manning, Quinta Brunson, Robert De Niro, Sabrina Carpenter, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks and Woody Harrelson. Many of these hosts have appeared on the show multiple times and have been in iconic sketches, while others have had shorter histories with the show.
Steve Martin is arguably the celebrity guest who has appeared on the show most often. The veteran comedian has hosted 16 times since his debut in the second season in 1976. He is remembered for sketches like King Tut, his season 31’s Memories monologue, and the Dancing in the Dark sketch with Gilda Radner in season three.
After Martin, Tom Hanks has hosted the most with 10 times since 1985. He has appeared in Five-Timers Monologues and Black Jeopardy but might be most synonymous with his character, David S. Pumpkins, from season 42.
John Mulaney has hosted six times, the first in April 2018 and the most recent during the current season. He was also a writer on the show from 2008 to 2013. In recent years, he has become most synonymous with large-scale musical numbers; however, behind the scenes, he famously wrote the character of Stefan with Bill Hader. He even appeared on Weekend Update with the character in 2018.
Similarly, Scarlett Johansson has hosted six times since she made her hosting debut in 2006 (her husband, Colin Jost, has been a writer on the show since 2005 and a cast member since 2014.) She most recently cameoed on an episode this season as herself for the Weekend Update joke swap.
Paul Simon is another frequent guest. He has hosted the show five times (including once during the first season in 1975) and appeared as a musical guest ten more times. Who could forget his 1976 chicken-themed performance?
Woody Harrelson has also hosted five times since 1989. He most recently hosted in 2023.
Dave Chappelle and Adam Driver have hosted the show four times. Chappelle most recently hosted this season and notably broke the record for longest monologue at about 17 minutes.
Miley Cyrus is another SNL regular. She first hosted in April of 2011 and returned as both a host and musical guest in 2013 and 2015. Cyrus appeared as a musical guest on the 40th Anniversary and has been a musical guest on four other episodes since then. She also took part in the SNL 50: Homecoming Concert. Robert De Niro has hosted three times since he made his debut on the show in December of 2002.
Several of the special guests have only hosted once, including Ayo Edebiri (in February of 2024), Kim Kardashian (October 2021), Pedro Pascal (February 2023), Peyton Manning (March 2007) and Quinta Brunson (April 2023). Bad Bunny also hosted once (in October 2023) but has also appeared in a cameo and musical guest role.
Two of the celebrity guests have not hosted the show. Paul McCartney has never hosted but has been the musical guest four times since he first appeared on SNL in 1980, and Sabrina Carpenter was the musical guest in March of 2024.
The SNL 50: The Anniversary Special premieres live on Sunday, February 16, at 8 p.m. on NBC and Peacock.