In the 1980s, Dan Aykroyd played a big part in some of the best movies of the decade, but there is one movie that isn’t just unfunny, it’s not a dark comedy, either; it’s just downright scary: 1991’s Nothing But Trouble. If you’ve never seen it or even heard of it, I wouldn’t be surprised. It was on cable a lot back then, and given that it has an all-star cast that also included Chevy Chase, Demi Moore, and John Candy, I will reluctantly admit I’ve watched it more times than it deserves. Now, when I think back, I don’t think of the laughs; I think of the horrors of the movie, and it’s not just the crummy writing.

An All-Star Cast At The Height Of Their Careers

The movie, which is also written and directed by Dan Aykroyd, features four of the biggest stars of the era. Chevy Chase was coming off National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, unquestionably one of the best Christmas movies of all time. John Candy had just starred in Home Alone. Demi Moore’s film directly before this one was a little movie called Ghost. Aykroyd starred in My Girl earlier that same year.

It’s hard to imagine a more successful group of movies where the stars then returned for a movie as… disappointing as Nothing But Trouble. The premise of the film is simple enough: Chase and Moore’s characters are on a road trip and find themselves in a backwater town called Valkenvania. They are pulled over after running a stop sign by the town’s police chief, played by Candy, and end up in front of a judge, played by Aykroyd. Everyone in the town is related and all named Valkenheiser, hence the name of the town.

It all goes off the rails after that.

The Movie Is Just Gross

In the movie, all of the Valkenheisers, mostly played by Aykroyd and Candy, who both assume multiple roles, are really, really weird-looking. It’s hard to describe just how unsettling all of the characters look. There is one scene in particular, where Chase and Moore end up at dinner with the senior member of the family, the 106-year-old Alvin "J.P" Valkenheiser, played by Aykroyd, wearing some of the most upsetting makeup I’ve ever seen in a movie. As he shovels hot dogs down his gullet, Chase and Moore try to escape, but are captured by Alvin’s inbred granddaughter (played by Candy).

The makeup alone is enough to make you sleep with the lights on. Add in the bizarre plotlines of incest, underground coal fires, and feasts of the nastiest-looking hot dogs ever, and you have the makings of a legendary horror movie. But this is a comedy. It’s hard to even laugh at how completely bizarre the whole thing is, because it’s so upsetting to watch Aykroyd and Candy in their makeup.

Oh, and did I mention that there is a random appearance by G-Shock and the rest of the legendary ‘90s rap group Digital Underground? Because, yeah, that’s in there too. Frankly, there is nothing on the 2025 movie schedule, which is full of horror movies that I love, that is nearly as nightmare-inducing as this supposed comedy. Watch at your own risk.

The new documentary film John Candy: I Like Me (available with a Prime Video subscription) is clearly a labor of love for director Colin Hanks and producer Ryan Reynolds. It’s also clear from watching it how many people who worked with Candy through the years loved the man dearly. That being said, getting everybody interviewed for the new film was no easy feat, according to Ryan Reynolds.

Reynolds recently appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers to talk about the new John Candy documentary. And while he revealed that Hanks handled the bulk of the interviews with Candy’s various friends and co-stars, including Steve Martin, Martin Short, and others, he says he personally handled two of them: Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd. While Reynolds may not have done as many interviews, the two he did took a lot of work.

Ryan Reynolds First Conversation With Bill Murray Was Insane

Reynolds had already talked about how difficult it was to get a hold of Bill Murray to even ask him to be part of the film. He had to work to get a phone number and left many messages before Murray finally called him back. The Deadpool star claims he swore at his wife Blake Lively when Murray finally called him back, but he may have buried the lede, as what he says happened on that call is ever crazier. Reynolds said…

Somehow, despite this initial interaction, and Reynolds bad answer regarding spit takes, Bill Murray did agree to be interviewed. The same thing happened with Murray’s Ghostbusters co-star Dan Aykroyd, though he had some very specific requirements.

Ryan Reynolds’ Agreement To Interview Dan Aykroyd May Have Been Crazier

It turns out Bill Murray wasn’t the only person who was difficult to get a hold of. Reynolds tells Seth Myers that tracking down Dan Aykroyd was just as difficult, as it took him a couple of months to even speak with him. When they finally connected, Aykroyd had already worked out the schedule. Reynolds explained…

John Candy was a special person to all his fans, but also to his friends, who clearly enjoyed talking about him. Even if some of them were hard to nail down, it was all worthwhile.

Back in February, Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels pulled out all the stops to welcome back 50 years’ worth of comedians to Studio 8H for the milestone anniversary celebration of one of the best sketch comedy shows of all time. In fact, there were so many past and present stars on hand that it was almost easier to pick out those who were absent. Dan Aykroyd falls into that category, and now the OG cast member has spoken out about why.

As someone who’s been quoting The Blues Brothers since I was way too young to have seen the movie, I definitely noticed that Dan Aykroyd wasn’t at SNL50: The Anniversary Special. At the time, a rep for the actor cited “prior commitments” as the reason Aykroyd missed the supersized live special (available to stream with a Peacock subscription), but when he spoke to EW at Comic-Con 2025, he gave a different reason, saying:

Dan Aykroyd’s absence was especially notable because he was the only surviving member of the original 1975 cast — dubbed the “Not Ready for Prime Time” players — to not appear in the special. Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Jane Curtin and Chevy Chase were all involved in some way.

The Ghostbusters star, however, said he preferred to enjoy the show rather than work it. He continued:

I guess we can’t blame this “wild and crazy guy” from wanting to enjoy SNL50: The Anniversary Special and, presumably, the amazing SNL50 Homecoming Concert at home with his family.

While Dan Aykroyd says he’s a fan of the show today and even called the 2024 film Saturday Night "a stand-alone masterpiece” for its dramatized retelling of the hours leading up to SNL’s first broadcast, there’s undoubtedly some heavy memories associated with the sketch show.

Bill Murray openly wept when clips of Gilda Radner and John Belushi — Dan Aykroyd’s fellow Blues Brother — were shown. Given how much of “a great human being” Belushi was, according to Aykroyd, I can only imagine the memories that would have resurfaced of Belushi and other former co-stars who have passed if Aykroyd had returned to Rockefeller Center’s Studio 8H that night.

Regardless of the reason, his absence was a bit disappointing for fans, given the undeniable impact the star of Coneheads (another movie based on SNL characters) had on the longstanding comedy show.

Saturday Night Live’s lore is full of stories that include Dan Aykroyd, including the time he fell 50 feet through a skylight while chasing Gilda Radner across a roof, the origins of his infamous “Jane, you ignorant slut” quote on Weekend Update and the epic prank he and John Belushi pulled on the founder of Rolling Stone magazine.

Those will have to suffice, because rather than make new memories at SNL50, Aykroyd chose to spend that night just being a fan.

Over the five decades that Saturday Night Live has been a staple of late-night television, it has been responsible for some of the funniest impressions of political figures in popular culture. It's invented words, like "strategery," and never failed to get the public talking. Some of the greatest cast members in the show's history have played the most famous and infamous politicians in United States history. This list is hardly exhaustive; that would be impossible, but they are some of the best.

Bill Clinton - Phil Hartman

Phil Hartman was one of the most versatile performers in SNL history and had some amazing moments on the show. He could do it all, including impersonating President Bill Clinton. In 1992, he appeared on one of the true classic skits that sees Clinton on the campaign trail, meeting people at a McDonald's. Most of the time, he's just stealing fries and taking bites of people's food.

George W. Bush - Will Ferrell

Who will ever forget Will Ferrell uttering the word "strategery" during an SNL debate? Ferrell's George W. Bush is a classic. He portrayed the former president as a little dimwitted, but generally affable. While "Dubya" is smarter than he lets on, he is certainly easygoing, just as Ferrall played him. He was so good as Bush that he later played him in a one-man show after leaving SNL and has occasionally returned to the show, as well.

Al Gore - Darrell Hammond

Will Ferrell's George W. Bush is legendary, and like all the best performances, he needed a partner to play the foil, and Darrell Hammond's portrayal of Al Gore, Bush's opponent in 2000, was perfect for the role. Like Gore himself, Hammond's take on the former VP was very dry - but make no mistake, it's pitch perfect and hilarious.

Sean Spicer - Melissa McCarthy

When Melissa McCarthy first appeared on SNL as Donald Trump's press secretary Sean Spicer, she completely stole the show. Though she wasn't a full cast member, the impression was so funny, she returned a number of times to reprise it. It's impossible not to die laughing when she starts shoving gum in her mouth, playing on one of Spicer's own habits.

Gerald Ford - Chevy Chase

The first cast member to send up a president was Chevy Chase, who became legendary for his performances as then-president Gerald Ford. Chase basically played Ford as though the president was a complete idiot, and while that might not be exactly what Ford was like, it didn't matter, because it was hilarious whenever Chase played him. Just don't make him do any math.

Vladimir Putin - Beck Bennett

Occasionally, Saturday Night Live branches out into foreign politics, and in recent years, we've had the pleasure of watching Beck Bennett as a shirtless Vladimir Putin. Is it a spot-on impression? No, but no matter, it perfectly mocks Putin's machismo that is so often on display in Russian propaganda, including his lack of shirt in pretty much every appearance.

Janet Reno - Wll Ferrell

Cast members playing across genders has a long tradition at SNL, and that certainly applies to political impressions on the show. Take, for example, Will Ferrell's hilarious impression of former attorney general Janet Reno. Especially the "Janet Reno's Dance Party" skit. Though Ferrell says he regrets the impression these days, it still should be appreciated for what it was in its time.

Ben Carson - Jay Pharoah

Jay Pharoah is hands down one of the greatest impressionists who has ever graced the SNL studio. He never failed to land just about any impersonation he took on, like former Republican presidential candidate and neurosurgeon Ben Carson. Pharoah perfectly captured Carson's sleepy appearance and gentle manner.

Michael Dukakis - Jon Lovitz

Like Al Gore, former Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis was often criticized for being too dry and too much of a policy wonk. Jon Lovitz nailed the former Massachusetts governor perfectly by playing him in an almost boring manner. It wasn't boring to watch during the 1988 election, however.

Newt Gingrich - Chris Farley

Saturday Night Live legend Chris Farley wasn't known for his impressions, but that doesn't mean when he did them, they weren't top-notch. In fact, his Newt Gingrich was so good, he was even invited by House Republicans to perform as the former Speaker of the House. Right in front of the man himself! Of course, Farley nailed it.

Donald Trump - James Austin Johnson

Everyone and their brother thinks they can nail an impression of Donald Trump, but none do it better than James Austin Johnson on SNL. A ton of cast members (and guest stars) have "done" Trump in the past, including most famously Alec Baldwin, but if we're honest, none of them come close to Johnson's. It's all about the subtleties.

Sarah Palin - Tina Fey

When Sarah Palin first emerged as a vice presidential candidate in 2008, fans of the show and its former head writer and star, Tina Fey, started clamoring for her to come back to do an impression of the Alaskan governor. Fey did, of course, and in the process made the impersonation legendary. She even returned in 2018 to reprise the role.

Bob Dole - Norm Macdonald

The best thing about Norm McDonald's impersonation of Senator Bob Dole was just how little the SNL star did. It was basically just McDonald holding a pen in his hand, as Dole did, and calling himself "Bob Dole" in the third person a lot. It's absolutely hilarious.

Jimmy Carter - Dan Aykroyd

Jimmy Carter, who some would argue might be the best person to ever be president, but none would argue he was particularly effective as a president. That's exactly how Dan Aykroyd played him, too. He was a great man, willing to help out anyone he could, but maybe a little out of his depth as the leader of the free world.

Hillary Clinton - Amy Poehler

You have to wonder just how much Amy Poehler took from her impression of Hillary Clinton into her Parks & Rec character, Leslie Knope. We know Leslie idolized Clinton, just as it seemed Poehler did, especially when they appeared together on the show in 2016.

Joe Biden - Kevin Nealon

Years before Joe Biden became VP, and hence a regular target of SNL, he was a senator from Maryland leading the Senate's investigation into Clarence Thomas when Thomas was nominated for the Supreme Court. The hearings were front-page news, and SNL landed an amazing skit with Kevin Nealon playing the younger Biden.

George H. W. Bush - Dana Carvey

For Gen X, there is no more famous impersonation than Dana Carvey's George H.W. Bush. His version of the 41st president was a little nerdy, but very forthright. He also copied some absolutely classic lines, like "1000 points of light," that have become cultural touchstones. Carvey has done a lot of impressions for SNL, both as a cast member and later as a guest star, but Bush I remains his most famous.

Ted Kennedy - Phil Hartman

The great Phil Hartman may best be remembered for his version of Bill Clinton, but his take on Senator Ted Kennedy in the famous skit about Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court hearing was at least as good and really, really funny. It's always fun to do a Massachusetts accent, even for Hartman.

Bernie Sanders - Larry David

For over a decade now, Saturday Night Live has been great at bringing in guest stars to do the biggest political players these days. One of the most hilarious was when they convinced former SNL writer and Seinfeld co-creator Larry David to play Bernie Sanders. David seemed to enjoy his time playing the independent Senator from Vermont, but he admitted later he would not have wanted Sanders to win and have to play him more than he did.

Ross Perot - Dana Carvey

The 1992 Presidential election was a wild one. George H.W. Bush, was the incumbent, and he was challenged by and young upstart named Bill Clinton. A third candidate, Ross Perot, jumped into the race with a self-funded career as a financial centrist. Dana Carvey was already famous for his Bush, and he added Perot to his repertoire during this election, too.

David Paterson - Fred Armisen

One of the more underrated impressions has to be Fred Armisen's version of the former governor of New York, David Paterson. To some, it was offensive, but Paterson himself seemed to be ok with it, as he joined Armisen for an appearance in one skit.

Donald Trump, Jr - Mikey Day And Alex Moffat - Eric Trump

Sure, usually the kids of Presidents are off-limits for sketch comedy, but when they are such visible members of the campaign, like Eric and Donald Trump Jr. were, they are fair game. Alex Moffat and Mikey Day aren't really perfect impressions, but they are hilarious.

Ronald Reagan - Phil Hartman

Early in his SNL career, Phil Hartman did an amazing impression of Ronald Reagan. The skit shows Reagan as a kindly old man, much like the image he projected to the public, but things changed when the eyes were off Reagan in the script, and he was a ruthless leader with all kinds of schemes.

Elizabeth Warren - Kate McKinnon

Emmy Award winner Kate McKinnon has dozens of amazing sketches in her SNL portfolio. She was legendary in her time on the show for her impressions, including such political luminaries as Hillary Clinton and Kellyanne Conway. One of her best has to be Elizabeth Warren, who McKinnon got to play for a little bit when Warren ran for president in 2020.

Cory Booker - Chris Redd

Cory Booker was an up-and-coming Senator from New Jersey when he through his hat into the presidential ring in 2020. Chris Redd did a very funny impression of the former Newark mayor that emphasized Booker's wide eyes.

Jeanine Pirro - Cecily Strong

Though she was a local politician early in her career, Jeanine Pirro is most famous for her Fox News talk show. On Saturday Night Live, Cecily Strong nailed Pirro's unique speech pattern and made the impression incredibly effective and funny.

Rudy Giuliani - Kate McKinnon

Before he went overboard after Donald Trump's loss in 2020, Rudy Giuliani was one of the most popular politicians in the country. After his wild claims of election interference in 2020, he lost a lot of that respect. That's the version of Giuliani that Kate McKinnon played brilliantly in the aftermath of the election.

Richard Nixon - Joe Piscopo

Early on in SNL's history, Richard Nixon was played by Dan Aykroyd. In the mid-80s, the role was picked up by Joe Piscopo, who, frankly, was even better than Aykroyd. Nixon is one of those celebrities that everyone thinks they can imitate, but it takes real skill to do it as well as Piscopo did on the show.

Barak Obama - Jay Pharoah

Jay Pharoah is one of the most talented mimics in SNL history, and his most famous impression has to be Barack Obama. He crushes the part every time he does it. Though Pharoah had a falling out with the producers on the show, he'll forever be remembered as the show's best Obama.

Paul Simon - Al Franken

We just had to include this one. Even though Paul Simon, a Democrat from Illinois, isn't really remembered by anyone born after 1990, he was a prominent member of the committee that held the Clarence Thomas hearings in '91. For the now-famous skit on SNL, he was portrayed by none other than Al Franken, who himself would later be elected to the Senate.

Michael Bloomberg - Fred Armisen

Fred Armisen's Michael Bloomberg is pretty much pitch-perfect for the smart, but sometimes whiny-sounding former mayor of New York. Armisen captured both sides of Bloomberg perfectly. It's not as famous as "The Californians," but it was still a spot-on impression.

Jeff Sessions - Kate McKinnon

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions was one of the most prominent members of Donald Trump's first cabinet, and s,o of course, he had to get his comeuppance on SNL. Kate McKinnon had the hono,r and like all the other impressions she did on the show, she nailed Sessions.

When it was released in 1984, Ghostbusters was a smash hit. It was the comedy of the summer, and I still remember the first conversation I had with my next-door neighbor about it and how awesome he thought it was, as I was on my way out the door with my mom to see it for the first time. Kids and adults everywhere were flocking to see the Ivan Reitman-directed movie, which is currently streaming with a Max subscription, and stars Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, and Bill Murray, as the titular team ridding New York City of ghosts.

The group of ghost catchers was originally supposed to be different. The role that Murray played, Peter Venkman, was first written with John Belushi in mind. Sadly, Belushi’s death in 1982 meant that he couldn’t be a member of the team. They still found a way to pay tribute to their fallen friend, and they did in the best way possible.

The Ghost “Slimer” Was Meant To Be An Homage To Belushi

In the movie, the second ghost that the Ghostbusters encounter (the first is “The Grey Lady”) is a sloppy, green floating head that Venkman meets in the hallway of a hotel. The head is gobbling food off of a room service tray like a maniac, his appetite insatiable. Belushi was known for his own unquenchable desires for everything, including food, comedy, music, and tragically, drugs, which is what killed him.

That’s before pointing out the obvious, that the late-SNL superstar was represented by a ghost. Dan Aykroyd had intended Ghostbusters to be a follow-up to 1980’s The Blues Brothers and 1981’s Neighbors, both of which he starred in with Belushi, so there was no way Aykroyd wasn’t going to pay respect to his partner in crime.

The Wild Story About How It All Happened

Make-up artist and creature creator Steve Johnson was responsible for creating the floating blob that would eventually be named “Slimer,” and he told the special effects website Bloody Disgusting that Harold Ramis and Aykroyd sent a note at the last minute and told him they wanted the ghost to evoke Belushi. Johnson said,

Using some colorful language, Johnson expressed his frustration at the last-minute note, but no matter, he set forth to do what he had been tasked with. After what sounds like an intense night of design fueled by some chemical help, he came up with the final product. He even adds that the extra-curricular activities made him see the ghost of Belushi himself. It sounds intense, but when the movie was released, Slimer was a hit.

John Belushi Is Gone, But He Lives On Forever

While Ghostbusters was supposed to be another triumph for Belushi and Aykroyd, no one can argue that Bill Murray stepping into the role wasn’t a huge win for the movie. The performance is one of the funniest of Murray’s career, and it’s really hard to imagine the role being played by anyone else. Still, it’s wonderful that everyone involved made sure to include their good friend in the most over-the-top and ridiculous way, just as John Belushi would have wanted it. Slimer has gone on to become an important part of the Ghostbusters franchise, so in a way, Belushi has lived on in our hearts for years.

We’ve known for quite a while Ryan Reynolds and Colin Hanks are putting together a documentary about the late, great John Candy. But there’s a biography coming down the pipeline too, written by Paul Myers, yes the brother of famous Canadian and fellow comedian Mike. As part of that upcoming venture, Myers wrote about Candy’s past, the future he could have had if he hadn’t died too young, and the memories his friends still talk about.

This book, John Candy: A Life In Comedy, is set to publish later this year. In it, he discusses how popular the Uncle Buck and Canadian Bacon actor still is decades after his death in 1994, despite occasionally being a mess on sets. He said through his research it was hard to find anyone who would even consider saying a bad word about Candy, writing,

Fondly remembered, Candy’s legacy has lasted for decades after his death and his movies are still oft-quoted today. Myers spoke to a lot of people who knew Candy before his death, and one story crops up with his friends over and over again.

On How Dan Aykroyd’s Eulogy For John Candy Still Comes Up

While Candy was never officially a part of the SNL cast, he did host in 1983, and notably was “burned” the most of a lot of other comedians out there in the years subsequent. In Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller’s Live From New York, Bob Odenkirk talks about how the show often has several names on the SNL backburner who get “burned” if a bigger star came along. Per the Breaking Bad star, Candy was asked by Lorne to do the show all the time, and “supposedly John Candy was like the most-burned potential host” by the time of his death.

Still, this didn’t stop John Candy from being friends with alums, including Dan Aykroyd, whom he starred with in the 1988 movie Great Outdoor Friends. Aykroyd famously spoke out at his funeral and recited the lyrics to “O Canada.’ According to Myers’ book (via People):

His other pal Catherine O’Hara once recounted Candy’s funeral, confirming the “O Canada” moment, but also revealing that when John died, the LAPD literally shut down the 405 – one of the busiest highways in the country – so that the funeral could proceed in peace. That’s how much Candy mattered to people.

On How John Candy Could Have Won An Oscar If Things Would Be Different

Candy might have been “burned” a bunch by Saturday Night Live, but he was a versatile and prolific actor during his time on Hollywood. He was a part of the popular Canadian series SCTV, where he’d met the likes of Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis and more. He appeared in a wide swathe of roles, starring in his own movies like Uncle Buck (which his daughter has said matched his own personality closest) and taking memorable turns in movies like Home Alone and Rookie of the Year.

Per Myers, if he had lived longer, her truly feels he would be destined for greatness.

We’ll never know. While alive, Candy and his fellow SCTV cast members landed Emmy nods and a few wins, but the Oscars never beckoned. Still, he left behind a memorable body of work and bother professionally (and sometimes personally) touched fans of different ages and from different generations. It’s not a bad legacy to leave behind.

It’s been a week and I’m still thinking about some of the great moments longtime Saturday Night Live fans got with SNL50. My personal favorite moment of the night (outside of Jenna Ortega getting squished) was probably when Colin Jost and Bill Murray verbally sparred during “Weekend Update,” leading the Season 50 guest star to rank all of the ‘Update’ hosts and joke about the origins of his onscreen partner Danny Aykroyd’s famous “Jane, you ignorant slut” line.

While the big news with “Weekend Update” probably had to do with Colin Jost predicting SNL50 would be a petri dish (it totally was), when Murray took to the stage, he hilariously ranked the majority of the “Update” hosts who have delivered barbs and fake interviews from behind the desk over the years. It was during his little monologue that the “true story” of “Jane, you ignorant slut” came up.

It's a funny bit, but that got me to thinking about how the OG cast actually feels about the oft-repeated phrase, and the “Point/Counterpoint” sketch that accompanied it decades ago.

How Dan Aykroyd And Jane Curtain Feel About ‘Jane, You Ignorant Slut.’

I actually remember reading Live From New York a few years ago, and feeling like not enough time was devoted to the origins of the short-lived but famous “Weekend Update” duo. Aykroyd is often open to speaking about SNL, but he only opened up briefly about the sketch and his time in the chair in the uncensored history book, but this is all we get:

Without context, or in this era of soundbites, “Jane, you ignorant slut” hasn’t aged particularly well. With context it’s still pretty funny: A prim, proper and absolutely accurate Curtain would say something completely reasonably and then Aykroyd would make a point to be argumentative and shoot her down two pegs with the “ignorant slut” line.

It’s meant to make him the buffoon, not her, and she said that when the moments were being written, she thought they were amusing.

The only problem sounds like the catcalls that she got after the line broke big, but from what Curtain told THR that was happening on the streets all the time anyway in the ‘70s. Though she did say in Live From New York there were some early cast members who “didn’t think women were funny” and went on to name them: John Belushi and Chevy Chase.

She found the fact they didn't love doing sketches with women “stunning,” but when it came to her “Weekend Update” chair, she thought the sketch was funny, though the then-common catcalling that came after was less appealing. Plus, it sounds like the fact the line is still synonymous with her name when she is out in public has given her a lot of SNL-adjacent empathy for people like Alec Baldwin who are "so done" with characters.

She revealed separately in the magazine interview that she sees why people sometimes take a step back from certain characters on the show.

At the end of the day, this catchphrase defined the Aykroyd/Curtain era of SNL's "Weekend Update" in the same vein "that's the news...good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow" defined Chevy Chase's run on the show. (Or "Really" defined Seth Meyers; I could go on.) And I'm glad we were reminded of that during SNL50 ... even if Bill Murray wanted to take partial credit.

The best Saturday Night Live stars made an impact on the classic sketch comedy series, not just because of their ability to be funny but, more importantly, their ability to act. These comedy icons would go on to prove their versatility by challenging themselves in more serious roles on both the big and small screen, going on to earn widespread praise for their craft. Here, we show our appreciation for these dramatic performances by very funny people, including some that earned these SNL stars Oscar nominations.

Kristen Wiig (The Skeleton Twins)

This one technically counts as a twofer because the eponymous siblings in the 2014 twin movie, The Skeleton Twins, are played by SNL veterans Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. Wiig has never given a more absorbing performance than in this movie that gets honest about mental illness as Maggie Dean, who is forced to put her own mental health struggles at bay to care for her gay, suicidal brother, Milo.

Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer)

Robert Downey Jr. is already better known for his dramatic roles (and playing Iron Man in the Marvel movies) than his brief SNL stint. However, many agree that his career best so far is his portrayal of Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan's Best Picture Oscar winner, 2023's Oppenheimer, which was his third Academy Award-nominated performance and the first to earn him the gold.

Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)

Laurie Metcalf is one of the better examples of an actor with a largely forgotten SNL stint, considering she only made a couple of appearances on the show during Season 6. She is far better known for playing Jackie on Roseanne and The Conners and for her heartbreaking, Oscar-nominated performance in Greta Gerwig's acclaimed 2017 dramedy, Lady Bird, as the mother of the angsty titular role.

Will Ferrell (Stranger Than Fiction)

Director Marc Forster’s 2006 film, Stranger Than Fiction, is still, essentially, a comedy but an undeniably dark one, as it follows an IRS agent named Harold Crick, who can hear the author of his life story foretelling his impending death. The role was one of the first to prove that a goofy actor like Will Ferrell had dramatic chops and his tender performance, one of the strongest of his career, would earn him a Golden Globe nomination.

Will Forte (Nebraska)

Perhaps the best thing outside of SNL to star Will Forte (in addition to the MacGruber movie and his prematurely canceled TV show The Last Man on Earth) is director Alexander Payne's Nebraska. The comedian shows a new rare side of himself in the Oscar-nominated 2013 as a David Grant, who agrees to travel cross-country with his estranged father, Woody (Bruce Dern), to claim a potentially non-existent prize of $1 million.

Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls)

While Eddie Murphy scored a radio hit in 1985 with "Party All the Time," the moment that truly convinced the world that he was a musically talented SNL star was his performance in Dreamgirls. He received an Academy Award nomination for playing troubled R&B singer, James “Thunder” Early in the acclaimed 2006 musical.

Abby Elliott (The Bear)

Creator Christopher Storer's acclaimed FX original, The Bear, is often billed as a comedy, especially around awards season. However, real fans of the culinary series know that it is truly one of the most emotionally grasping shows of its time and Abby Elliott (daughter of fellow SNL vet Chris Elliott) has contributed to some of its strongest moments as Natalie "Sugar" Berzatto.

Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems)

While he is still beloved for comedies like Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison, both critics and audiences agree that one of Adam Sandler's best movies is the intense 2019 thriller Uncut Gems. Many believed he deserved an Oscar nomination for his performance in the acclaimed A24 movie from Josh and Benny Safdie as self-destructive Manhattan jeweler Howard Rattner.

Sarah Silverman (I Smile Back)

It was not until years after her one-season stint on SNL that Sarah Silverman became one of the biggest names in comedy with her sharp stand-up and roles in popular funny movies. However, she had never received wider and stronger critical acclaim before playing vastly against type in the 2015 drama I Smile Back as a troubled woman struggling to hide her depression and self-destructive tendencies from her husband and young children.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

Many would call Bill Murray (who was part of SNL's Not Ready for Primetime Players) losing Best Actor for one of the best movies of the 2000s, Lost in Translation, at the 2004 Academy Awards one of the biggest Oscar blunders in history. His performance in writer and director Sofia Coppola’s sophomore effort as a lonely veteran actor striking up an unlikely bond with a young woman (played by Scarlett Johansson) in Tokyo is a masterclass in raw honesty and charm.

Chris Rock (Fargo)

No one was more surprised to see Noah Hawley offer Chris Rock one of the lead roles in the fourth season of his hit anthology TV show, Fargo, than the former SNL star himself. Rock – who went on to play a cop in a Saw movie called Spiral and starred in the Oscar-nominated biopic, Rustin – really turned heads with his commanding performance as Loy Cannon, who leads his 1950s-ear, Kansas City crime family with an iron fist.

Bill Hader (Barry)

When he created Barry with Alec Berg, Bill Hader knew people would think the idea of him playing a contract killer who falls in love with acting is pretty funny. That must have motivated the former SNL favorite to prove that he could bring himself to some disturbingly bleak places with his two-time Emmy-winning performance in the title role of the hit HBO series.

Kate McKinnon (Bombshell)

We genuinely believe that one of the most essential reasons why Bombshell is one of Kate McKinnon's best movies is the dynamic SNL star's performance. Her role as Fox News employee Jess Carr – a composite character based on real people involved with the real-life events that inspired the 2019 docudrama – could be written off as comic relief but she does show some real gravitas in its more somber moments.

Dan Aykroyd (Driving Miss Daisy)

Some of Dan Aykroyd's most notable cinematic efforts are actually movies based on SNL characters, namely The Blues Brothers and Coneheads. However, he would earn praise and an Academy Award nomination for his moving turn as Boolie Werthan in 1989’s beloved period drama, Driving Miss Daisy.

Andy Samberg (Lee)

When appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Andy Samberg acknowledged that a movie like Lee – the 2024 biopic about World War II photographer Lee Miller, played by Kate Winslet – is unlike anything the Lonely Island member has done before. However, not only is the SNL vet a dead ringer for Miller's colleague, David Scherman, but he excels in his emotionally heavy portrayal of the man.

Maya Rudolph (Away We Go)

Director Sam Mendes' Away We Go is a sweet, tender-hearted dramedy about a couple (played by John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph) traveling the country in search of a worthy home for their soon-to-be-born child. Carrying most of the emotional weight in the film is Rudolph, resulting in one of her most wonderfully down-to-earth performances from one of SNL's goofiest female performers.

Molly Shannon (A Good Person)

Writer and director Zach Braff's A Good Person – following a young woman (played by Florence Pugh) and her post-accident road to recovery with help from her would-be father-in-law (played by Morgan Freeman) – is led to by heavy-hitting Oscar darlings. Yet, some say the heart and soul of the 2023 dramedy is Molly Shannon's performance as the mother of Pugh's character, for which she gives her most acclaimed, heartfelt dramatic performance yet.

Jay Pharoah (Unsane)

Jay Pharoah only departed from SNL a couple of years breaking into dramatic acting with director Steven Soderbergh's Unsane. The comedian and talented impressionist is electrifying in the mind-bending psychological thriller as a mental hospital patient who befriends Sawyer (Claire Foy), who claims she has been admitted against her will.

Jenny Slate (Obvious Child)

Arguably the most memorable moment from Jenny Slate's one-season SNL stint is when she accidentally dropped the F-bomb during her first show (which she confirmed had nothing to do with her exit, by the way). Years after her time at Studio 8H, the comedian amazed critics with her beautiful and heartbreaking performance in the 2014 romantic dramedy Obvious Child, in which she plays a stand-up comic dealing with an unplanned pregnancy.

Casey Wilson (Gone Girl)

Some might say that a sign of a great actor is the ability to convey all that an audience needs to know just in one's silent expressions. For proof, see Casey Wilson's performance as Amy Dunne's "friend" Noelle Hawthorne in David Fincher's Gone Girl, in which you rarely, if ever, hear her speak but are thoroughly captivated by her body language.

Anthony Michael Hall (The Dead Zone)

In 1984, the same year that Anthony Michael Hall became a teen idol with roles in hilarious, high school movies The Breakfast Club and Weird Science, he became the youngest SNL cast member, coming on at just 17 years old. Years later, he fully reinvented himself as a serious actor as the star of USA's series adaptation of Stephen King's The Dead Zone, in which he plays a man who wakes from a coma with the ability to see the future.

Christopher Guest (The Long Riders)

Christopher Guest joined the SNL cast in 1984, around the same time his career as the most trusted mockumentarian began as one of the writers and stars of This is Spinal Tap. He had shown Hollywood his more serious side years earlier by starring in The Long Riders – a fact-based Western noted for casting real-life siblings as real-life outlaw siblings, such as Guest and his brother, Nicholas, as Charley and Robert Ford.

Jane Curtin (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

After SNL, Jane Curtin went on to play many great comedic roles – such as her two-time Emmy-winning role on Kate & Allie and an acclaimed stint on 3rd Rock from the Sun – but did not have quite many opportunities to show her more serious side. That would change in 2018 when the one-time "Weekend Update" anchor starred in the biopic Can You Ever Forgive Me? as Marjorie, who works as the agent for author Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy).

Michael McKean (Better Call Saul)

Interestingly, Michael McKean was already an established comedy actor and had even hosted SNL before he joined as a cast member in the early 1990s. However, his reputation as a dramatic actor was never fully realized before his Emmy-nominated turn on Vince Gilligan's Breaking Bad prequel series Better Call Saul as Chuck, the delusional older brother of Jimmy McGill (former SNL writer Bob Odenkirk).

Joan Cusack (Arlington Road)

Joan Cusack became the first SNL star to earn two Academy Award nominations but both were for comedic roles, namely from 1988's Working Girl and In & Out from 1997. One might argue she deserved similar recognition for her work in 1999's Arlington Road as Cheryl Lang, who, along with her husband (played by Tim Robbins), is suspected of domestic terrorism by their neighbor, a professor (played by Jeff Bridges).

Billy Crystal (Before)

With the exception of, perhaps, the tearjerker ending of When Harry Met Sally..., it is hard to imagine Billy Crystal in a role that doesn't require him to be his signature goofy self. Thus, the comedic genius shocked audiences when he served as the star and showrunner of Apple TV+'s dark thriller Before, in which he plays a widowed child psychiatrist whose newest patient exhibits signs of psychopathy.

Janeane Garofalo (Cop Land)

Janeane Garofalo's time at SNL is largely forgotten but, luckily, did not affect her reputation as one of the smartest and most dynamic comedic actors in the 1990s. She further proved her versatility in 1997 as Deputy Sheriff Cindy Betts in James Mangold's acclaimed crime thriller, Cop Land.

Chevy Chase (Law & Order)

Chevy Chase's bread and butter on and off SNL was playing smarmy jerks. However, he really upped the ante in 2006 for his guest star appearance on Law & Order as an anti-Semitic murder suspect.

Tina Fey (A Haunting In Venice)

In addition to being the Agatha Christie surrogate in Kenneth Branagh's third Agatha Christie adaptation, you could call Tina Fey's clever writer Ariadne Oliver the comic relief of A Haunting in Venice. However, the former SNL star and one-time head writer plays the role in the 2023 mystery thriller with an earnestness that is perfectly suitable for its story and tone.

Jim Belushi (The Principal)

Jim Belushi's stint at SNL was unavoidably a constant source of comparison to his older brother, John Belushi. Luckily, he went on to have a relatively successful run with more dramatic roles, such as a man who takes a job at an anarchic high school in 1987's The Principal.

Rob Riggle (12 Strong)

Rob Riggle's brief time at SNL led to a stint on The Daily Show and scene-stealing turns in comedies like Stepbrothers and 21 Jump Street but his best role might be from 2018's 12 Strong. As he told Stephen Colbert on Late Show, he was uniquely qualified to star in the fact-based military drama, not only because he is a former U.S. Marine but because the person he is portraying, Lt. Colonel Bowers, is his actual former boss.

Randy Quaid (The Last Detail)

One of the few people to become an Academy Award nominee before becoming an SNL cast member is Randy Quaid. He earned the honor from his performance in 1973's The Last Detail as a dishonorable discharged Naval officer who is shown one last good time by his superiors (played by Jack Nicholson and Otis Young) before facing jail time.

Dan Aykroyd has lived quite a life, going from an original cast member on Saturday Night Live to starring in iconic movie comedies like Trading Places, Ghostbusters, and The Blues Brothers. Now, as SNL approaches its 50th anniversary special, Aykroyd is reminiscing about some formative moments from his early sketch show days, and even further back, such as the time he almost fell to his death while making a TV show with Gilda Radner.

The Driving Miss Daisy actor opened up about some of the craziest moments from his early acting days while speaking with A.V. Club, including his tenure at SNL. Apparently there was one moment that could’ve ended tragically before his NBC debut. Having met while honing their skills as comedic performers, the future NBC co-stars were shooting a running scene on top of a warehouse when Aykroyd made one wrong step, and one 50-foot fall later, he ended up in an ambulance. As the actor put it:

Running across an actual roof isn't the kind of thing that happens often within the set-based world of SNL. Thankfully, things didn't go as badly as they could have, as Aykroyd's fall was slowed down by him bouncing off of a light rack on the way down. He detailed the incident, saying:

Thankfully, he was ultimately okay and didn’t sustain any major injuries that impeded his path towards helping creating Ray Stanz and Elwood Blues. He was only 22 when this happened, and he had yet to move to New York City and star on SNL, which forever changed the course of his career. These early collaborations with Radner are still formative, however, as they both were discovered by a young Lorne Michaels who eventually created SNL, and the rest is history. While the outcome here was positive, if this fall resulted in more permanent injuries, things may have gone a lot differently.

This is only one of many stories from Aykroyd’s early acting days that seem unbelievable. He shared an office with John Belushi that was allegedly riddled with holes and strange fan items. The two also played a crazy prank on the founder of Rolling Stone that was very over-the-top. However, I’m sure the most insane stories are the ones never told, and kept a closely guarded secret by Aykroyd and others who broke into the business with him in the 70s. SNL and the comedy world in general feels much tamer nowadays, but comedians tell these stories as if they were just yesterday, making the legend live on.

You can see the early acting days of both Dan Aykroyd and Gilda Radner by checking out some of the first seasons of SNL now with a Peacock subscription. Fans of the Dragnet comedian should also check out our feature on Aykroyd’s best on-screen lines to revisit some of the highlights from the actor’s career.

One of the most memorable musical acts on Saturday Night Live was The Blues Brothers, which were actually Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. Of course, they are not the only great SNL cast members who have surprised audiences with their musical talents. See for yourself by taking a look at this list of comedic geniuses who can also sing, dance, and play instruments.

Fred Armisen

Fred Armisen has demonstrated his skills with multiple musical instruments on SNL on various occasions, from playing guitar as Prince, drums as Fericito, or piano as Joshua Rainhorn. Outside of Studio 8H, he would perform on his other great sketch comedy TV show, Portlandia, and even served as Seth Meyers' bandleader on Late Night for a while.

Maya Rudolph

Arguably the single funniest SNL sketch led by Maya Rudolph sees her demonstrate her amazing pipes as a woman who overdoes it a little bit with her World Series National Anthem performance. The daughter of famous soul singer Minnie Riperton and composer Richard Rudolph also made a great Beyoncé on the "Prince Show" sketches and, speaking of the late artist, she is part of a cover band called Princess. She even started in music before SNL when she was a keyboardist and backing vocalist for the '90s band The Rentals.

John Belushi

Not only did John Belushi perform with Dan Aykroyd as The Blues Brothers on the Studio 8H stage but the duo also had a record deal, a hit concert tour, and led one of the best SNL movies ever as Jake and Elwood Blues. The late comedian also performed a striking impersonation of Joe Cocker, including once with the "Feelin' Alright" singer himself.

Melissa Villaseñor

One of Melissa Villaseñor's most impressive impersonations on SNL was a spot-on Dolly Parton but she had been matching the vocals of artists like Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears during her earlier stand-up days. Since her SNL exit in 2022, she has continued to demonstrate her singing talent, such as with her collaboration with Wolves of Glendale for the song "Life's Better in Spanish" in 2024.

Dana Carvey

Dana Carvey debuted his character Derek Stevens in an SNL sketch featuring a ridiculous song called, "The Lady I Know," which is concluded with the repeated lyric, "Chopping broccoli." Then and any other time he would appear as the vapid pop star, Carvey would actually play the song on piano, which he would also incorporate into his early stand-up and demonstrated in his audition for the show.

Jimmy Fallon

Before becoming a "Weekend Update" co-host, Jimmy Fallon had a recurring segment with acoustic parodies of hit songs commenting on various topics. He would go on to incorporate his musical talents into his career as a late-night talk show host and has since released a few musical comedy albums.

Eddie Murphy

After his skillful impersonations of artists like Stevie Wonder and James Brown helped save SNL in the 1980s, Eddie Murphy would later prove that his musical prowess was not limited to comedic imitations. He scored a hit single later that decade with "Party All the Time" and became an Oscar-nominated SNL alum with his performance in the 2006 musical, Dreamgirls.

Andy Samberg

Golden Globe-winning former SNL star Andy Samberg is also known as a member of the comedy hip-hop trio The Lonely Island, alongside Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer. Many of the best SNL Digital Shorts, which the group was in charge of, are their music videos, such as "Lazy Sunday" and "I'm On a Boat."

Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler would perform music often on "Weekend Update," whether it was as himself debuting original tunes like "The Hanukkah Song" or as Opera Man, recalling the week's biggest headlines in melody. The Uncut Gems actor continued to make music a part of his career with movies like The Wedding Singer and the musical grown-up animated movie, Eight Crazy Nights, as well as in his stand-up routines.

Dan Aykroyd

If Dan Aykroyd had not introduced John Belushi to the blues, The Blues Brothers would have never taken the Studio 8H stage and experienced the success they had. Outside his performances as Elwood Blues, the Ghostbusters actor also participated in the chorus for the iconic 1985 recording of "We Are the World."

Martin Short

Martin Short's most notable musical contributions to SNL happened after his one-season stint at Studio 8H when he would return as a host. However, the comedian has numerous musical accomplishments outside the show, from his Tony Award-winning performance in Neil Simon's Little Me to an insult-filled duet he and Steve Martin performed while on tour.

Kate McKinnon

While known better for her hilarious physicality and characterizations, Kate McKinnon has had a number of chances to show off her pipes on SNL. For instance, she had host Ariana DeBose in awe when she joined the future Oscar winner for a medley of songs from West Side Story.

Christopher Guest

During his sole season on SNL, Christopher Guest could be seen playing guitarist Nigel Tunfel in one of the best movies about music, the 1984 mockumentary This is Spinal Tap. The fictional English heavy metal group would reunite for subsequent performances and album recordings, namely 1992's Break Like the Wind and 2009's Back from the Dead.

Taran Killam

Very rarely did Taran Killam, who was also a MADtv cast member for a little bit, have much opportunity to sing on SNL. However, he took many opportunities to carry a tune on Broadway, performing in shows like Hamilton and Spamalot.

Ana Gasteyer

Only a singer as talented as Ana Gasteyer could impress Celine Dion with her impersonation of the French-Canadian diva enough to be invited to join her in concert. The SNL star, also known for performing with Will Ferrell as married music teachers, The Culps, has performed on Broadway as well, such as when she played Elphaba in a Chicago production of Wicked.

Kenan Thompson

Many recurring characters played by Kenan Thompson – one of the longest-running SNL cast members – are musically inclined, such as What Up with That? host Diondre Cole. The former All That and Kenan & Kel star for co-writing an R&B parody song called, "Come Back, Barack," which he also performed with Chris Redd and host Chance the Rapper.

Harry Shearer

Harry Shearer, who was on SNL from 1979 to 1980 and once more from 1984 to 1985, has demonstrated his musical talent in movies like This is Spinal Tap and A Mighty Wind. The Simpsons star has also co-written a satirical stage musical called J. Edgar! The Musical and released five solo musical comedy albums.

Garrett Morris

Before he became a Not Ready for Primetime Player, Garrett Morris was a Julliard-trained singer who performed with Harry Belafonte and did various Broadway shows. He utilized these talents in various memorable moments on SNL, such as when he performed a particularly risqué tune as an inmate auditioning for a prison theatre program.

Robert Downey Jr.

Perhaps if Robert Downey Jr. was given a chance to show off his vocal range during his short SNL tenure, he could have lasted a little bit longer. The Oscar winner and Marvel movie star recorded an acclaimed rendition of Joni Mitchell's "River" for a holiday album called Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas and released a studio album in 2004 called The Futurist.

Paul Shaffer

There is really no surprise that Paul Shaffer is musically talented, given his tenure as part of Studio 8H's house band and The Blues Brothers Band and as the bandleader for David Letterman's late-night TV career. What might be surprising to some – despite making history as the show's first F-bomb dropper in an infamous SNL moment – is that he was actually part of the cast during Season 5.

Pete Davidson

Given his popularity, Pete Davidson could probably release a hit album, having debuted some surprisingly good rhymes on SNL and impressed fans with his viral parody of Barbie's "I'm Just Ken," called "I'm Just Pete." The comedian once had the opportunity to perform his favorite song, "Gangster's Paradise," with the legendary rapper who crafted the song, Coolio, for a Comedy Central event.

Jim Belushi

Years after John Belushi's death, Dan Aykroyd teamed up with John's younger brother for an album called Have Love, Will Travel. Jim Belushi would also perform with a more recent iteration of The Blues Brothers Band as "Zee Blues" and he also composed and performed the theme song for his sitcom, According to Jim.

Christine Ebersole

Somehow, SNL never really figured out what to do with Christine Ebersole, whose one-season stint is much forgotten. Luckily, she would still achieve much notoriety for her Tony Award-winning performances in Broadway musicals 42nd Street and Grey Gardens.

Cecily Strong

Before Cecily Strong left SNL in 2022, she had demonstrated her singing talent as one of the main stars of Apple TV+'s musical fantasy comedy series, Schmigadoon! Thus, audiences knew to expect some special when she ended her Studio 8H tenure singing "Blue Christmas" with host and Elvis star Austin Butler.

Chloe Troast

It is a shame that Chloe Troast only lasted one season on SNL because she has one of the strongest singing voices of almost anybody to join the cast. She wowed audiences with songs she performed as a woman posing as a young orphan named Cassidy and as Mama Cass in fake footage from the recording of "Make Your Own Kind of Music."

Michael McKean

Before he joined the cast, Michael McKean appeared on SNL as Spinal Tap's David St. Hubbins and, when he hosted in 1984, was joined by Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest for a special musical performance as their other fictional band, The Folksmen. Speaking of, when The Folksmen reunited for the 2003 mockumentary A Mighty Wind, McKean won a Grammy for its title song, and another track from the film, "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow," earned him an Oscar nomination.

Will Ferrell

Probably Will Ferrell's most famous musically inclined character is Marty Culp but we also know from a certain legendary SNL sketch that he can play the cowbell like no one else. The actor also did all of his own singing in the final act of StepBrothers.

Chevy Chase

There is a great cold open from the first season of SNL in 1976 starring Chevy Chase as future president Ronald Reagan, who tries to prove that the conservative politician and actor could still be "hip" by playing keyboard in a jazz band. The comedian actually plays the keys pretty sloppily in the sketch but that is by design, as he is a very talented piano player in real life. While in college, Chase played drums in a band called The Leather Canary, alongside his college friends Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, a band that would go on to become Steely Dan.

Billy Crystal

Despite blessing SNL with many "mahvelous" memories as a host and brief cast member, none of Billy Crystal's most memorable moments from Studio 8H are particularly musical in nature. However, there are plenty of memorable musical moments throughout his career, such as when he hosted the Oscars and honored the Best Picture nominees with parody renditions of popular songs or when he and John Goodman performed "If I Didn't Have You" for the Monsters Inc. soundtrack.

Phil Hartman

The late Phil Hartman had a million-dollar voice that he put to grand use throughout his time at SNL and in other notable credits from his career but not for anything related to music. However, at the end of his very last show, he participated in a The Sound of Music parody, singing the final "Good night" lyric in such a genuine and endearing fashion.

Jason Sudeikis

During his seven years as an SNL cast member, very rarely did Jason Sudeikis make any musical contributions in a sketch, save when he played possessive '80s pop star "Ocean Billy" in a Worst of Soul Train DVD ad or one-half of Bon Jovi rip-off band, Jon Bovi. He has since gotten more use out of his musical talent on an annual basis by hosting a charity event called Thundergong.

Nasim Pedrad

We heard Nasim Pedrad's singing voice in a few SNL sketches, such as a music video for a song about getting busy with your significant other in your childhood bedroom while staying with family for the holidays. It is a wonder why she never got her own song in Disney's 2019 live-action remake of Aladdin.

After decades of fans hoping we might still see a Ghostbusters 3 one day, a new movie Ghostbusters movie arrived in 2021 in Ghostbusters: Afterlife that included the return of all the original Ghostbusters, save the late Harold Ramis of course. This was then followed by a sequel, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, where the original cast played an even bigger role. But if you’re looking forward to a third film in the new franchise that will once again bring back the original Ghostbusters cast, at least one of them doesn’t think it’s going to happen.

Speaking with the NY Post, Dan Aykroyd says he doesn’t expect to return for another Ghostbusters film. It’s not that he doesn’t think the movie will happen. Instead, he simply feels that it’s time for the new Ghostbusters cast to stand on their own, and he doesn’t think the franchise needs the help of the OG Ghostbusters anymore. He said…

To be clear, there are no sour grapes in what Dan Aykroyd is saying here. He has no problem with the original cast being left behind. He specifically says that “advancing it beyond the originals” is what the franchise “should” do going forward.

As much as fans surely enjoyed seeing the Ghostbusters on the big screen again, Dan Aykroyd isn’t wrong here. At some point, the new franchise needs to stand on its own and not entirely survive on the nostalgia of the earlier films. Aykroyd is still a producer of the Ghostbusters franchise so he certainly knows whatever plans are being made for the future.

It’s unclear what the future plans for the Ghostbusters on the big screen are going to be. No third film has been officially announced, but the way Dan Aykroyd talks here it certainly sounds like there are ideas for future films, so that possibility exists.

Ghostbusters as a larger franchise is still clearly moving forward. A Ghostbusters animated series is in development at Netflix. It’s unclear if the series will follow the original Ghostbusters, the new generation of Ghostbusters, or a completely original crew.

Whatever the future of the Ghostbusters is, we’ve probably seen the end of the original characters’ time in the franchise. That’s likely ok. People still clearly like the Ghostbusters and will almost certainly like them in any incarnation. The franchise was one of the highlights at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Parks. The Ghostbusters aren’t going anywhere.

When a performer says goodbye to the Saturday Night Live cast, it does not necessarily mean forever. Often, the sketch comedy TV show will invite an esteemed alum to appear in an episode either as a special guest or as a headliner, sometimes resulting in a hall-of-fame hosting gig. The following are some of our favorite times a former SNL star made a grand impression when they came back to Studio 8H.

Eddie Murphy

After leaving SNL in 1984, Eddie Murphy came back to host (actually his second time, having hosted while still on the cast in 1982) for an episode later that year, on which he debuted, arguably, his best SNL sketch, "White Like Me." After being honored at the 40th anniversary special, the Academy Award nominee came back to host a third time, resulting in one of the most acclaimed episodes of Season 45.

Ben Stiller

You might have forgotten that Ben Stiller was a cast member since he only lasted four episodes in 1989, which he acknowledged when he first came back to host in 1998 after becoming a bigger name in comedy. He would return to host again 2011 in, followed by a series of recurring appearances as Donald Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, in 2018.

Norm Macdonald

Famously, Norm Macdonald was fired from the SNL cast in 1998 for, as the NBC executives at the time claimed, not being funny. Just a year and a half later, he came back to host an episode, during which he joked in his monologue that he had not gotten any funnier but the show had gotten "really bad" since his exit.

Robert Downey Jr.

Before becoming one of the most beloved A-list actors in Hollywood, Robert Downey Jr. was one of the most heavily criticized cast members from one of the most heavily criticized seasons of SNL from 1985 to 1986. He only came back to host once in 1996, during which he proved was the supremely talented performer we know and love and, eventually, became the first former SNL cast member to win an Oscar for Oppenheimer in 2024.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus would not become a comedy icon until after her three-year stint at Studio 8H from 1982 to 1985 when she joined the Seinfeld cast as Elaine Benes. In 2006, fresh off her Emmy win for The New Adventures of Old Christine, she became the first female former SNL cast member to return as a host, which she would follow with two more gigs.

Jimmy Fallon

After a successful six years at SNL from 1998 to 2004, Jimmy Fallon would return for three hosting gigs and countless cameos. Each time the late-night TV host comes back to Studio 8H tends to be a celebrated affair, especially because there is a good chance that his friend, Justin Timberlake, will show up to participate in a new edition of "The Barry Gibb Talk Show" or some other sketch.

John Mulaney

While he was never part of the SNL cast, John Mulaney would perform a few funny segments on "Weekend Update" during his five years on the writing staff. He would later become one of the biggest names in stand-up comedy and such a beloved host that he joined the Five-Timers Club within only four years.

Dan Aykroyd

Sometimes, for a cast veteran, the key to a memorable hosting gig is to wait an exceptionally long time to come back as an SNL host, much like Dan Aykroyd did. The legendary, Canadian-American comedy star, known for sketches like “The Coneheads” and “Super Bass-o-Matic ‘76” from his tenure as a Not Ready for Primetime Player, headlined an episode in 2003, more than two decades after leaving the show.

Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman is actually one of several SNL cast members who only lasted one season but still ended up becoming a huge success in the end. Two decades after she was let go from the series, the acclaimed comedian hosted a funny episode from Season 40.

Martin Short

It is hard to believe that a performer like Martin Short was only an SNL cast member for one season but he has, luckily, continued to demonstrate his dynamic comedic talents through memorable hosting gigs. His first hosting gig from 1986 was shared with his Three Amigos co-stars, Chevy Chase and Steve Martin – the latter of which he would co-host with again in 2022.

Adam Sandler

Surprisingly, despite making a couple of cameos over the years, Adam Sandler would not host SNL until 2019, which resulted in an instant favorite episode in which he sang two memorable songs. The former "SNL Bad Boy's" first tune (including a Chris Rock appearance) was during his monologue and discussed how he was fired after four seasons in 1995 and the other was a tribute to Chris Farley.

Kate McKinnon

After 10 wonderful years at SNL, the great Kate McKinnon would return a year and a half later to host the last episode of 2023, which proved to be a very successful episode, and not just because it featured cameos by Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and her Barbie director, Greta Gerwig. Also, in Season 49, she would also come back for one more appearance as alien abduction victim Colleen Rafferty to make host Ryan Gosling laugh uncontrollably once again.

Chevy Chase

Only two weeks after his final episode as an SNL cast member, Chevy Chase made a hilarious, self-mocking cameo in the cold open as himself, performing music for tips outside of 30 Rock. He would continue to return for more cameos and eventually became the first host to join the Five-Timers Club before the idea of it had been suggested by Tom Hanks.

Billy Crystal

In a unique twist on this topic, Billy Crystal was actually meant to appear on the very first episode of SNL in 1975 but was ultimately cut for time, as depicted in the 2024 movie Saturday Night. As his notoriety increased, the comedian was asked to host twice in 1984 before being hired later that year as a cast member, during which he lit up the screen with his impersonation of Fernando Lamas and other notable characters.

Tina Fey

Having served as both "Weekend Update" host and head writer near the end of her nine-year tenure, Tina Fey was a true SNL MVP but some of her most memorable moments on the show occurred after her 2006 exit. Prior to her Five-Timers Club induction, the 30 Rock creator and star made numerous appearances as Sarah Palin that earned rave reviews.

Dana Carvey

A key element to SNL's new golden era from 1986 to 1993 was Dana Carvey and his wonderful talent for impressions, which he would continue to lend to Studio 8H in the years since his exit. The Wayne's World star is one of the most frequent returning cast members, especially in Season 50 as President Joe Biden.

David Spade

Many of David Spade's funniest quotes originate from his six years on SNL in the early-to-mid-1990s. His blunt, sarcastic, and sometimes unapologetically brutal delivery of mockery at other celebrities' expense would serve him well in his hosting gigs – the first of which included a cold open featuring Brad Pitt as his therapist.

Kristen Wiig

The final episode of SNL's 37th Season was the final episode for a few notable cast members but it ended with a grand send-off purely dedicated to Kristen Wiig's esteemed seven years, which included some hilarious quotes. It was not long before the Oscar nominee was asked to bring back her famous characters as a host and her Season 49 episode saw her induction into the Five-Timers Club.

Chris Farley

After becoming one of SNL's most esteemed icons during his five-season run and proving to be a box office draw with movies like Tommy Boy, Chris Farley was at the height of his fame when he came back to host two years after leaving. However, his October 1997 episode is now remembered more somberly because, only two months later, he would pass away from a drug overdose at the age of 33.

Maya Rudolph

Maya Rudolph proved herself as an all-time great during her seven years on SNL in the 2000s. She would return for multiple hosting gigs and an innumerable amount of special guest appearances, most notably as her Emmy-winning portrayal of Kamala Harris.

Pete Davidson

For his clever "Weekend Update" commentaries, fascinating personal life, and title as the youngest SNL cast member on record, Pete Davidson was one of the series' most talked about performers when he left at the end of Season 47. He was initially meant to return as a host for the following season but, due to the Writers' Strike, he instead returned for the Season 49 premiere, which featured a viral pre-filmed bit poking fun at his post-SNL career inspired by Barbie's "I'm Just Ken."

Tracy Morgan

Impersonations of the likes of Al Sharpton and Oprah Winfrey and hilarious original characters like Brian Fellow and Astronaut Jones made Tracy Morgan a force to be reckoned with during his seven years on SNL. As a result, each of the 30 Rock cast member's returns to the Studio 8H stage as a host or guest have been warm celebrations of his best moments as a cast member.

Paul Shaffer

Starting off as a member of Studio 8H's house band, Paul Shaffer later made history as the first person to drop the F-bomb on SNL during his 1979-1980 stint on the cast. Of course, he bounced back from the incident without issue and would make cameos on the show and host an episode from 1987 after being David Letterman's bandleader greatly increased his notoriety.

Damon Wayans

One of the most infamous SNL cast firings is that of Damon Wayans, who changed the nature of a character on the fly in the middle of a broadcast in 1986. The comedian would find even greater success as a member of the In Living Color cast and, in 1995, was asked to come back as a host.

Phil Hartman

It is easy to understand why some argue that Phil Hartman is the greatest SNL cast member of all time and why, just two years after his exit, he was asked to host twice in 1996. We have no doubt we would have seen more of the Emmy winner gracing the Studio 8H stage again if not for his untimely murder in 1998 at the age of 49.

Chris Rock

The first "Bad Boy of SNL" to return as a host was Chris Rock in 1996, which was three years after his departure. At that point, the comedian had found decent subsequent success by making appearances on the show's biggest competitor at the time, In Living Color.

Jason Sudeikis

While he would make several post-exit guest appearances, Jason Sudeikis' first time hosting in 2021 was eight years after he left the show, which was actually a year later than he had intended. The gig was a big moment, given his Emmy-winning success on Ted Lasso at the time and his heartfelt opening monologue celebrating his time as a writer-turned-cast member.

Will Ferrell

Despite a hiccup or two in his early days on the cast, Will Ferrell became one of the most beloved SNL cast members of the 90s and early 2000s. His many appearances since, including five hosting gigs, have resulted in some of the show's most celebrated moments in recent years.

Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler's impeccable skills of impersonation and arsenal of uproarious characters made her seven years on SNL a one-of-a-kind era. Her many notable appearances since include co-hosting with her friend and one-time "Weekend Update" co-anchor Tina Fey in 2015 and making cameoing as Leslie Knope alongside her fellow former Parks and Recreation cast member, Aubrey Plaza, in 2023.

Darrell Hammond

One of the all-time longest-standing SNL cast members is Darrell Hammond with 14 seasons but his time at Studio 8H would not stop there after all. In addition to making special appearances – most notably in "Celebrity Jeopardy!" sketches as Sean Connery – the actor would succeed Don Pardo as the show's announcer when Pardo passed away in 2014.

Molly Shannon

Three-time Emmy nominee Molly Shannon is the driving force behind one of the most iconic SNL characters to earn their own movie, Mary Katherine Gallagher. The misfit Catholic high school student is just one character she has brought back for her numerous appearances on the show since leaving in 2001, including two hosting gigs.

Bill Murray

After Chevy Chase left in 1976, stepping in to join the Not Ready for Primetime Players was Bill Murray, who hilariously acknowledged his struggle to make an impression on SNL early on in a famous sketch. Of course, the Oscar nominee would quickly achieve wild notoriety in the 1980s, which made his subsequent five hosting gigs and additional cameos much-celebrated occasions.

While the 2024 TV schedule doesn't technically mark the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live’s 1975 debut, it is considered the beginning of Season 50 for the landmark NBC series. Between Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night biopic and the progressing lineup of upcoming SNL hosts and musical guests, there are a lot of glimpses back to the past as we celebrate the future, and more than one of them includes holes in the walls.

After reading a story involving former cast member Seth Meyers putting a hole in a dressing room wall during his time on the show, I recalled another tale of property damage at 30 Rock that I'd just learned about. Strangely enough, Mr. Meyers' story oddly mirrors another account from the Saturday Night past, one involving classic cast members John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.

That Time Seth Meyers Punched A Hole In The Wall At SNL, And Why A Producer Made Him Keep It

Ask anyone from SNL’s cast, and they’ll tell you that it can be a place where tempers run high. That much has been true since the inception of producer Lorne Michaels’ counterculture comedy cavalcade, and Meyers’ recent interview with The New York Times can vouch for that point.

Apparently, the Late Night with Seth Meyers host had an incident where he did indeed put a hole in a wall in a dressing room. The impassioned reaction was due to one of his sketches being pulled, in favor of another piece of material on that night’s show. Cue Meyers flinging open that dressing room door, and making a hole that producer Michael Shoemaker insisted stay intact once it had been made.

Now the funny thing about this story is two different reasons were given for this hole’s continued presence. While they don't deviate enough to cancel each other out, the difference is a subtle one to behold. We'll start with Seth Meyers' version of the aftermath, which saw the current NBC late night host share Shoemaker’s reasoning as follows:

That’s a perfectly valid reason to live by, especially in an environment as competitive as SNL. Jockeying for air time, whether it’s with material you’re performing or writing, is something that cast members have always had to do. And that version of the Late Night with Seth Meyers producer’s wisdom certainly plays.

Although it may not be the entire truth. You see, this report also included Michael Shoemaker’s account of the sage wisdom. While his version isn’t terribly different, here’s the lesson Shoemaker said he was trying to teach:

No matter which version of the story you prefer, two things are abundantly clear: the first being that Michael Shoemaker’s intended lesson for Seth Meyers is one we could all benefit to learn from. Also, thanks to that reminder, the hole that Meyers put into 30 Rockefeller Center’s property remained for seven of his 13 years on Saturday Night Live.

Part of me wonders if Shoemaker, who had been working on SNL since 1986, took this lesson from another corner of hallowed history. This leads us to a story involving a location known only as “The Cave.” Its inhabitants: the “Bully Boys” of Saturday Night Live, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.

How Seth Meyers’ Story Mirrors A Detail About John Belushi And Dan Aykroyd’s SNL Run

For as many key Saturday Night moments that Jason Reitman’s current critical darling portrays, there’s a piece of the NBC mainstay’s history that’s probably best fit for print. In a story shared in the 1985 book Saturday Night by Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad, it was revealed that the future Blues Brothers masterminds shared an office that lived up to the imposing name it was given.

Besides the presence of dirty clothes and other research materials of varying sources, Belushi & Aykroyd’s office had some choice openings in its own walls. However, their reasons for keeping them were unclear, and as you’ll read below, probably of a different variety:

Dan Aykroyd’s fond remembrances of John Belushi paint the picture of chosen brothers who were on a similar wavelength. Both men knew how to stand up to forces of observed opposition, with Aykroyd being the more strong and silent type. Meanwhile, Belushi’s “wild man” pedigree preceded him, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he put a fair amount of holes in the wall to remind himself of the times when he felt out of sorts with the SNL company line.

If the walls of the 17th floor in the NBC Studios could talk, they’d probably be constantly screaming. Part of the time, that cacophony would probably come from the laughter created by the greatest Saturday Night Live sketches for A-list hosts, as well as those written for the cast. But every now and then, the more serious lessons that Seth Meyers, Dan Aykroyd, and John Belushi learned during their time in the comedy trenches are probably the signal that resonates the clearest.

Like all great art, the balance between comedy and tragedy makes all the difference in whether you’re laughing or crying. And striking that balance is what makes stories so special as we continue to celebrate Saturday Night Live's history in the making. You can join in with everyone else at 11:35 PM ET, on NBC. Or if you’re not that much of a night owl, you can use a Peacock subscription to catch new and old episodes anytime.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article gives away several pivotal moments from Saturday Night, so proceed with caution if you have not yet seen the dramedy.

As a lifelong fan of Saturday Night Live, I had a feeling that Saturday Night would be one of my favorite 2024 movies, and I was correct. However, there were also several moments throughout Jason Reitman’s dramatization of the first SNL episode when I found myself wondering, How much of this is real?

As it turns out, while there are many embellished details in Reitman and Gil Kenan’s screenplay, there is a fair amount of truth behind the 90-minute whirlwind of backstage chaos that is Saturday Night. Take a look at these facts from the history of the groundbreaking sketch comedy TV show to learn what is real and what is merely based on reality in the biopic.

John Belushi's Bee Costume Protest

To die-hard SNL fans, it is no secret John Belushi (portrayed by Matt Wood) indeed hated dressing up as a bee for the show, which was then called NBC’s Saturday Night. However, one-time Studio 8H bandmate Paul Schaffer recalls in his book We'll Be Here For The Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin' Showbiz Saga that the costume eventually led to the creation of the Blues Brothers. Belushi and Dan Aykroyd debuted as Jake and Elwood while dressed as the insects before later donning their signature look and eventually inspiring one of the best moves based on SNL characters in 1980.

Lorne Michaels Almost Hosted Weekend Update

Showtime is just minutes away when Saturday Night creator Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) passes the responsibility of hosting “Weekend Update” to Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), who would retain the gig until he left SNL not long after completing one season. In 2014, Michaels told Deadline he was the original host, but Chase was ultimately selected much earlier and, in fact, before he was added to the cast, having originally been hired as a writer.

NBC's Tonight Show Back-Up Plan

The film sees Saturday Night under the threat of being replaced with a rerun of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (which is what NBC normally played during Saturday’s 11:30 p.m. timeslot at the time) if it does not make it to air. As mentioned in the acclaimed book Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers, and Guests, it was actually Michaels himself who pushed for a backup plan, asking executives to have a movie ready in case things did not go according to plan.

Romance Between SNL Cast Members

It is implied in Saturday Night that Laraine Newman (played by Emily Fairn) was romantically linked to Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien), who later played her father in the “Coneheads” sketches. The SNL stars did share a fling, as Newman recalled in her memoir May You Live in Interesting Times, but, as the film also subtly hints, Aykroyd had an additional affair with producer Rosie Shuster (played by Rachel Sennott). That juicy detail comes from the firsthand testimony of Paula Davis (an assistant from those days), according to the Los Angeles Times.

Hiring Alan Zweibel

A Saturday Night moment I was especially skeptical of is when Michaels stops by a comedy club, meets Alan Zweibel (Silicon Valley cast member Josh Brener), and hires him on the spot with roughly 30 minutes to spare. While the Emmy winner was not added to the SNL writing staff so soon before the premiere, Zweibel (as he shared with Variety) did make a living writing for stand-up comedians prior. In fact, the joke he hands Chevy Chase to read on “Update” in the film is the joke that got him hired and was actually used in the segment.

The Writers Bullying Jim Henson

In addition to playing Andy Kaufman, Succession cast member Nicholas Braun also portrays Jim Henson, who discusses with Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris (no relation) that the writers rebelled against his Muppet-starring segment, “The Land of Gorch,” by hanging Big Bird outside his dressing room door. Alan Zweibel recalled in Live from New York that the writers did hate “writing for felt,” as then-head writer Michael O’Donahue famously proclaimed. In fact, while Tommy Dewey’s portrayal of O’Donahue sarcastically apologizes about Big Bird on the writers’ behalf, Zweibel claims it was him who performed that very "lynching" using a Venetian blinds pull string in the writers’ room.

Cutting Billy Crystal's Segment

Before Billy Crystal spoke some of his best quotes as an SNL cast member in the ‘80s, he was scheduled to appear on the first episode. However, he was ultimately cut, just as Saturday Night depicts with Nicholas Podany delivering a pitch-perfect impersonation of the then-up-and-coming comedian. As he recalled in Live from New York, Crystal was initially upset he could not perform his safari-inspired bit, while fellow comedian Valri Bromfield (Corine Britti) was allowed a few minutes to show her material.

Laying Bricks On The SNL Stage

According to Doug Hill and Jeff Weingrad’s Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live, the bricks that made up Studio 8H’s “home base” arrive a day before the premiere and had to be laid overnight – a detail that Jason Reitman told ScreenRant largely inspired his approach to making the film. While home base was not single-handedly constructed within an hour of the premiere broadcast, much of the set still was. So the image of production designer Akira “Leo” Yoshimura (who once made Chris Pine laugh in a Star Trek sketch, and is played here by Abraham Hsu) is a semi-accurate reflection of the painstaking work done that night.

John Belushi's Late Contract Signing

John Belushi causes trouble in Saturday Night in a number of ways, including waiting until the last minute to sign his contract with the show. According to Live From New York, while not depicted exactly as it happened, this is one of the film’s more accurate details. Bernie Brillstein, Lorne Michaels’ manager at the time, said in the book that he had to agree to be Belushi's manager in order to get him to sign the contract literally five minutes before air.

George Carlin's Alexander The Great Sketch Refusal

The premiere of Saturday Night Live was hosted by George Carlin – whom you will notice, if you watch the episode with a Peacock subscription, does not appear in any sketches. Saturday Night explains that he was set to play Alexander the Great in one segment until it was dropped when the comedian (played by Matthew Rhys) decided, between the dress rehearsal and the live broadcast, that he did not want to do it. Despite some clear dramatic exaggeration in the film, that is exactly what happened, as recalled in Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live.

Milton Berle Flashing Chevy Chase

While Milton Berle was not even at Studio 8H the night of the SNL premiere, there is some truth to the scene when the comedy legend (played by Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons) whips out his member in front of Chevy Chase. Alan Zweibel claimed in Live From New York that on the night of Berle’s 1979 hosting gig, he made a joke about the comedian's size and he responded by exposing himself to him on the spot right as Gilda Radner walked in.

Well, it looks like even when this film is stretching the truth, it is not too far off from it either. In some cases, this sort of approach results in the most fun kind of biopic and I believe that the critically acclaimed Saturday Night is a lively example of that.

One of the buzziest 2024 movies to hit cinemas this weekend is Saturday Night, and it just received some major praise from the perfect source. Dan Aykroyd, who is portrayed by Dylan O’Brien in the movie about the preparations that went into the first SNL episode in 1975, has called it “a stand-alone masterpiece” that he hopes is on the way to Oscar glory.

Now that audiences can experience Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night for themselves, Aykroyd took to his X (formerly known as Twitter) page to share his thoughts on the movie. In his words:

Whoa, this is a huge stamp of approval for Saturday Night! As Dan Aykroyd expressed, and as shown in the movie itself, he was there for the premiere episode of SNL alongside other comedy icons like Chevy Chase, Gilda Radnor, John Belushi and Garrett Morris. If you're an audience member who goes into the movie feeling skeptical that it's anywhere close to the true story, someone who lived it has now shared that it's “pretty accurate.”

Aykroyd sounds like he truly enjoyed going back to memory lane over the history-making day that Saturday Night immortalizes. The movie specifically takes viewers through the nonstop 90 minutes right before the first episode of the beloved sketch show began. Dan Aykroyd’s presence on the premiere of SNL would turn into four years of his life (1975-1979) where he was part of some of the funniest recurring characters on the show, like The Coneheads, The Festrunk Brothers (with Steve Martin) and Irwin Mainway.

His time on SNL fed directly into his Hollywood career, working with John Belushi on The Blues Brothers, Bill Murray on the Ghostbusters movies, and Eddie Murphy on Trading Places. Aykroyd and the Ghostbusters cast were directed by Ivan Reitman, who is the father of Saturday Night’s filmmaker, Jason Reitman. (Jason Reitman also worked with Aykroyd on the two recent Ghostbusters movies.)

At the premiere of Saturday Night, Bill Murray introduced the movie as well. Actors from the early TV show giving this movie its props is a great sign, but Saturday Night is also getting great reviews from critics and audiences alike.

It sounds like the perfect tribute to the sketch show as it recently began its 50th season on NBC. Check out the SNL movie in theaters now and check out our Saturday Night exclusive interviews here on CinemaBlend.

Celebrities owning restaurants is an old tradition in Hollywood. Sometimes, like Mark Wahlberg, it's a simple burger chain, other times, it's a classy hotel where you can have an elegant meal, like Richard Gere. Everything from tacos to sushi to fried chicken and everything in between. 

Just like people love watching scenes in movies about food, people love to rub elbows with the elite in some of these establishments. Here are 32 actors who own restaurants all over the country. 

Mark Wahlberg - Wahlburgers

The first Wahlburgers opened in Hingham, Massachusetts in 2011. The chain has since grown to dozens of stores all over the country and was the subject of a reality show for 10 seasons on A&E. The chain is collectively owned by three Wahlbergs, including Mark and Donnie, along with their chef brother, Paul. 

Ryan Gosling - Tagline

Ryan Gosling has become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, and so it makes sense he would open a restaurant in Beverly Hills. Co-owned by the Barbie star and Chef Ben Benameur, the Moroccan joint serves up delicious food in a cozy atmosphere.

Lady Gaga - Joanne Trattoria

Joanne Germanotta was a beloved aunt to Lady Gaga (whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta). Not only did Gaga name a 2016 album after her, but the family has also opened Joanne Trattoria on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. In true Gaga style, the restaurant is not only a great place for Italian food, but it supports local artists, hosts regular drag shows, and has regular performances by local musicians. 

Robert De Niro - Nobu

Robert De Niro first became a regular at chef Nobu Matsuhisa's LA sushi joint Nobu way back in the 1980s. In the mid-90s, De Niro approached Matsuhisa about opening a New York spot. Nobu opened in 1994 in Tribeca and the company has since become a powerhouse in the hospitality industry, with dozens of restaurants and hotels all over the world. 

Michael Imperioli - Scarlet

White Lotus star Michael Imperioli has dabbled in the restaurant industry for a long time. In the mid-'90s Imperioli and his wife opened a speakeasy-style bar called Ciel Rouge, in Tribeca. Almost 30 years later, and 20 after Ciel Rouge closed in 2005, the couple opened Scarlet on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It sticks with the classy, chill speakeasy vibe that made their first venture successful. 

Sandra Bullock - Walton's Fancy & Staple

Walton's Fancy & Staple in Austin, TX, is pretty much exactly what you would expect from Sandra Bullock. It's an upscale neighborhood place with hearty food and a cheery atmosphere. Walton's is the Speed star's second restaurant in her adopted hometown. The first, Bess Bistro, closed in 2016 after a successful 10-year run. Walton's opened in 2009. 

Ludacris - Chicken And Beer

Is there anything better than good fried chicken and great beer to wash it down? If you're in Atlanta and don't check out Ludacris' place, simply named Chicken and Beer, you're missing out on those two wonderful things that pair so well together.

Norman Reedus - Nic & Norman's

Norman Reedus is famous for playing rough-around-the-edges characters like Daryl in The Walking Dead, but his restaurant is not. Nic & Norman's, which has locations across the Southeast is rustic, but it's not rough in any way. The upscale but relaxed gastropubs are sure to satisfy anyone. 

Susan Sarandon - SPiN

When Susan Sarandon and her fellow investors opened SPiN in 2009, there was a surge in the popularity of table tennis (or ping pong). The fad was pretty short-lived, but the table tennis-focused restaurants have remained successful with multiple locations around the country. 

Dan Aykroyd - House Of Blues

One of Dan Aykroyd's most beloved SNL characters, Elwood Blues of The Blues Brothers, has proven to be more than just a role for the actor. On Thanksgiving Day 1992, Aykroyd and his partner Isaac Tigrett (who founded the Hard Rock Cafe), opened the first House of Blues in Cambridge, MA. It has since grown into one of the largest chains of live music venues in the world, and serves some pretty delicious food, too. 

Eva Longoria - Beso

Eva Longoria can do no wrong on the big and small screens, but she didn't have much luck in the restaurant industry. Her steakhouse in LA, Beso, ran into multiple problems in its short run, though none were the fault of the actress. 

Kevin Hart - Hart House

Kevin Hart's LA chain Hart House was ambitious. He wanted to create an affordable vegan chain, and despite rave reviews, it just couldn't make it in the market. The company closed all of its locations in 2024 after initially finding success. 

Issa Rae - Hilltop Coffee And Kitchen

Issa Rae is a true force of nature both in front of and behind the camera. She's also found success in the food industry. Hilltop Coffee And Kitchen brings high-end coffee vibes to historical Black neighborhoods in LA, like Inglewood and View Park. 

Danny Trejo - Trejo's Tacos

Everyone loves tacos and every loves Danny Trejo. So of course a concept like Trejo's Tacos is sure to work and it has succeeded greatly. The chain has multiple locations across LA and has even spawned a second concept: Trejo's Donuts which also opened to rave reviews. 

Channing Tatum - Saints And Sinners

Saints And Sinners, a bar on Bourbon Street in New Orleans co-owned by Channing Tatum was a wild success... at least for a time. The industry is notoriously fickle and Tatum and his partners learned that the hard way when the bar closed in the summer of 2024 after 12 great years. 

Justin Timberlake - The Twelve Thirty Club

Justin Timberlake first dabbled in the food industry in the early teens when he helped design a Memphis-style BBQ joint in New York City called Southern Hospitality. Though he wasn't an owner, he was involved in the concept phase of the place and was a regular there. More recently, he has teamed up with restauranteur Sam Fox to open The Twelve Thirty Club in Nashville. 

Nicholas Braun - Jac’s On Bond

Cousin Greg may not always get the most respect on Succession, but the actor who plays him, Nicholas Braun, sure gets respect in the hospitality industry. Braun is an investor in multiple restaurants in New York City, including a chill bar and restaurant called Jac's on Bond Street in the trendy NoHo neighborhood. 

Zach Braff - Mermaid Oyster Bar

MacDougal Street in New York's Greenwich Village is home to some great restaurants, like the legendary Caffe Reggio and Mamoun's Falafels. It's also where you can find Zach Braff's more upscale, but still laid-back seafood spot appropriately called Mermaid Oyster Bar. 

Anthony Mackie - NoBar

Like others on this list (and in the world), Anthony Mackie has had mixed results as a bar/restaurant owner. His most famous spot, NoBar, opened in Brooklyn in 2011, followed by a second Booklyn location in 2013. Sadly both closed in 2015. 

Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis - Planet Hollywood

The granddaddy of all actor-owned restaurants has to be Planet Hollywood. The first Planet Hollywood opened in New York City in 1991. Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis, among others, were all investors in the concept and, at least at first, the restaurant was a huge success, opening additional locations across the globe. At its peak, there were upwards of 60 locations in the late '90s, but the fun didn't last. Things started to unravel and the stars started to jump shit and most of the locations, other than their most successful ones, closed. 

Richard Gere - Bedford Post Inn

Legendary actor Richard Gere doesn't just own a restaurant, he owns an 8-room bed and breakfast called the Bedford Post Inn in... appropriately, Bedford, NY. The stylish and quaint inn does include a spot to eat, the Bedford Post Tavern, and the inn and the restaurant both draw all kinds of celebrities for a restful stay or a delicious dinner. 

Robert Redford - Zoom

It shouldn't come as any surprise to learn that Robert Redford's former restaurant in Park City, UT was home to a lot of home to a lot powerbrokers during the Sundance Film Festival for many years. Prior to closing in 2016, the hot spot was where the elite met to eat and strike deals during one of the biggest film festivals in the world. 

Hugh Jackman - Laughing Man Coffee

The origin story for Hugh Jackman's Laughing Man Coffee is one of the best on this list. The Aussie actor and his wife took a trip to Ethiopia to learn more about coffee and how the beans were grown. There, according to the coffee shop's website, Jackman met a coffee farmer named Dukale. Dukale gave Jackman a real hands-on experience and after the trip, he and some partners opened Laughing Man Coffee with the goal of working directly with farmers around the world to bring their coffee to New Yorkers. 

Jon Bon Jovi - Soul Kitchen And JBJ's

Jon Bon Jovi may be most famous for being the voice of the band named after him, but he's dabbled a lot in acting, and a little in the hospitality biz. His first venture was started by his foundation and called Soul Kitchen. The restaurant, located in Red Bank, NJ, sells food for whatever hungry customers can afford. Bon Jovi has also opened a spot on the famous Broadway strip in Nashville called JBJ's which features live music and a full menu, in addition to beer and booze, of course.

Piper Perabo - Jack's Wife Freda

Piper Perabo got her big break playing a bartender in Coyote Ugly and while the New York City chain she's an investor in, called Jack's Wife Frida, doesn't feature half-dressed women dancing on the bar, it's got something even better: delicious Mediterranean food. With five locations across the city, you can always find what you're craving, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Jessica Biel - Au Fudge

Au Fudge, which closed its doors in 2018, was something unique in the celebrity restaurant world - a kid's restaurant. As the name implies, Jessica Biel's spot was all about dessert and candy. It also had all the stuff kids love, like chicken fingers, on the menu. The world needs more of these, right parents?

Debi Mazar - The Tuscan Gun

Debi Mazar and her chef husband's love of food was first shown through a cooking show on the Cooking Channel. They spun that into a Tuscany-themed New York restaurant called The Tuscan Gun. Using chef Mazar's husband Gabriele Corcos' recipes, the Italian joint brought the best of Italy to Williamsburg. 

Quentin Tarantino - Do Hwa

For years, Quentin Tarantino's Korean restaurant Do Hwa brought the delicious flavors of East Asia to the West Village in New York. While very few people would call Tarantino "understated," his restaurant was, in all the best ways. It was cozy and delicious before it closed in 2018.

Jerry Ferrara - Fat Sal's

A sandwich joint called Fat Sal's is just perfect for Entourage star Jerry Ferrara. It sounds exactly like something Turtle would open on the show. Fat Sal's has multiple locations around LA and is a great spot if you want traditional deli sandwiches sold by a guy you can be sure loves them as much as you do. 

Justin Theroux - Ray's

Justin Theroux is a jack of all trades. He's an actor, a writer, and an ex-husband to Jennifer Aniston. He's also a bar owner, along with partner Nicolaus Braun with Ray's on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The dive bar is everything you could ever want in an unpretentious local water hole, which is no surprise, coming from Theroux. 

Ashton Kutcher - Dolce Enoteca E Ristorante

Ashton Kutcher has never been afraid to make risky investments. Some have paid off handsomely, like his early investments in Spotify and Uber. Others haven't worked out so well, like his short-lived Italian spot, Dolce Enoteca E Ristorante. The hot spot worked for a while but it closed in 2020, like so many other restaurants. 

Ty Burrell - The Eating Establishment

Modern Family star Ty Burrell took a slightly different route to restaurant ownership than most of the other actors on his list. Instead of starting a new spot, he bought an old one. The Eating Establishment, which dates back to 1970, was purchased by Burrell and other investors in 2016 and they've continued to run the popular Park City, UT restaurant ever since. 

Eminem - Mom's Spaghetti

Mom's Spaghetti is the perfect kind of place for Eminem to own, right? The Detroit, Michigan-based eatery has name that perfectly describes the food you can get there, and it's taken straight from an Eminem lyric in "Lose Yourself."

Jon Huertas - Clutch

Jon Huertas, best known for playing Brad Alcerro in Sabrina The Teenage Witch, is the proud owner of Clutch Roadhouse in Culver City, CA. Clutch is known for its great food and charitable works, both very important to the This Is Us star. 

Saturday Night Live’s history is long, storied and well-documented, plus many of the comedians who worked on the show – including members of the original 1975 cast – are still working. However, when it came time for Dylan O’Brien to prep his take on Dan Aykroyd for the film about SNL's origins, he did basically nothing. But, that’s actually exactly what director Jason Reitman wanted the cast of Saturday Night to do.

As the highly anticipated film Saturday Night prepares to drop on the 2024 movie schedule around the same time the 50th season of SNL premieres on NBC, the cast and creatives behind the film are chatting about what it was like embodying comedy icons. However, when O’Brien was asked by Variety about how he prepared to play one of SNL’s legendary cast members, he said:

In the same interview, other cast members talked about going against Reitman’s wishes. Rachel Sennott talked to Rosie Shuster, Ella Hunt spoke with one of Gilda Radner’s close friends and collaborators, and Lamorne Morris met Garrett Morris. Meanwhile, while Gabriel LaBelle only met Lorne Michaels very briefly, he did read a ton of books and interviews. Cory Michael Smith – whose Chevy Chase impression is on point – also said he “compulsively” watched the comedian he played to prepare.

However, when it came to O’Brien he didn’t do a lot in the lead up to this shoot. I’m sure it’s possible that he maybe watched some sketches or some of Aykroyd’s classic ‘80s movies. However, on the whole, he simply came in ready to perform, and that’s what Saturday Night’s director wanted, as Jason Reitman explained:

Admittedly, out of all the big SNL stars they could have brought in for this film, Dan Aykroyd seemed like the one who would be at the top of that list. He worked with Jason’s dad Ivan Reitman on Ghostbusters, and then he collaborated with Jason on the reboot of that franchise, Ghostbusters: Afterlife. In an interview with ET at the premiere of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Blues Brothers star also said he speaks with Jason frequently, so that connection is very strong.

However, when it came to chatting about Saturday Night they didn’t talk much about it, as Aykroyd said:

When it came to the Teen Wolf actor's casting, Aykroyd said he was just glad “the young actor got work.”

So, while he didn’t have much say in the film, it does sound like Dan Aykroyd is excited about it, and he understands why Jason Reitman wanted to keep his movie in its own bubble.

And I understand it too. Saturday Night is about the 90 minutes that led up to the premiere of SNL’s first episode. That time isn’t something that was documented on film, and the people who were on the show then are different and a lot older now. So, it was important to Reitman that his cast focused on the task at hand and their own takes on these legends. Clearly, the worked too, because Saturday Night's cast is being praised for their performances left and right.

To see Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd in Saturday Night, you can catch the film in theaters starting October 11.

Right up until October 10, 1975, no one knew what Saturday Night Live was… or what it could become. The following evening, producer Lorne Michaels launched a 90-minute live sketch comedy program that introduced the world to some of the best performers who helped to create the most memorable skits in network history. Decades later, the idea of Saturday Night Live seems obvious. Almost inevitable. But the first trailer for Jason Reitman’s upcoming Saturday Night suggests that NBC itself wanted Michaels and his crew to fail. As if these players weren’t ready for prime time.

Above you can see the full for Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night, which has an outstanding cast that are doing impressions of beloved SNL alums. And while there are plenty of strong performances in this first sneak peek, Cory Michael Smith's Chevy Chase impression is perhaps my favorite. And I can't wait to see the movie when its released later this year.

The concept, as you can see, traces the 90 minutes leading up to the airing of the first episode of Saturday Night Live. As such, Reitman’s movie features fascinating portrayals of the legendary early cast: Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien), Jane Curtain (Kim Matula), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), and Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith). But the movie seems to be told through the POV of Michaels, portrayed in the movie by Gabriel LaBelle, who last played Sammy Fabelman in Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical awards winner.

As you watch the trailer, you start to feel the extreme urgency that comes with putting on the historic live program. Creating Saturday Night Live helped burn out so many performers, notably Jay Mohr. But the fun part of this first trailer is spotting legends who were there on night one. Looks for unconventional performance artist Andy Kaufman, the legendary Jim Henson (Nicholas Braun), Billy Crystal (Nicholas Podany) and more.

I also really love the look of Saturday Night. Jason Reitman and his cinematographer Eric Steelberg (Up in the Air, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) have shot on film, creating the appearance of canistered film that was captured in 1975 and archived until now, giving the period comedy an authentic and visceral feel.

Saturday Night Live continues to be a relevant (even vital) contributor to the culture, and expects to be even more influential as we head into a volatile presidential election season. Fans of the show expect to see Maya Rudolph back in the spotlight as Kamala Harris when the show returns for its historic 50th season. So it’ll be interesting to see how Reitman captures the long-running show in its earliest moments, bringing legendary cast members to life and showing a curious audience exactly what happened right before the announcer said, for the very first time, “Live from New York. It’s Saturday night!” While we wait for its release, check the 2025 movie release dates.

Along with helping bring to (after)life in one of the best horror-comedies of all time via Ghostbusters, Dan Aykroyd also co-created one of Hollywood’s most iconic “fake” bands, so to speak, with fellow SNL vet John Belushi. The duo crafted comedy gold with The Blues Brothers, and seemed destined for many years of shared comedic ribaldry. Sadly, Belushi died of an overdose in 1982, a multi-layered tragedy that Aykroyd was able to address anew in his Audible release Blues Brothers: The Arc of Gratitude.

The audio documentary not only delivers tons of behind-the-scenes details about The Blues Brothers film, but digs into the entire history of Jake and Elwood Blues. Speaking with Rolling Stone about reliving those early years of stardom — the same magazine whose owner experienced one of Aykroyd and Belushi’s wild pranks — the Tommy Boy vet was asked what he hoped John Belushi would always be remembered for, and his response was touching, kind, and a big reminder of the comedic void he left behind. In his words:

Hard to deny anything said there. The reason why comedy fans still hold John Belushi on high is due to the massive amount of talent on display in his relatively limited filmography, with Animal House’s Bluto often viewed as a S-tier character from comedy cinema. But for all the excellence he left behind for audiences to enjoy, the laughs will likely never fully eclipse the devastating details surrounding his death at 33. (He was given a fatal dose of heroin and cocaine.) And Aykroyd is aware it’s a fool’s errand to even assume that either of those can be changed.

So instead, he spoke directly to that middle zone between “superstar comedian” and “gone-too-soon genius,” pointing out everything that made him the kind of person that everyone at SNL and beyond wanted to hang out with and be around. A mixture of legitimate smarts, abundant compassion and bundles of energy, Belushi delivered in ways that few in the genre had before or have since, with the late, great Chris Farley being the rare comedian to draw easy comparisons.

Had John Belushi’s talents been strictly limited to comedy, his death would have been bad enough, but one of the reasons why The Blues Brothers lived on as a musical duo and not just a movie and TV gimmick is because both actors boasted enviable music chops. As witnessed anytime the band took the stage prior to Belushi’s death, he knew just how to vent a lot of that bubbling energy out through his vocals.

When asked at what point he became confident in John Belushi’s abilities to be a reliable frontman, Aykroyd said:

In the interview and in the Audible release, Dan Aykroyd doesn’t glorify John Belushi’s addictions, and nor does he cast judgment, saying that he and the late Judith Belushi learned how to use the comedian’s cocaine habits to try and keep him as balanced and productive as possible. Because if things would go too far one way or the other, Belushi had a habit of completely disappearing from the set or whatever location he was supposed to be at.

Sadly, brilliant minds falling prey to drug overdoses is all too common in the world of entertainment, but no matter how many years go by, the classic works those minds accomplished will never stop being great. To paraphrase the great Donald "Duck" Dunn, some people just have an ability to turn goat piss into gasoline, and John Belushi was one of those people.

Fans can check out Blues Brothers: The Arc of Gratitude on Audible, and while the 1980 film isn’t currently available to watch via any streaming service subscriptions, Aykroyd and Belushi’s Saturday Night Live episodes and performances can be streamed now with a Peacock subscription.

My son loves video games. I know that might sound like a weird way to start off an article about Ghostbusters, but I assure you, it definitely correlates with their latest movie. 

Because it wasn't until I bought my son Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered for his Switch that he became a diehard Ghostbusters fan. For example, that year, our whole family dressed up as Ghostbusters for Halloween because of his obsession, and I don’t know how many times he would go out in our backyard with his Proton Pack and pretend to bust ghosts (And why not? Busting feels good!) 

So, when Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (which we gave a pretty good review) came out in theaters, I was pumped, since it would be my son’s first big screen Ghostbusters experience. Unfortunately, my car broke down the day that I had bought tickets, so we didn’t get to see it in theaters. However, we were able to finally check it out with our Netflix subscription, and he loved it just as much as I hoped he would. So, here’s what he loved the most about it. 

Oh, and spoilers up ahead if you haven’t seen it yet. 

Tiny Stay-Puft Marshmallow Men Were A Major Highlight For Him 

If there is any character that is just as (if not more) recognizable than the Ghostbusters themselves, it’s probably the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. How could he not be? Even with his gargantuan size in the first movie, he was just so cute and adorable that you wanted to give him a great big hug. 

In fact, my son knew who he was way before they even fought him in Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered, because he would see his costume in Spirit Halloween stores year after year. He’s just such an iconic character, and definitely one of the reasons why I think the original film is often considered the best in the franchise (even though, if you ask me, Ghostbusters II is the preferable movie). 

And so, my son absolutely adored all of the mini Stay-Puft Marshmallow Men found in this film. Yes, we got them in Afterlife as well, but to be honest, I didn’t show my son that movie since I find it to be the least in the spirit of the team that I know he loves, so he still hasn’t seen it yet.

But, he loved their little antics in Frozen Empire, as they were constantly causing mischief, and all sorts of problems, just like the Minions in the Despicable Me movies. 

Every time they came back on the screen, my son just had a big goofy grin on his face, and when they reappeared in the mid-credit scene, he turned to me and said, “They were the best part of the whole movie.” Honestly, I can’t blame him. They certainly were a highlight.

The Villain Was Really Cool, Albeit, A Little Scary  

One thing my son loves about the franchise is that it’s scary, but not too scary (Scary enough, though, to make our 50 best horror movies list!). In this way, he didn’t get any nightmares when he battled any of the enemies in the video game, some of which appeared in the movies. 

That said, most of the game leans heavily into the comedy, rather than the horror, and so my son wasn’t really ready for the tall, intimidating villain, Garraka, who appears in this movie. 

Now, Garraka is kind of creepy, but my son, who I’ve taken to see Godzilla, doesn’t get scared too easily. So, when he first made his appearance in the film, with his emaciated look, and sharp nails, my son said, “Well, that’s creepy.” But, he also thought the character was (excuse the pun) really cool as he froze New York City. 

My son also liked that, unlike some of the other Ghostbusters villains, who seemed to be a bit chatty (like Vigo), Garraka didn’t really say much at all, and my son enjoyed that he could communicate with other ghosts through his spherical chamber. 

So, yes, the villain was another highlight for my son as well, who absolutely adored this flick.

He Was Happy To See The Older Ghostbusters, And Wished The Movie Was More About Them 

One cool thing about the video game is that it includes the voices of all of the Ghostbusters, including Harold Ramis in his final role as Egon! In this way, before we got Afterlife, a lot of fans considered the 2009 game to be the official third film, as it followed the events of Ghostbusters II. 

So, my son doesn’t connect with any of the new team. He doesn’t care about McKenna Grace, or Paul Rudd, or Finn Wolfhard. In fact, when the movie started, he said, “Where are the real Ghostbusters?” 

Of course I told him, “These are the real Ghostbusters. They’re just new,” but he adamantly shook his head. He wanted to know where Ray, Peter, Egon, and Winston (his and my favorite Ghostbuster) were, and since I knew they would appear later in the movie (except for Egon, who I had to break the news to him had died in real life), I told him, “They’re coming.”

And so, he was happy when Dan Aykroyd appeared as Ray in his little occult shop, and overjoyed when Ernie Hudson showed up (and, funnily, only mildly amused when Bill Murray showed up, since Venkman is his least favorite Ghostbuster).

I was actually surprised that he was also happy when Annie Potts and William Atherton appeared as Janine and Walter, respectively. They’re also in the game, and he liked that they were in the movie, as well. In truth, he wished the whole film was just the original cast, and as good as the new members are, I’m sure he’s not the only one. 

He Was Also, Of Course, Happy To See Slimer  

If the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man and the Ghostbusters are the most popular characters in the series, then Slimer is probably a good call for the third most popular character, and my son was happy to see him in the movie, also.

The loveable, hungry ghost doesn’t really play a major role in the story, and is instead just there to give Finn Wolfhard’s character something to do, as he tries to trap the popular apparition. But, my son knew Slimer was coming as soon as he saw the pile of empty wrappers on the floor. “Slimer’s in there,” he told me, pointing to the screen. I asked him how he knew that, and he said, “Just look at all the food. Slimer loves to eat.” 

Yes, Slimer indeed loves to eat, and he was hidden in the pile of wrappers. his presence is just another example of how this movie gives the fans what they want. Speaking of which… 

In The End, He Thought The Story Moved At A Good Pace, And That It Was Never Boring  

I know a lot of people enjoyed Afterlife, but honestly, I didn’t care for it at all. I feel it’s my least favorite Ghostbusters movie, and that’s why I was reluctant to start my son off with it. It’s less of a comedy, and much more somber, which doesn’t really fit the mood or the tone of the others. 

But, thankfully, Frozen Empire feels more like a return to form. No, it’s not perfect, and it has its nagging issues, but overall, it’s a good movie that moves at a quick pace, and my son was never bored. In fact, I was doing laundry while the two of us were watching the flick on the couch, and I occasionally had to pause the film just to check if I needed to put my clothes in the drier. This prompted my son to say, “You keep stopping at all the good parts!” 

I guess I was, but, that’s only because most of the movie was “good parts,” and he was always engaged. 

So, in the end, he loved it, and I thought it was pretty good, too.

What did you think? Have you checked out Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire on Netflix yet? (It’s also on Prime to rent or buy.) 

To this day, the Ghostbusters series remains a beloved piece of pop culture, though not every aspect of it receives major love from fans. What may be the most polarizing entry in the IP is the 2016 reboot, which featured an all-female cast. The film, which was directed by Paul Feig, was ultimately a box office bomb, and plans for a sequel were swiftly abandoned. Now, years later, franchise OG Dan Aykroyd is defending the women-led reboot but simultaneously talks about what bones he initially had to pick with the panned comedy film.

There were a lot of reasons why the all-female Ghostbusters seemed like a good idea at the time. With Paul Feig having had great luck with female-led fare like Bridesmaids and The Heat, it seemed like he could masterfully inject some girl power into a supernatural romp. While the film did receive solid reviews, there was early sexist hate from some general viewers even before the film came out. Some even called the movie a “gimmick.” Before truly diving into why he appreciates the movie now, Dan Aykroyd told People that there was a behind-the-scenes issue stemming from his role as a producer:

It’s true that the female Ghostbusters movie had a giant budget of $144 million. Because of the high cost of marketing, the reboot needed to make at least $300 million to break even. Unfortunately, it only grossed $229.1 million. Dan Aykroyd continued to talk more about the reboot’s budget being the reason it failed. He claimed Paul Feig spent too much money and didn’t shoot certain scenes that were suggested by him. After test screenings, Feig had to go back and film more material, leading to reshoots totaling $30-$40 million. Considering that the budgets of Afterlife and Frozen Empire -- which would be released later and made canon to the OG series -- were in the ballpark of $77-$100 million, it looks like the producers learned their lessons.

Despite all of the internet hate and box office failure the 2016 remake of Ghostbusters turned out to be, Dan Aykroyd still has positive sentiments to share about the movie. He even heaped some particular praise on the cast:

Unfortunately, bad word of mouth about can impact a film's performance. When Dan Aykroyd saw the movie for himself before it came out, he said he loved the cast so much and thought it had more comedy than Ivan Reitman's original two movies. Critics who saw the Ghostbusters remake also felt like the cast brought their A-game with their comedic skills. And, in more recent years, some have come around to the flick and made note of its merits.

It's great to see that Dan Aykroyd is such a champion of the film, despite acknowledging his BTS gripes. I'm curious to see how the film continues to age as time goes on. As the years pass, it's possible that it could even develop a legitimate cult following. The movie is currently available for AMC+ subscribers to stream, so check it out. As for Aykroyd, check out his latest turn as Dr. Ray Stantz by streaming Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire with a Netflix subscription.

Many of comedy’s most esteemed legends were once part of the Saturday Night Live cast, but that does not necessarily mean that NBC’s long-running series marked the beginning of their career. Some Studio 8H veterans first cut their teeth as part of The Second City — a Chicago-based improv troupe that also served as a jumping-off point for the likes of John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, and more. As for the many SNL stars who performed with Second City, we have them listed for you below.

Dan Aykroyd

Famous for co-creating the Blues Brothers and the Festrunk Brothers (arguably his single best SNL sketch), Not-Ready-For-Primetime Player Dan Aykroyd is also a veteran of Second City. In fact, the future Ghostbusters star and writer performed with the troupe in both his native Canada and Chicago.

Amy Poehler

Second City was actually just one of a few places where Amy Poehler studied improvisational comedy in the early 1990s before becoming an SNL all-star. The future Parks and Recreation cast member also trained at iO (then called ImprovOlympic) and was a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade.

Martin Short

Some of Martin Short’s funniest characters from his one-season stint on SNL actually originated from his time at Second City and on the troupe’s own sketch comedy series, SCTV. The most notable example would have to be childish pop culture obsessive, Ed Grimley.

Tina Fey

The dynamic power duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler first came to be when they performed at Second City together. Before becoming SNL’s first female head-writer, Fey also made history as a member of Second City’s first gender-equal cast.

Bill Murray

Before Bill Murray became Chevy Chase’s replacement Not-Ready-For-Primetime Player, he practiced improv at Second City. He recalled to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show that he started at the same time as John Candy and described his first-day performance as “pretty bad.”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Despite her subsequent success in the Seinfeld cast, leading Veep, and other accomplishments, there are still many people who are not aware or have forgotten that Julia Louis-Dreyfus was on SNL. Even fewer people probably know about her early days studying improv at the Second City.

Rachel Dratch

During an interview with Today, Rachel Dratch — known best for playing Debbie Downer on SNL — discussed her days as part of Second City. She said — while noting how every Second City performer probably feels this way — that she believes she was part of a “golden age” for the troupe’s touring company, during which future icons like Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert were involved.

Cecily Strong

One of the few SNL stars who lasted at least 10 years on the show, Cecily Strong developed her impeccable comedic skills as part of Second City. The Emmy winner spoke to The Chicago Tribune about touring with the troupe on a cruise line of all places.

Chris Farley

Bob Odenkirk was the writer of the iconic SNL sketch in which Chris Farley first performed as motivational speaker Matt Foley at Studio 8H. However, the late comedic first introduced his character at Second City, which is where he was first discovered by SNL creator Lorne Michaels.

John Belushi

Before John Belushi made history on SNL, his rise in the comedy world began at Second City. It was at the company’s Chicago club where Belushi met Dan Aykroyd, starting a legendary partnership that led to the creation of, arguably, the best SNL-inspired movie, The Blues Brothers.

Bill Hader

Bill Hader’s experience with show business dates back to when he worked as a production assistant on the set of movies like the Arnold Schwarzenegger-led Collateral Damage, as he told Conan O’Brien once. However, it was his days performing with Second City that really paved the way for the star and co-creator of Barry to eventually join SNL.

Tim Meadows

Tim Meadows’ Second City stint began in 1989, when he began writing and performing revues like The Gods Must Be Lazy. Two years later, he began what would be a record-breaking run on SNL at the time, lasting 10 seasons, during which he made Leon “The Ladies Man” Phelps a household name.

Gilda Radner

Even before debuting on SNL (then called NBC’s Saturday Night), Gilda Radner became acquainted with fellow Not-Ready-For-Primetime Players like Dan Aykroyd as part of The Second City. It was there that she created Emily Litella, who went on to become an all-time great “Weekend Update” guest for her tendency to misunderstand the topic she was editorializing.

Mike Myers

Many of Mike Myers’ best characters who are most often associated with SNL were actually first introduced during his time with The Second City. The Canadian-born comic debuted Wayne Campbell and German talk show host Dieter as part of the troupe, specifically.

Jason Sudeikis

Jason Sudeikis actually had a fair amount of experience with improv even before he joined Second City, having trained at Chicago’s Annoyance Theatre and iO and forming J.T.S Brown early on. The future Emmy-winning Ted Lasso cast member was even a founding member of Second City’s Las Vegas branch before becoming an SNL writer in 2003 and, eventually, joining the cast.

Vanessa Bayer

As part of The Second City Touring Company, Vanessa Bayer performed in productions like Jewsical: The Musical and Girls’ Night Out: Uncensored. Soon after, she was on SNL impersonating Miley Cyrus, playing Jacob, the Bar Mitzvah Boy, and other memorable performances that eventually earned her an Emmy nomination the year she left Studio 8H.

Mary Gross

The versatile Mary Gross had a very successful run at Second City, having won a Joseph Jefferson award for her performance in the company’s revue of Well, I’m Off to the Thirty Years’ War in 1981. That same year, she joined the SNL cast, alongside fellow Second Citizen Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tim Kazurinksy, and would later star alongside other veterans in Christopher Guest’s music movie favorite, A Mighty Wind.

Tim Robinson

Tim Robinson would actually find even greater success following his SNL exit as the star of his Netflix sketch comedy series, I Think You Should Leave. His pre-SNL career involved a stint at Second City when he was just a teenager, according to Vulture.

Aidy Bryant

Aidy Bryant’s time with The Second City started when she enrolled in Columbia College’s comedy studies program, which allowed her to train full-time with the company. She would perform with Second City Theatricals on Norwegian Cruise Line alongside Cecily Strong before they both were cast on SNL in 2012.

David Koechner

After studying under iO co-founder Del Close, David Koechner — also known from the Anchorman movies and despicable The Office character, Todd Packer — joined The Second City and performed in revues in Rolling Meadows, IL. Alongside fellow future SNL performers Nancy Carell and Rachel Dratch, he performed in the company’s very first long-form improv show, “Lois Kaz.”

Alex Moffat

As a Chicago native, Alex Moffat has quite a bit of experience with the city’s improv scene, having been a part of iO, Annoyance Theatre, and, of course, The Second City. In 2016, he joined SNL and became best known for impersonating the likes of Tucker Carlson and Eric Trump during this six-year stint.

Jim Belushi

Jim Belushi followed in the footsteps of his older brother, John, by performing on SNL from 1983 to 1985, but similarities between their careers do not stop at Studio 8H. While John was a Not-Ready-For-Primetime Player, the future According to Jim star performed with Chicago’s Second City group from 1977 to 1980.

Mike O’Brien

Some might call Mike O’Brien an actor SNL never quite figured out how to use in sketches, save his funny pre-taped fake biopics, like The Jay-Z Story. Despite this, his Studio 8H stint is predated by plenty of improv studies in Chicago, including training at Second City and performing in a mainstage production of “America: All Better.”

Robin Duke

Robin Duke is one of the few SNL alums who had previously starred on The Second City’s SCTV. Her best-known work from Studio 8H is, just about, the perpetually annoying Wendy Whiner.

Chris Redd

There is actually a bit of a gap between Chris Redd’s time as a Mainstage understudy at The Second City (with which he toured both the United States and Europe) and his 2017 SNL debut. After leaving Second City, he had roles on TV shows like Empire and appeared in The Lonely Island’s 2016 mockumentary, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.

Brian Doyle-Murray

Bill Murray’s older brother, Brian Doyle-Murray, is an alum of both the Toronto and Chicago branches of The Second City, having served in the troupe in the early 1970s. In the early 1980s, he was a featured player on SNL, most notably as a “Weekend Update” host. 

Tony Rosato

Tony Rosato is probably best known for playing bumbling kitchen chef Marcello on SCTV. The late, Italian-born comedian never quite achieved an SNL moment as memorable, having joined the cast during the much-maligned first season without Lorne Michaels as EP.

Horatio Sanz

Horatio Sanz became a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade with other comedians he met while taking classes at The Second City. Some of those same comedians wound up sharing the stage with him on SNL, during which he appeared in multiple sketches that did not go according to plan, sometimes due to his own laughter.

Peter Aykroyd

Peter Aykroyd briefly became an SNL cast member in 1980 after his older brother, Dan, left the show. The late Emmy-winning writer and actor also had a stint at The Second City in common with his sibling.

Jerry Minor

While living in Detroit, Jerry Minor started writing and performing with other local sketch comedy groups before getting into improv at The Second City’s mainstage. In 2000, he was cast on SNL for what would be one season, during which he, most notably, played Grand Master Rap and impersonated notable figures like Al Sharpton.

Tim Kazurinsky

Tim Kazurinsky might be better known for his time at The Second City in the 1970s than his SNL stint in the early 1980s. In fact, he might even be better known for writing movies like About Last Night and starring in the likes of Police Academy than both.

Nancy Carell

It was while they were both performing for The Second City where a woman then known as Nancy Walls met her future husband, Steve Carell. However, between the two of them, she was one who became an SNL cast member for a year in 1995.

While a spot on SNL is something most aspiring comedians long for, it is still an amazing honor to have The Second City as their first gig.

Though young, McKenna Grace has appeared in plenty of great movies and TV shows and continues to build an impressive portfolio in the entertainment industry. Her reprisal of Phoebe Spengler in her latest film, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, serves as another major notch in her belt. One would image that there are plenty of great elements that come with working within the beloved horror/comedy franchise. Interestingly though, when the Haunting of Hill House alum spoke with CinemaBlend, she named working with Dan Aykroyd as a major highlight of producing this latest sequel -- and potentially a major milestone of entire career so far.

The Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire cast features a blend of characters, some of which are the fresh faces from 2021's Afterlife and the others being the OG proton pack-wielding heroes from New York. During an exclusive interview with CinemaBlend's Sean O'Connell, McKenna Grace, alongside her co-star Finn Wolfhard, delved into their experiences on set. Grace was particularly moved by the evolving relationship between Phoebe and Dan Aykroyd's Ray Stantz. She shared:

Without delving into too many specifics, the relationship that Ray forges with the youngest members of the titular team is very sweet. One also can't help but be envious of McKenna Grace and co-star Logan Kim (Podcast) over the time they were able to spend with Dan Aykroyd. The actor is indeed a legend, and only a select group of people can surely say they've gotten to share the screen with him.

The newest installment unfolds as a direct continuation of the narrative threads left dangling following Ghostbusters: Afterlife's ending. The storyline re-engages the audience with the adventures of the family unit, comprised of Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, and the age-defying Paul Rudd, as they relocate from Oklahoma to New York and embrace their duties as part of the ghost-busting team. This time, the group, bolstered by the foundational support of Dan Aykroyd’s Ray and Ernie Hudson's Winston Zeddemore, finds themselves up against an enigmatic new menace: a mysterious orb whose origins and powers are unknown.

Despite the film’s dynamic storytelling and nostalgic callbacks, critical reception for Frozen Empire been relatively icy, with some reviews suggesting it might not be the best movie in the franchise. Nonetheless, it's worth noting that within this chorus of critiques, there are voices like our own Frozen Empire review here at CinemaBlend who see the value the film brings. Mike Reyes says the newest installment strikes a commendable balance, weaving together the best elements of the original movies with the fresh direction introduced in Afterlife. This blend of old and new, reverence and innovation, may polarize opinions but also underscores the franchise's ongoing evolution and willingness to explore uncharted territories while staying true to its ghost-hunting roots.

Some would argue that what we have her is an enthralling mix of humor, thrills, and a perfect balance of the classic and contemporary elements that define the franchise. It's also exciting is the McKenna Grace stepping into the lead role as Phoebe, and what certainly makes that sweeter is the mentorship that Dan Aykroyd (and his character) provide to the franchise's newbies.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is now playing in theaters. Be sure to check your local movie listings or explore our 2024 movie schedule to plan your next cinema outing.

The Ghostbusters are back…again. Following a successful return in Ghostbusters: Afterlife the classic is team is here alongside the new generation in a sequel that, based on the critical response, will probably work for anybody who is simply dying for more Ghostbusters movies, but is otherwise weak where it counts. 

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire sees the story pick up from the Ghostbusters: Afterlife ending, with the family played by McKenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, and former teacher and not-quite-stepdad Paul Rudd, as the new professional Ghostbusters in New York City. With support from Dan Aykroyd’s Ray and Ernie Hudson’s Winston, the team has a new spiritual threat to deal with when a mystical orb of unknown origin comes into their possession. 

Critical response is not being kind to Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire overall, making it clear this is not the best movie in the franchise. Having said that our own Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire review thinks that the good outweighs the bad, with the new movie a solid balance between the first two movies and the new direction of the last one...

Most would agree that the movie has bright spots here and there, but the things that work in the movie aren’t given enough time to shine thanks to a jumbled script. Fresh Fiction says the movie suffers due to a plot that moves in fits and starts, saying…

If there was a major issue with Ghostbusters: Afterlife, it was the way the movie seemed more homage to the franchise than an actual entry in it. Screen Daily feels that Frozen Empire is much in this same vein, with the new movie focusing on referencing the previous ones, rather than trying to have an identity of its own…

Deadline holds a similar opinion. It points out that what Frozen Empire does have that’s new, some interesting stories from the new characters introduced in Afterlife, is pretty good. The problem is that everything else gets in the way of all that, preventing the good stuff from becoming a bigger part of the story…

This is not to say all critics feel that the bad entirely outweighs the good.  iO9 admits that the movie has a whole host of issues on the story side, but argues that Frozen Empire still has the feeling of being a Ghostbusters movie, such that fans will likely be happy with it… 

In the end, it seems pretty clear that Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has some significant storytelling problems, the question for its potential audience will be whether those issues are significant enough to sink the entire film, or if there might be enough Ghostbusters fun in there to make it a fun good time. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's release date is this Friday.

Few upcoming 2024 movies have me excited to hit the theater more than Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the star-studded follow-up to Ghostbusters: Afterlife that will welcome back even more familiar faces than the prior sequel did. And the latest full-length preview builds upon all the awesomeness of the first trailer, while also teasing a few more surprises that are on the way. And that includes a returning “character” that I absolutely didn’t expect to see again: the librarian ghost. 

The trailer, which can be viewed above, features roughly 400 characters of both the human and ectoplasmic variety — a rough numerical estimation — and I can’t wait to see most of them again. (Here’s glaring at you, Walter Peck, although I’m obviously pumped as all get out to see William Atherton’s scruffy face back in the Ghostbusters universe.) 

But while we knew Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon and the other Afterlife stars would be back alongside the O.G. vets like Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson, I somehow didn’t anticipate more returning faves from the spiritual realm. How naive of me. Now please join me in whispering a hearty welcome back to the Ghost of Eleanor Twitty, otherwise known as The Gray Lady, otherwise known as the Librarian Ghost.

One might be inclined to think this is just a shot pulled from the first movie, but the actual look of the effects makes it clear this is new footage. Not to mention the shot of older Ray Stantz freaking out down one of the book aisles. 

You know who also looks like they could have been pulled out of the first movie and into this sequel without any time passing? Annie Potts' Janine. 

Okay, I guess it's obvious the Ghostbusters' dutiful assistant aged as much as anyone, but the blue glasses and short hair are a timeless combo. Plus she's seen in full uniform in the trailer, which is an awesome upgrade.

The trailer also brings back everyone's favorite clan of Stay Puff mini-mallows, who are as adorable as ever, and the franchise's sloppiest ghoul also makes a slishy-sloshy return as well, much to the disgust of Wolfhard's Trevor Spengler. 

In the new movie, which was inspired heavily by the animated series, the Spengler family will be uprooting from Oklahoma and making the journey to New York City, where they'll get acquainted with the iconic firehouse while helping the original Ghostbusters with their top-secret research lab. But their latest efforts may not be enough to combat the latest evil force threatening the world at large, which aims to bring the planet into a second Ice Age. 

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will hit theaters on Friday, March 22, so have your proton-pack-shaped popcorn buckets (not very handy) ready to go. Check out all the upcoming horror movies to sate your fear hunger until then.

Thankfully for fans, one of Hollywood’s biggest supernatural franchises just won’t die, as the sequel Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is rising up the firepole as one of the most anticipated upcoming 2024 movies. The follow-up to 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife looks like it’ll be a more rambunctious and delightfully evil adventure than its predecessor, and it sounds like audiences can expect a change in authority where Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson’s Ray and Winston are concerned.

Though the titular group of haunting thwarters was co-founded by Aykroyd’s Ray Stantz alongside Bill Murray’s Peter Venkman and Ivan Reitman’s Egon Spengler, it sounds like this sequel is finally giving Hudson’s Winston Zeddmore a bigger and much-deserved spotlight. As it was set up in Afterlife’s ending, Winston now has the funds to bring ‘Busting back in a big way, which apparently causes a bit of professional strife with Ray.

Speaking with Empire, Dan Aykroyd offers an update for his paranormal-minded scientist, and how his own goals and intentions may run up against some friction from the Ghostbusters’ new benefactor. In his words:

I love this possibly game-changing shift in roles and duties for the O.G. Ghostbusters. With Afterlife’s story going so hard on honoring the late, great Ivan Reitman, the sequel will understandably give its living heroes a bigger tribute, with Winston seemingly earning the more lucrative status. 

So unless Ray wants to sit on the sidelines as New York City falls prey to sub-zero threats, he needs to figure out a way to convince Winston he’s still got what it takes. Even if it’s just taking on more of a mentor role for Finn Wolfhard’s Trevor and the younger generation. 

Don’t expect Winston himself to have turned into a hands-off corporate shill, however, as Ernie Hudson confirmed that his character will be playing as active a role as anyone when the ectoplasm hits the fan. As he put it:

Having Winston become a more active and foundational role in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was very important to Ernie Hudson, is “very happy” that his character will move the story forward after years of being viewed as an add-on. I can't wait to see three different generations of actors suiting up and facing off against the mysterious Death Chill serving as the sequel's big threat. 

No big details were shared about Bill Murray's Peter Venkman, beyond Jason Reitman confirming that the comedy legend will indeed be back for the sequel. (He popped up in the first trailer, in case anyone thought he wouldn't be around.) The new movie is also set to bring back Annie Potts' Janine, as well as William Atherton's Walter Peck.

Check out the trailer for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire below!

As one of many upcoming horror movies set to chill audiences to the core, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will hit theaters on March 22, 2024. 

What is it that makes a Saturday Night Live character worthy of becoming the star of their own recurring sketch? Is it the way they dress or style their hair, the general ridiculous nature of their given situation, or is it their manner of speaking? We would actually say that much credit goes to that last example of criteria, based on the many great SNL character catchphrases we have compiled below.

“Well, Isn't That Special?” - The Church Lady

The chameleonic Dana Carvey has portrayed many recurring characters, but perhaps his single funniest SNL sketch is “Church Chat,” in which he plays Enid “The Church Lady” Strict. The deeply religious TV host has returned to Studio 8H several times and the secret to her enduring success is her hilariously sarcastic delivery of her signature line with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, That's The Ticket" - Tommy Flanagan

The phrase, “That’s the ticket,” is not exactly unique to Jon Lovitz’s Tommy Flanagan — the president of Pathological Liars Anonymous (or so he claims). However, it became imbedded in the SNL character’s legacy by the way it accompanies his most amusing fibs.

"We Are Two Wild And Crazy Guys!” - The Festrunk Brothers

Legendary Not Ready For Primetime Player Dan Aykroyd and Steve Martin — arguably the greatest SNL host of all time — make up the swinging Czechoslovakian duo called the Festrunk Brothers. Of course, most people might know them better as the “Two Wild and Crazy Guys” from their vigorous mantra.

"New York's Hottest Club Is..." - Stefon

“Weekend Update” hosts just want Stefon (Bill Hader as the wild character he and John Mulaney created) to talk about the best family-friendly activities in New York. Instead, he would start his spiel by announcing the city’s new popular after hours joint, and it would only get funnier from there.

"We're Not Worthy!" - Wayne And Garth

Wayne Campbell (“Wayne’s World” creator Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) have come into contact with several celebrities (both on their cable access program and in their classic SNL spin-off movies). But, rarely have they been able to keep their cool around them, resorting to dropping to their knees, bowing, and declaring their undeserving presence.

"... I Live In A Van Down By The River!" - Matt Foley

The definitive performance by, arguably, the definitive ‘90s-era SNL cast member, Chris Farley, is his gut-busting portrayal of Matt Foley. In addition to being one of the most iconic divorced TV characters, the ill-advised motivational speaker’s most recognizable trait is his unfavorable place of residence (“a van down by the river”), which he reminds people of any chance he gets.

"Oooh, It's A Lady!" - Leon "The Ladies Man" Phelps

The most iconic character played by Tim Meadows (one of SNL’s longest-running cast members) is Leon Phelps, who would receive calls from men and women alike during his live romantic advice program. However, he always made it clear that he especially enjoyed attention from the opposite gender, which is exactly why they called him “The Ladies Man.”

"Cheeburger, Cheeburger, Cheeburger" - Pete Dionisopoulos

When Don Novello created the beloved SNL sketch from Season 3, “The Olympia Restaurant,” he might not have realized that simply repeating the word “cheeseburger” would create such an impact. Yet, John Belushi’s distinct pronunciation of it as the cafe’s Greek manager, Pete Dionisopoulos, served up a decadent comedy feast. 

"I’m Good Enough, I’m Strong Enough And Doggone It, People Like Me" - Stuart Smalley

Easily one of the most wholesome SNL characters ever conceived is Stuart Smalley, played by longtime series veteran and former U.S. senator Al Franken. He would begin each episode of his talk show, Daily Affirmations, with this personal affirmation that, perhaps, we should all be starting our days with.

"I'm Verklempt" - Linda Richman (Coffee Talk)

For various reasons — be it her strained relationship with her daughter or Barbra Streisand’s latest Oscar “snub” — Linda Richman often found herself overcome with emotion as host of “Coffee Talk.” By referring to these episodes as her being “verklempt,” the catchphrase became one of Mike Myers’ funniest quotes and never failed to get the audience howling.

"... Makin' Copies!" - Richard Laymer

Office worker Richard Laymer (Rob Schneider) is better known as “the Richmeister,” in reference to his tendency give his colleagues similar-sounding nicknames. This was typically followed by Rich acknowledging they were “makin’ copies” with the machine that just happened to be near his desk, much to their chagrin.

"We Want To Pump You Up!" - Hans And Franz

Austrian fitness “experts” Hans (Dana Carvey) and Franz (Kevin Nealon) had a pretty apt slogan for their program, Pumping Up, stating that they “want to pump [clap] you up!” However, we would discover that they failed to earn the respect of their famous bodybuilder cousin, Arnold Schwarzenegger, when he appeared in one of the most jaw-dropping SNL cameos as himself.

"Party On..." - Wayne And Garth

It was always a party on Wayne’s World, as co-hosts Wayne and Garth often reminded  audiences with this endearing, celebratory greeting. Of course, this phrase is also associated with another famous duo from the same era: Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter’s titular dudes from the Bill and Ted movies.

"I’m Chevy Chase And You’re Not" - Chevy Chase (Weekend Update)

We can sum up Chevy Chase’s signature style of charming smugness and dry wit in just six words. It is with this same phrase that the future Community cast member began nearly every “Weekend Update” segment he hosted during his short, but memorable run on SNL in the 1970s.

"... But I Love Him" - Jodi Deitz (Bronx Beat)

The talk show Bronx Beat was, essentially, an excuse for New York housewives Betty Caruso (Amy Poehler) and Jodi Deitz (Maya Rudolph) to voice their boisterous, and sometimes condemning, opinions on various subjects — with Jodi’s husband being a frequent topic. However, her complaint over her spouse’s moronic tendencies was always accompanied with a tearful affirmation that he still made her happy.

"Give Me A Break" - Ed Grimley

It’s hard to believe that a legend like Martin Short was only on SNL for one season, especially with his impressive assortment of characters like Ed Grimley. The pop-culture obsessed, erratic man-child — borrowed from the actor’s SCTV days — had a few different catchphrases, but his delivery of and situational choices for using “Give me a break” made it a classic.

"It Just Goes To Show Ya, It's Always Somethin'. If It's Not One Thing, It's Another" - Roseanne Roseannadanna

One of the most iconic “Weekend Update” guest characters was Roseanne Roseannadanna, who ended each of her nauseating appearances declaring that, “It’s always somethin’.” The phrase would serve as the title for the late, great Gilda Radner’s memoir, in which she reveals she borrowed it from her own late father’s favorite expression. 

"Superstar!" - Mary Katherine Gallagher

While her intentions may have been hard to interpret at face value, Mary Katherine Gallagher’s commitment to becoming a “superstar” was made clear in the way she exclaimed the phrase with an irresistible gusto. As such, Superstar became the name of a 1999 movie that put Molly Shannon’s quirky Catholic school student in the cinematic spotlight.

"Would You Like To Touch My Monkey?” - Dieter (Sprockets)

West German talk show host Dieter (Mike Myers) is another one of those characters who had many iconic catchphrases at his disposal, with the most famous being “Would you like to touch my monkey?” While it initially sounds a bit suggestive, he is genuinely curious if the guests on his show, Sprockets, would be interested in petting his pet, Klaus.

"Oh No!" - Mr. Bill

Few SNL bits are more traumatic than the short films starring Mr. Bill. The meek, indefensible clay figure could never do anything to prevent the painful situations he found himself in, but to exclaim, “Oh no!” right before they occurred.

"Bring It On Down To ...-Ville!" - Dancing Mascot

Nearly every one of Five-Timers Club member Justin Timberlake’s SNL gigs see him dressed in a ridiculous outfit, performing spoofs of hit songs to promote a local business — such as Omeletteville or Wrappingville — and upstage the competition on the same sidewalk. The pop star and actor even referenced the recurring sketch and its signature quote during a “Weekend Update” appearance when he imagines a non-existent Thanksgiving episode in which we would have brought it on down “Turkeyville.”

"Talk Amongst Yourselves. I'll Give You A Topic..." - Linda Richman (Coffee Talk)

When in need of a moment to compose herself after becoming “verklempt,” Linda Richman always avoided leaving her Coffee Talk audience empty-handed by offering them a conversation piece to pass the time. Examples of her given discussion topics include “Rhode Island is neither a road, nor is it an island” and “Ralph Fiennes is spelled neither rafe nor fines” among many others.

"Buh-Bye" - Flight Attendants

One of the funniest David Spade quotes comes courtesy of a flight attendant who wastes no time letting passengers know he does not want to be there. The character and his iconic “Buh-bye” debuted in a Season 19 SNL sketch also starring Helen Hunt as his equally rude colleague.

"Oh. Well, That’s Different. Nevermind!" - Emily Litella

As the elderly Emily Litella, Gilda Radner appeared on “Weekend Update” numerous times to present an opposing viewpoint to an editorialized topic, only to be informed that her supposed hearing problems led her to dish on something entirely different from the intended subject. Some of the most classic examples include “violins on television” instead of “violence on television” or questioning why the Supreme Court made a decision on a “deaf penalty” when, in fact, it was a decision on the “death penalty."

"What're YOUUUU Doin' Herrre?" - Stuart (The Californians)

The key as to why a sketch as simple as “The Californians” has stood the test of time is Fred Armisen’s preposterously over-the-top West Coast accent when portraying Stuart, especially when asking why certain acquaintances are in his house. Apparently, as Bill Hader shared with Seth Meyers on Late Night, he and Kristen Wiig did not know Armisen would pronounced “What’re you doing here?” so cartoonishly, causing the sketch to not go quite as planned with their uncontrollable laughter.

"You Look Marvelous" - Fernando Lamas

The peak highlight of Billy Crystal’s brief SNL stint was his portrayal of Fernando Lamas as a talk show host who often gushed over how “mahvelous” his guests looked. The Argentinian actor’s son, Lorenzo Lamas, even said that his father actually loved the impression.

"It's Reno Time!" - Janet Reno

For as long as Janet Reno served the U.S. Attorney General, Will Ferrell played her for years as the misplaced host of a teen-centered musical program called “Janet Reno’s Dance Party.” On the final edition of the sketch, the real politician herself crashed through a brick wall to shout out her SNL doppelgängers catchphrase.

"... Is That Bad To Do Do Do...?" - Junice Merill

No character portrayed by Academy Award-nominated SNL star Kristen Wiig is really known for having any definitive catchphrases, but Junice Merill does have her own “catch-lyric.” When she and her sisters appear on The Lawrence Welk Show, she takes one moment of their performance to confess something grotesque and possibly illegal before asking if it is “bad” in song.

"Delta Delta Delta! Can I Help Ya, Help Ya, Help Ya?" - Delta Delta Delta Sorority Sisters

One of the youngest SNL cast members (being 23 at the time) is Melanie Hutsell, whose most famous character was a sorority pledge named Di. She and her fellow sisters (played by Siobhan Fallon and Beth Cahill) would answer the sorority house phone in this most hilariously upbeat way.

"I Got A Fever And The Only Prescription Is More Cowbell!" - Bruce Dickinson

One of the most iconic SNL sketches prominently featuring an A-list host is a faux clip of Blue Öyster Cult recording “Don’t Fear the Reaper” under the supervision of Christopher Walken as Bruce Dickinson. His likening of Gene Frenkle’s (Will Ferrell) cowbell as a cure for his metaphorical illness in this one-off sketch may not exactly count as a catchphrase, but is undeniably one of the most celebrated lines in the series’ history. In fact, Walken claims it “ruined” his life with how often people quote it at him.

"Don't Look At My Bum" - Simon

Mike Myers stars in a recurring sketch as a young British boy named Simon, who likes to show the audience his drawing from a bathtub. In many instances, as he would turn around to reach for another example of his artwork, the child felt compelled to remind his viewers not to stare at his “bum.”

"That's What Your Mother Said Last Night" - Sean Connery (Celebrity Jeopardy!)

For no discernible reason, Darrell Hammond’s Sean Connery was more interested in spending the entirety of his appearances in SNL’s best Celebrity Jeopardy! sketches taunting Will Ferrell’s Alex Trebek than winning the game. Most of his insults involved the host’s mother, whom he jokingly claimed to have a relationship with.

These SNL catchphrases prove that, sometimes, it is not what you say, but how you say it. These characters said it hilariously.

In its several decades on air, Saturday Night Live has made icons out of many of its cast members. For some — including some of SNL’s one-season wonders — you might argue that the sketch comedy series is the peak of their careers, until you remember the acclaimed and widely beloved movies and TV shows they would go on to star in. Take a look at our picks for the finest work some of our favorite SNL stars have put out beyond their time at Studio 8H.

Eddie Murphy (Coming To America)

48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop made him a movie star, but Coming to America might be the absolute best Eddie Murphy movie, especially as the first to show just how far the comic’s extraordinary talents extend. He gives his most heartfelt performance as an African prince searching for love in New York City, but that is far from his only role in this dazzling romantic-com from 1988.

Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids)

Along with her writing partner, Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig joined the club of Oscar-nominated SNL stars for penning this 2011 instant classic comedy. She also transcends what made her a Studio 8H all-star by leading the Bridesmaids cast with her most down-to-earth performance yet as a baker suffering an existential crisis after her best friend (played by Maya Rudolph) gets engaged.

Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems)

Some argue that an SNL star who should have been nominated for an Oscar is Adam Sandler for his performance in one of the best A24 movies, Uncut Gems. If self-destructive jeweler Howard Rattner had been played by anyone else but the guy behind “The Hanukkah Song” and movies like Happy Gilmore, it might have been tough to root for the protagonist of Josh and Benny Safdie’s anxiety-fueled, 2019 crime drama.

Kate McKinnon (Barbie)

After previously working with Margot Robbie in Bombshell and making the A-lister laugh uncontrollably in an SNL sketch, Kate McKinnon reunited with the Australian actor in the Barbie cast in 2023. The Emmy-winner is perfect as “Weird Barbie” — now a real doll in Mattel’s catalog — in co-writer and director Greta Gerwig’s cleverly satirical and surprisingly moving blockbuster based on the legendary toy.

Will Ferrell (Stranger Than Fiction)

We love Will Ferrell in funny movies like Elf and Talladega Nights, but never has he given a performance as tender, reserved, and relatable as his Golden Globe-nominated role in Stranger Than Fiction. That is only one reason director Marc Forster’s inventive 2006 dramedy is his best movie in our eyes.

Molly Shannon (Wet Hot American Summer)

The Wet Hot American Summer cast is full of actors who went on to become superstars, but one of the biggest names among that ensemble at the time was SNL great Molly Shannon. She stars in the 2001 cult-favorite summer comedy classic as camp counselor Gail, who seeks consolation for her second divorce from surprisingly mature adolescent campers.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

To this day, many believe that Bill Murray should have won the Academy Award for his performance in one of the best movies of the 2000s, Lost in Translation. Also one of the best movies produced by Focus Features, he stars in writer and director Sofia Coppola’s Oscar-winning sophomore effort as a disillusioned actor who strikes up a unique bond with a young woman (played by Scarlett Johansson) who is also struggling to navigate her life after meeting in Japan. 

Tina Fey (Mean Girls)

From her time on SNL as a cast member and head writer to her development of beloved comedies like 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Tina Fey has had one of the most impressive careers in comedy, let alone show business in general. However, her one credit that has best stood the test of time is her sharply satirical high school movie, Mean Girls, which she adapted from Rosalind Wiseman’s book and also stars in as Ms. Norbury.

Dan Aykroyd (The Blues Brothers)

Dan Aykroyd may have a Best Picture Oscar winner under his belt (Driving Miss Daisy, for which he also received an acting nomination) and also wrote and starred in one of the beloved Ghostbusters. However, the movie that he will always be best known for is 1980’s The Blues Brothers, which is arguably the all-time best movie based on SNL characters (Ayrkoyd and John Belushi’s brotherly musicians, Jake and Elwood Blues) and one of the most important movies set in Chicago as well.

Gilda Radner (Haunted Honeymoon)

Highlights of Gilda Radner’s post-SNL career included sharing the screen with her husband, Gene Wilder, such as 1986’s Haunted Honeymoon, in which they play a couple staying in a spooky house to cure the groom’s anxieties. Unfortunately, the fun horror-comedy movie would also be her final film before she passed away in 1989.

Chevy Chase (Community)

After making a huge impact in so little time on SNL (not even two full seasons), Chevy Chase had a memorable film career (especially with National Lampoon’s Vacation movies), but it was his return to the small screen in the late 2000s that really had us especially impressed. He starred in the Community cast as Pierce Hawthorne — one of many Greendale Community College students experiencing often strange circumstances and meta pop-culture references in creator Dan Harmon’s inventive sitcom.

Chris Farley (Tommy Boy)

Perhaps the most influential ‘90s SNL actor was the late Chris Farley, whose one-in-a-million, energetic comedic talent made him a legend. He also made an impeccable team with fellow SNL actor David Spade in the hilarious road trip comedy, and one of the funniest and most iconic movies of the ‘90s, Tommy Boy.

Jimmy Fallon (Almost Famous)

Jimmy Fallon has had a stellar career, from his memorable SNL stint to hosting The Tonight Show, but most of his movies did not quite have the same impact — save his Oscar-winning feature-length debut in 2000. Fallon starred in writer and director Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous cast as the touring manager for Stillwater, Dennis Hope.

Amy Poehler (Inside Out)

Amy Poehler is the kind of performer who brings a sense of joy to everything she does, from her SNL days to the Parks and Recreation cast as Leslie Knope. Thus, it only makes sense that she would star as the personification of “Joy” in one of Pixar’s best movies: 2015’s Inside Out.

Will Forte (Nebraska)

We all know and love the masterfully goofy Will Forte from the “MacGruber” sketches and as the star and creator of a show canceled too soon called The Last Man on Earth, but 2013’s Nebraska showed a rare side of the actor we cherished seeing. He gives a somber, yet beautifully endearing, performance in director Alexander Payne’s Oscar-nominated drama as a man accompanying his estranged father (played by Bruce Dern) on a trip to collect a supposed million-dollar prize.

Maya Rudolph (The Way Way Back)

Maya Rudolph’s career outside SNL has been nothing short of impressive, but we were most impressed by her work in 2013’s The Way Way Back. From the Oscar-winning writing duo behind The Descendants (Nat Faxon and Jim Rash), this winning dramedy features Rudolph as Caitlin, a manager at a water park where teen protagonist Duncan (Liam James) works to escape a miserable summer at his mother’s boyfriend’s house.

Bill Hader (Barry)

Bill Hader never failed to surprise audiences with his impeccable impersonations and excellent commitment to character on SNL, but he surprised us in other ways with his first major small-screen follow-up. He played the title role of HBO’s Barry cast (in addition to co-creating the very dark comedy series), who is a hitman trying to reinvent himself as an actor.

Cecily Strong (Schmigadoon!)

One of the greatest surprises of John Mulaney’s SNL musical sketches was Cecily Strong’s smashing singing voice. It would also come in handy when she and Keegan-Michael Key led AppleTV+’s Schmigadoon! cast as a couple trapped in a world that looks and sounds like a lavish musical production.

Chris Rock (Nurse Betty)

In 2000, Chris Rock teamed up with Morgan Freeman as hitmen searching for a delusional widow (played by Renée Zellweger) convinced she is engaged to a soap opera character in director Neil LaBute’s sharp, quirky dramedy, Nurse Betty. We will, however, give an honorable mention for one of the best sitcoms starring an SNL vet, Everybody Hates Chris, which the comedian created and narrated.

Jane Curtin (3rd Rock From The Sun)

Years after playing an alien in, arguably, her single funniest SNL sketch (“The Coneheads”), Jane Curtin played one of the few human series regulars on a series also about otherworldly visitors trying to blend in. The former “Weekend Update” anchor starred on NBC’s hit sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun as Dr. Mary Albright, a colleague, and later fiancée, of Dick Solomon (John Lithgow) at Pendleton State University.

Andy Samberg (Palm Springs)

There is only so much that we are actually willing to reveal about our pick for Andy Samberg’s best effort outside of SNL, Palm Springs, for anyone who has not seen it yet. What we will say is that the 2020 rom-com — and one of the best movies on Hulu — stars the Lonely Island member and Golden Globe-winning Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor and Cristin Milioti as wedding guests who become embroiled in a very strange predicament.

Mike Myers (Shrek)

We love almost all of the characters Mike Myers has created or portrayed, from Wayne Campbell to Austin Powers, but picking his true all-time best work outside of Studio 8H is easy. Myers put on his best Scottish accent to voice the title role of 2001’s Shrek — the first movie to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar, for its sharp send-up of fairytale tropes and heartwarming unlikely romance.

Pete Davidson (The King Of Staten Island)

There have been some great Pete Davidson movies and TV shows over the years, but the former SNL star’s best work might also be one of his most personal. The Bupkis cast member based The King of Staten Island (which he co-wrote with director Judd Apatow) on his own life as the son of a firefighter who tragically passed on 9/11. 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ time on SNL often goes forgotten, but you cannot say the same about the career she had after the show, which includes Emmy wins for shows like Veep and joining the MCU. However, she really blew up when she joined the Seinfeld cast as Elaine Benes, who was the focus of many classic and hilarious moments on the legendary sitcom.

Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)

Jason Sudeikis is the kind of SNL performer who could make the Devil himself seem likable, which is why he was the perfect choice for the charming lead of the Ted Lasso cast for Apple TV+. Indeed, his Emmy-winning performance as the titular American football coach hired to manage an English football (a.k.a. soccer) team is key to its jubilant success.

Norm Macdonald (Dirty Work)

In 1998, the same year that the late Norm Macdonald was infamously fired from SNL, the actor came out with one of his best movies, Dirty Work. Also written by Macdonald and directed by Bob Saget, the comedy about a man who literally becomes a specialist in the business of revenge has gained a cult following despite getting bad reviews in the 90s.

Kenan Thompson (D2: The Mighty Ducks)

Before he became one of the longest-running SNL cast members, Kenan Thompson was part of Nickelodeon’s more kid-friendly sketch comedy, All That. However, before then, the Emmy winner made his acting debut in one of the greatest hockey movies, D2: the Mighty Ducks as the inventor of the Knuckle Puck, Russ.

Ana Gasteyer (Happiest Season)

As the creator of beloved sketches like “NPR’s Delicious Dish” and the astonishing ability to hide when sketches don’t go as planned, Ana Gasteyer’s SNL days do not get talked about enough. In 2020, she appeared alongside the Happiest Season cast in a brief, but memorable, role in the acclaimed LGBTQ+ romance dramedy.

Fred Armisen (Portlandia)

While he was still on SNL, Fred Armisen was the driving force of a whole different kind of sketch comedy series called Portlandia. In partnership with non-SNL sketch comedy actor Carrie Brownstein, the pair poked fun at life in Portland in a Monty Python-esque style of quirky and bizarre bits.

Tim Meadows (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping)

Despite his impressively long tenure, Tim Meadows is one of the most criminally underrated SNL actors and his big-screen presence is no different. Case in point: even one of his most prominent movie roles is from a vastly underrated, mockumentary-style comedy, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, from 2106 as Harry, manager to conner4real (Andy Samberg).

Tracy Morgan (30 Rock)

How fitting that one of Tracy Morgan’s greatest successes after being a sketch comedy show performer was playing a sketch comedy show performer. The comic stole every scene in creator and star Tina Fey’s brilliantly surreal broadcasting satire, 30 Rock, as over-the-top actor, Tracy Jordan.

Aidy Bryant (Shrill)

Even before she left SNL (a bit later than she anticipated as a result of Covid-19), Aidy Bryant had already ventured on with a series of her own called Shrill. The actor received an Emmy nomination for her performance on the Hulu original comedy (which she also co-created) as an overweight journalist aspiring to change who she is inside without changing who she is outside.

Even if Saturday Night Live is what these actors are remembered best for, that does not mean it will always be the best thing they are remembered for.

When Bill Hader returned to host Saturday Night Live for a second time, in his monologue, he joked that he never realized “that first commercial after the monologue, the ones we’re in… those are fake.” All kidding aside, for the most part, we are relieved that the items featured in the long-running sketch comedy series’ commercial parodies are not real, and all it should take to understand why is a quick look at this collection of our picks for the most hilarious fake SNL products we have seen over the years.

The Super Bass-O-Matic '76

“Super Bass-O-Matic ’76” is a beloved sketch written by Dan Aykroyd, who revealed to The Food Channel that the faux infomercial in which the Not Ready For Primetime Player liquidates a whole fish, bones and all, was inspired by his aunt’s own methods for preparing such a meal. Outside of the shocking technique itself and its unappetizing results, the truly funniest thing about this product is, arguably, that it is no different from a common blender.

Happy Fun Ball

With a name like "Happy Fun Ball," one would assume that this shiny, red ball is a perfectly wholesome toy for all ages. However, once this faux ad reaches its warning disclaimer, it becomes clear that no soul should ever go near this cursed thing. 

Bag O'Glass

On a holiday edition of a program called Consumer Probe, the host (played by longtime Five-Timers Club member Candice Bergen) is reviewing products from Mainway Toys’ with shady company president, Irwin Mainway (Dan Aykroyd). The clearly inappropriate and potentially hazardous toys include a doll that ejects a sharp blade from its arms and a teddy bear that doubles as a chainsaw, but the (darkly) funniest item has to be “Bag O’Glass,” which is exactly what it sounds like it is.

Colon Blow

Late, legendary ‘90s SNL cast member Phil Hartman plays a man introduced to a cereal aptly named Colon Blow, as it contains 30,000 times the amount of fiber you would get from an average bowl of cereal. Just when he thinks the literal pyramid of cereal bowls he is balancing on could not get higher, the announcer tells him about Super Colon Blow, which equates to two-and-a-half-million bowls of Hartman’s preferred brand in fiber content.

Almost Pizza

Bill Hader plays a man who assumes his wife (played by Kristen Wiig) has baked a pizza for dinner, but grows increasingly concerned when she tells him it is not really pizza, but “Almost Pizza.” It is never revealed what the product actually is, but it is most definitely not edible, appears to have a mind of its own, and was distributed by Pfizer.

Toilet Death Ejector 

In one of John Mulaney’s best SNL sketches (not counting his musical skits), he points out how embarrassing it must be when elderly people die on the toilet before introducing a solution: the Toilet Death Ejector. Just push a button on the side right as your final moment approaches and it will (hopefully) launch you right into bed before dropping an acclaimed book near you for a more dignified place to be found by a loved one.

Mom Jeans

It’s funny how a certain style of a certain article of clothing can be so closely associated with a certain demographic, such as high-waisted jeans with mothers. However, as writer and star Tina Fey revealed to Jess Cage on Sirius XM, she wasn’t even a mother when she came up with the “Mom Jeans” sketch, which was inspired by a “really unfortunate pair of jeans” she bought at J. Crew on Studio 8H’s writing night.

Wells For Boys

While some young boys like to play catch with their friends or go on bike rides, others may want to spend their days contemplating their inner thoughts and feelings, which is what this Well playset is for. The commercial, starring Academy Award winner Emma Stone as the central boy’s mother, also highlights more from Fisher Price’s Sensitive Boys line, including a balcony for making announcements and a broken mirror for reflecting on their inner complexities.

CNN Pregnancy Test 

CNN is devoted to keeping you constantly updated about a certain developing topic even when they do not have any new information to provide. SNL poked fun at this habit with a faux ad for a digital pregnancy test developed by the cable news channel that takes a really long time to give hopeful parents their results but keeps them updated on its lack of an answer all the way through.

Nelson's Baby Toupees

A lack of hair is nothing that an infant should be worried about, but according to this fake ad from SNL’s 31st season, it is just as concerning as male pattern baldness. Thus, Nelson’s Baby Toupees have been developed to help babies achieve the confidence they are not old enough to acknowledge by giving them the hair they won’t need for years.

Duolingo For Talking To Children 

In his faux ad, Academy Award nominee and Twilight movies star Kristen Stewart plays a woman who embarrasses herself trying to speak to a child. This leads her to turn to an edition of language learning software Duolingo specifically designed to help non-parents relate to their younger peers.  

Undercover Office Potty 

For anyone who ever felt they lost valuable time at work due to restroom breaks, the Undercover Office Potty offers a solution to discreetly relieve yourself without ever leaving your desk. However, the smell emitting from the portable toilet disguised as a lamp turns out to be not so subtle, especially when you crowd your desk with them like Beck Bennett’s office worker in this faux ad.

GE Big Boy Home Appliances 

Kitchen appliances and cleaning materials are not typically marketed toward men, but, to keep up with changing times, General Electric intends to change that in this sketch starring Jason Momoa and his smoldering eyes. The company’s line of “Big Boy” Home Appliances includes a dishwasher with a 70-pound steel door, a six-foot-tall washing machine, and a vacuum you can ride like a lawnmower.

Brownie Husband

Tina Fey stars in this ad for a new product from Duncan Hines created for single women looking for more than just a nice evening dessert. With Brownie Husband, in 90 seconds, you can have the man of your heart (and your stomach) desires. 

Santi-Wrap 

This bit from SNL’s second season takes the concept of using toilet seat covers over tissue for sanitary protection and applies it to sitting on a department store Santa’s lap. Laraine Newman plays a woman who actually starts placing tissues on the lap of John Belushi’s boozy Santa before her husband (played by Dan Aykroyd) tells her she should use “Santi-Wrap” instead.

24-Hour Energy For Dating Actresses

At a time when people began taking 5-Hour Energy Shots to just make it through a workday, SNL introduced the idea of a shot that gives the consumer a full 24 hours. However, the faux ad that accompanies the product is targeted toward men who cannot match the energy of their partners, who act for a living.

Swiffer Sleepers 

Household chores cut in significantly with the time you could be spending with your children, which is where “Swiffer Sleepers” come in. Amy Poehler stars in this Season 28 bit as a mother who is able to make the kids clean the floor (and elsewhere), and have fun doing it, by rolling around in special pajamas from the makers of the Swiffer Sweeper.

Starbucks Verismo

This ad imagines what might happen if Starbucks developed a home coffee maker that replicates the experience of ordering from one of its locations as authentically as possible. It seems to work a little too well, based on how Vanessa Bayer’s character, Martha, discovers the name “Amorfa” written on her mug and receives tea instead of the latte she wanted.

The Love Toilet

For the most inseparable couples who take pleasure in doing literally everything together, The Love Toilet is just what their bathroom is missing. The massive, dual-bowl porcelain throne even comes with just one flushing plunger so both partners can go together at the same time.

Closet Organizer

Out of the many potential methods to organize your closet, one of the more unlikely is hiring a living person dressed in a blue jumpsuit (played here by Will Forte) to frantically scramble to put away whatever you literally throw at him. This sketch was actually referenced in a later sketch from the same episode where a bar patron (played by host and then Mad Men cast member Jon Hamm) recognizes a stranger as “the Closet Organizer guy.”

Amazon Echo Silver 

Because the virtual assistant is a technology still somewhat in its infancy, it is perfectly understandable why older people may have a challenging time adapting to an invention that has only existed for a small chunk of their lifetime. Therefore, the Amazon Echo Silver — a version of the device specifically designed for elders that conveniently answers to names just close enough to “Alexa” — actually sounds like a thoughtful idea.

Alan

In this SNL Season 40 sketch that was originally cut for time, a married couple (played by Taran Killam and Vaness Bayer) is gifted with the “future of casual entertainment”, a human-like dancing robot in a clear box referred to as “The Alan” (host Bill Hader). However, they more learn about this already confusing product, the more difficult it is to be entertained by it.

Mom Celebrity Translator 

A device that helps decipher the celebrity your mom is attempting to name is the kind of fake SNL product we imagine a lot of viewers wished was real when the sketch first aired during Season 34. The concept is already hilariously relatable enough, but the mispronounced names featured — such as “Kite Carbinaw” instead of Kim Kardashian or Jake Gyllenhaal wrongly identified as “Joe Geronimo” — make it even better.

Dissing Your Dog

Dale Sturtevant (Will Ferrell) introduces a revolutionary new puppy training program based on the belief that canines are more receptive to sarcasm and put-downs than we might assume and can be conditioned out of certain behaviors that way. If only it was that easy.

Beta Force

At first, this sketch appears to be a faux ad for a testosterone supplement that is refreshingly and brutally honest about its negative psychological effects on middle-aged men. That is until you learn it is actually meant to promote a different supplement called Beta Force, which is designed to counteract those effects and, thankfully, make the user his old self again.

Leave Me Alurn

Rachel Brosnahan stars in this ad for a fake urn of a loved one’s ashes that can help dispel unwanted attention during nature walks. We can only imagine how the writer of this sketch came up with such a dark — but, admittedly, ingenious — idea.

My Little Stepchildren

There are many dolls that are intended to be a fun way for children to imagine being a loving parent. However, this bit that was unfortunately cut for time gives children to live out their fantasy of being a wicked step-parent.

Abilify For Candidates

This ad for a faux medicine called Ability for Candidates first aired in 2015, during the early stages of the 2016 Presidential election. The pill in question is meant to help politicians gain a more realistic perspective on their chances of getting into the White House.

Levi Wokes

Gender-neutral clothes would become common by the time this Season 43 sketch took the concept to a whole new level by introducing Levi Wokes. The revolutionary jeans do not just aim for specific gender conformity but conform to any social identity you could think of by coming in one size and one color, featuring a 180-degree zipper, and selling the pockets separately.

Aerotoilet

When a party host (Moon Knight cast member Oscar Isaac) worries about the number of guests using his bathroom, his wife (Kate McKinnon) tells him they can use their Aerotoilet. The inflatable toilet seems to be a dream come true until it proves to be more high maintenance than a real toilet.

Wilson Trap Doors 

Everyone has had a moment at some point in which they wish they could just get rid of someone with the push of a button and Wilson Trap Doors provides that kind of relief. As the faux ad demonstrates, other trap doors can come with numerous design flaws, but this one is guaranteed to put your enemies away for good and without any mishaps.

Glitter Litter Automatic Litter Factory

For anyone who ever wished they could find a use for their cat’s droppings, the Glitter Litter Automatic Litter Factory is just what they have been looking for. This cut-for-time bit imagines a device that immediately converts kitty litter into shiny wearable jewelry.

Come to think of it, some of SNL’s best fake commercials might make for good entrepreneurial ideas.

Usually, when you think of people who get their start in show business early, you think of famous child actors. However, the same could be said about SNL cast members — many of whom can say they first got hired onto the show when they were just in their mid-20s, or even younger. The following are some of the youngest performers to grace the stage Saturday Night Live yet.

Anthony Michael Hall

According to The Independent, when Anthony Michael Hall became an SNL regular in 1985, he set the record for the show’s youngest cast member at just 17 years old. By then, he was already a teen idol from starring alongside fellow Studio 8H vet Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s Vacation and standing out in now-iconic ‘80s movie classics like Sixteen Candles and Weird Science.

Dan Aykroyd

One of the youngest members of SNL’s original run from 1975 to 1980 was Dan Aykroyd, who became a Not Ready For Primetime Player at 23 years old. His high-energy performance style and bizarre ideas — he wrote beloved sketches like The Coneheads, among others — ensured a glorious Studio 8H tenure and his lasting legacy as an esteemed comedy icon.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Despite her unforgettable, Emmy-winning performances in the Seinfeld cast as Elaine Benes and Selina Meyer in the Veep cast, an actor you may have forgotten was on SNL is Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The sketch comedy series was the multi-Emmy winner’s big break in 1982 when she was just 21.

Pete Davidson

When Pete Davidson made his “Weekend Update” debut in 2014, the then-20-year-old was aptly referred to as SNL’s “Resident Young Person” and would frequently appear in sketches as a very convincing teenager. The comedian, who left the show in 2022, would soon grow up to be one of the biggest stars of his day, from co-creating and leading his own series, Bupkis, to joining blockbuster franchises like the Fast and Furious movies and the Transformers series.

Eddie Murphy

An often credited for coming to SNL’s rescue during its struggles in 1980 was Eddie Murphy, who was the first cast member hired while still under the age of 20 (19, to be exact). With unforgettable characters like Mister Robinson or his iconic take on Gumby, he showed a voracious talent way beyond his years that soon secured his place as one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. 

Joan Cusack

As she recalled to Terry Gross on the Fresh Air podcast, Joan Cusack did not have the best experience when she was cast on Saturday Night Live from 1985-1986 (not considered the show’s best season either) at age 23. Fortunately, after becoming the first SNL actor nominated for an Oscar two times (for Working Girl and In & Out), getting the chance to act alongside her siblings (including John Cusack) multiple times, and other memorable achievements, it seems things got better for her.

John Belushi

One of the first faces that most longtime fans picture when they think of SNL is John Belushi, whom you might assume already had decades of comedic work under his belt before being hired on the show in 1975 based on his staggering talent. As it turns out, the future star of The Blues Brothers — one of the greatest SNL movies ever made — was only 26 at the time.

Jay Pharoah

A then-22-year-old Jay Pharaoh quickly made a grand impression on Studio 8H when he appeared on “Weekend Update” with a spot-on impression of Will Smith in 2010. This would be only the first of many hilarious impersonations he demonstrated week after week until he, unfortunately, was fired from SNL in 2016.

Aidy Bryant

When Aidy Bryant was first hired in 2012, the then-25-year-old would often play teenagers, such as in one of SNL’s most popular sketches on YouTube in which she plays a high school student unaware she is an adult film character. The Shrill star would continue to play younger roles throughout her decade-long SNL tenure (which was actually longer than she had intended, due to Covid).

Robert Downey Jr.

Talk about starting early — Robert Downey Jr. earned his first IMDb credit at 5 years old when his father cast him in a bizarre avant-garde drama called Pound in 1970. Fifteen years later, after the future MCU star turned 20, he joined the SNL cast for just one season, during which he realized sketch comedy was not really his game, as he revealed to Sam Jones on Off Camera later.

Jimmy Fallon

Even as the host of The Tonight Show from 2014 on, Jimmy Fallon has, impressively, looked around 24 years old the entire time. However, that was actually the age at which the skilled impressionist, whose tendency to laugh often caused some sketches to not go as planned, joined the SNL cast in 1998. 

Sarah Silverman

With two Emmy Awards, a Disney franchise (the Wreck-It Ralph movies, as the voice of Vanellope), and an acclaimed stand-up career, Sarah Silverman has done a pretty good job navigating show business. According to her interview with Perri Nemiroff for Collider Ladies Night, she credits her brief SNL tenure, from 1993 to 1994, when she was just 22 as a great help in that area.

Kenan Thompson

Kenan Thompson got his start in sketch comedy even earlier than many can say, having been cast on Nickelodeon’s All That at age 15. About a decade later, in 2003, the then-25-year-old graduated to Studio 8H and went on to become one of the longest-tenured SNL actors in the show’s history.

Chris Farley

Chris Farley is a prime example of a showbusiness icon who achieved much in little time. The high-energy comedic talent, known for characters like motivational speaker Matt Foley and, later, movies like the fan favorite 1995 classic, Tommy Boy, was hired on SNL in 1990 at 26 and passed away just seven years later.

Laraine Newman

Arguably, one of the most underrated Not Ready For Primetime Players is Laraine Newman, who might be best known as Beldar (Dan Aykroyd) and Prymaat’s (Jane Curtin) daughter, Connie, from the “Coneheads” sketches. She was also one of the original SNL cast’s youngest members, having been hired in 1975 at 23.

Chris Rock

His blistering, hilarious satirical commentaries on “Weekend Update” made Chris Rock, easily, one of the sharpest ‘90s SNL cast members. Those appearances also stood as proof that he was wise beyond his years, having joined the cast in 1990 at age 25.

Gilbert Gottfried

Before the late Gilbert Gottfried became known for movies like Beverly Hills Cop II and 1992's Aladdin (as the voice of Iago), one of his first (and lesser-known) gigs was Saturday Night Live. The comedian started his 12-episode stint as part of the cast in 1980 when he was 25.

Abby Elliot

Abby Elliott was already 7 years old when her father — future Schitt’s Creek cast member, Chris Elliott — joined the SNL cast for the 1994-1995 season. Fourteen years later, in 2008, the future member of FX’s The Bear cast became part of Studio 8H's legacy at age 21.

Damon Wayans

Years before performing bits like “Homey D. Clown” and “Men on Film” in the In Living Color cast made him a comedy all-star, Damon Wayans was hired on SNL 1985 when he was 25. As he recalled in a Weekender interview, his stint only lasted 11 episodes because he decided to go off-script while a sketch was live in progress.

Andrew Dismukes

Andrew Dismukes is one of those SNL cast members who can be seamlessly inserted into a sketch set at a high school or as a family’s teenage son. One might even be surprised to learn that the actor — who also shined as a Joker-obsessed wedding bestman in a sketch that is somehow both terrible and amazing — was as old as 25 when he joined the show in 2020.  

Ben Stiller

Five weeks after joining the SNL cast, then-23-year-old Ben Stiller quit the show, wanting to just create short films instead of perform live sketches, according to an interview with Howard Stern from 2018. The actor and filmmaker later would do exactly that on the short-lived The Ben Stiller Show — also starring non-SNL sketch comedy performer, Bob Odenkirk — but eventually came back for a few SNL hosting gigs and a recurring role as Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen.

Yvonne Hudson

Yvonne Hudson officially became the first Black female SNL cast member (and third Black cast member overall after Garrett Morris and Eddie Murphy) when she was 25. According to a Vulture interview with fellow Season 6 cast member Mitchell Kriegmann, Hudson was actually Studio 8H’s receptionist before she was brought onto the ensemble in 1980, which may explain why she has no other acting credits to her name.

Marcello Hernandez

One of the underrated Marcello Hernandez’s most popular SNL sketches — which spawned a sequel featuring Bad Bunny — saw him playing a college student bringing his girlfriend (Chloe Fineman) home to his overprotective, Spanish-speaking mother (Pedro Pascal). The comic’s college days were actually not too far away from him when that bit aired during his introductory season, having been hired in mid-2022 when he was 25.

Adam Sandler

Before Adam Sandler’s movies started to really launch him toward icon status in his 30s, the comic was making a name for himself on SNL while still in his 20s. The actor behind characters like Opera Man and songs like “Lunch Lady Land” first came onto the show when he was 25 in 1991.

Ellen Cleghorne

Ellen Cleghorne, SNL’s second Black, female cast member, was hired in 1991 when she was 26 and stayed on until 1995. Outside of Studio 8H, she is known for appearing in blockbusters like Armageddon as well as several comedies featuring fellow SNL veterans, such as Little Nicky opposite Adam Sandler and Old School with Will Ferrell.

Jay Mohr

Highlights of Jay Mohr’s two-year SNL stint, which began in 1993 when he was 23, include his impressive impersonations of celebrities like Christopher Walken and Billy Idol. Highlights of the comic’s career since include his antagonistic role in Jerry Maguire, his Emmy nomination for executive producing Last Comic Standing (which he also hosted, originally), and appearing in the Air cast for Amazon.

Melanie Hutsell

Best known for playing Jan Brady in “Weekend Update” segments and Di for the Delta Delta Delta sorority, Melanie Hutsell came on to SNL as a featured performer in 1991 when she was 23. Some may also recognize her from her small appearance alongside the Bridesmaids cast, a recurring role on Netflix’s Lady Dynamite, and more.

Brad Hall

According to People, when Brad Hall joined the SNL cast in 1982, the then-24-year-old had already met his co-star and future wife, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, as students at Northwestern University. The couple would go on to work together again when he created her first follow-up to Seinfeld, Watching Ellie.

Laura Kightlinger

Laura Kightlinger was 25 when she joined the SNL cast in 1994, during the show’s 20th season. After a year, she found even greater success as a producer of sitcoms like Will & Grace and 2 Broke Girls, on which she also made guest appearances.

Gary Kroeger

Al Franken is not the only SNL cast member to go into politics later on. According to the Des Moines Register, Gary Kroeger, who was hired in 1982 when he was 25 years old, ran for Congress in his home state of Iowa in 2015.

Tom Davis

Tom Davis was actually hired at SNL as a writer during the first season when he was 23, but would not be brought on as a cast member until two years later in 1977. Before he passed away in 2012, he also made a cameo in the sort-of Christmas movie classic, 1983’s Trading Places, alongside Al Franken, helped write the Coneheads movie from 1993, and more.

Peter Aykroyd

When Dan Aykroyd and the rest of the Not Ready For Primetime Players left the show in 1980, his then-25-year-old younger brother, Peter, briefly joined the cast the following season. Also an Emmy-winning SNL writer and former member of the Second City comedy troupe, Aykroyd sadly passed away in November 2021 at the age of 66.

Sometimes the brightest SNL stars turn out to be among the youngest as well.

As Saturday Night Live inches closer to Season 50, the long-running variety sketch series is still going as strong as ever. Of course, in recent years, the show has continued to go through major cast changes, which is par for the course for such a long-running program. Plenty of major stars got their start on the show, before going on to even bigger gigs. That being said, how does SNL creator Lorne Michaels feel about the likes of Dan Aykroyd, Jim Belushi, Kristen Wiig and more leaving?

Many SNL alums became sitcom stars after leaving or made their mark as movie actors -- or both. From Adam Sandler to Jimmy Fallon to Tiny Fey and others, the show was the starting point for many careers. In 2022, Lorne Michaels opened up about eight cast members leaving ahead of Season 48, noting it was natural for the exiting stars, including Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson and Aidy Bryant, wanting to move on. Dan Aykroyd, who was a cast member on the late-night mainstay during its first four seasons, told Newsweek that Michaels has done a great job dealing with the constant cast rotations and praised his supportive nature:

Considering how long Saturday Night Live has been on and how many cast members the series has gone through, Lorne Michaels has seen a lot of people come and go. While it’s rarely ever easy for fans to see someone leave the program, it’s usually for a pretty good reason. In most cases, it's because a cast member is ready to move on to the next phase of their career. It’s nice knowing that Michaels is supportive, even if he's not necessarily leaping for joy over it. 

He's seen some major people step away from the stage at Studio 8H over the years. Dan Aykyrod remained on the show from 1975 to 1979. Meanwhile, John Belushi appeared on the show (and served as a writer) from 1983 to 1985. Kristen Wiig had the longest stint of the trio, starring in seven seasons, between 2005 and 2012.

While a lot of cast members have left the show over the years, there are still plenty of stars that were on SNL for a long time. Kenan Thompson is continuing his tenure as the longest-standing cast member in the show's history, as he's going on 20 years. Not long after his All That and Kenan & Kel days, the actor joined the show in 2003. He Thompson reached his 1500th sketch in 2022 and has no plans to leave. He even still gets excited for each new season, which speaks to the beloved star's non-jaded nature.

More recently, Saturday Night Live Season 49 has been pretty great. The series welcomed new cast member Chloe Troast, and James Austin Johnson and Sarah Sherman were promoted from featured players to the main cast. Emma Stone was recently welcomed to the Five-Timers Club, joining an elite group of celebrities who have hosted SNL five times or more, including Steve Martin, Martin Short, Justin Timberlake, Tina Fey, and more. Former series star Pete Davidson hosted the season premiere, which included a surprise cameo from “Tayvis.”

It’s unclear if the series will see more cast exits either during the season or just after it's done. However, should that happen, one can surmise based on Dan Aykroyd's comments that Lorne Michaels will be supportive of whoever decides to end their tenure. You can watch Saturday Night Live for yourself on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET as part of the 2023 TV schedule, and stream episodes using a Peacock subscription.

There is no genre more near and dear to my heart than comedy. The skills necessary to make others laugh -- whether live and in-person or through a screen -- are a unique and beautiful combination that should be protected at all costs. Some artists are able to do so without leaning in to touchy subjects or cursing, while others go all the way to really earn that R rating. The tactics may differ, but the end goal is the same, to bring others joy through jokes. 

Many comedians see movies as the apex of a potential career, but most don't start out their careers in Hollywood. Many grow first through either stand-up comedy or sketch comedy. This list honors them. Here's a look back at famous actors who started in either the stand-up or sketch comedy world and went on to bigger screens.

Rainn Wilson

Known as arguably one of the best characters on the hit show The Office, Rainn Wilson got his start in the arts in New York City where he studied acting at NYU. He went on to do theater both off and on Broadway as well as sketch comedy. He even did a post-modern clown show before getting his big break on the show Six Feet Under in 2001. 

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg got her start by studying drama in New York, where she landed a few stage performances before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. Like many others on this list, her comedy routine -- "The Spook Show" -- caught the attention of Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols, who helped get the young comedian to Broadway. She eventually landed her first film in Steven Spielberg's film The Color Purple, for which she earned an Oscar nomination in 1986. 

Steve Buscemi

The veteran character actor made his acting debut in 1985, but also tried his hand at stand-up comedy. Eventually, Busemi decided he "wasn't funny enough," and switched to acting instead. Buscemi has since starred in popular movies including Fargo, Resevoir Dogs, and the hit HBO Max show Boardwalk Empire.

Emma Thompson

If you're looking for a stand-up with some serious credentials, look no further than Emma Thompson. Winner of two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, a British Academy Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, the talented actor got her start in stand-up while in Cambridge. 

John Candy

Arguably one of the greatest comedy legends to ever live, John Candy led a fascinating life, getting his big break after joining the ensemble of SCTV — which is, essentially, the Canadian equivalent to SNL. In 1989, the star even added radio personality to his resume. The LA Times did a whole write-up of his syndicated, two-hour program, Radio Kandy, which sounds wild and apparently included rock music and comedy sketches featuring some of his former SCTV co-stars.

Mo'Nique

Mo'Nique started her comedy career with stand-up, heading to It's Showtime at the Apollo and Def Comedy Jam before eventually landing a leading role on TV's The Parkers. The comedian took her acting to the next level in 2009's Precious, for which she won an Academy Award.

Steve Carell

A versatile actor with numerous groundbreaking performances in both television and film, Steve Carrell was once a legend at Second City in Chicago who went on to land his dream job working on the ill-fated Dana Carvey Show, which you can learn about in Too Funny To Fail, one of the best comedy documentaries to date. Known best for his role as Michael Scott in the U.S. adaptation of The Office, Carell eventually went on to become a leading man in both comedies and dramas. 

Michael Keaton

To put himself through college where he studied acting, Michael Keaton worked as a cab and ice cream truck driver, and it wasn't until 1975 that he officially debuted on television. He did some stand-up comedy in his early 20s, which he recounted in an interview with Ellen, but he eventually found the right calling with movies.

Tina Fey

Known for her work on the smash hit show 30 Rock, Tina Fey got her start in acting at Second City which quickly led to a job at Saturday Night Live as notably one of the only female writers at the time. She got her break co-hosting Weekend Update and later went on to be a huge star in Hollywood. 

Jamie Foxx

It all started with a dare from a girlfriend to try his hand at an open mic. Flash forward some years and that performance led Jamie Foxx to multiple awards, including two Academy Awards, double digit Grammys, and three Golden Globe Awards, all while showing a versatile ability to crush performances across multiple genres and artistic art forms.

John Cleese

Coming from the United Kingdom, John Cleese is a British comic actor best known for his television work on Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers. Cleese began writing and performing in comedy revues at Clifton College in Bristol, England, and was a member of the renowned Footlights Club while a law student at the University of Cambridge. He is best known for his work with Monty Pythion, namely Monty Python And The Holy Grail. 

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais went to school at Ashmead Comprehensive School before going on to study at University College, London, where he gained a degree in Philosophy. After university, Gervais attempted to pursue a pop career with Seona Dancing, a synth-pop duo he formed with a fellow student. After forming a writing partnership with Stephen Merchant, he would go on to land his breakout role on The Office, premiering in 2001. In between all his acting gigs, he's performed plenty of stand-up and has multiple Netflix specials. 

Eddie Murphy

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, SNL star Eddie Murphy began performing his own comedy routines at 15. In 1980, the work of the soon-to-be comedy legend caught the attention of Saturday Night Live producers. In 1982, Murphy landed his first leading role in the film, 48 Hrs, which led to multiple leads in classics such as Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. He went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Dreamgirls and truly set the bar by playing six characters in the 1996 smash hit, The Nutty Professor. His '80s comedy specials are still discussed today. 

Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer is certainly better known these days for her work in numerous films including the fantastic Trainwreck, but most of those career opportunity doors opened through her stand-up comedy. She built a name for herself through her work on the live mic before mostly switching to movies.

Chris Rock

An SNL vet, Chris Rock's comedy career began in 1984 at 19 when he took the stage in the New York City club Catch a Rising Star. His performance ended up catching the eye of future comedy legend Eddie Murphy, who had been watching his act. Murphy would become a huge presence in Rock's life and served as a mentor, giving him his first break with a role in Beverly Hills Cop II.

Ron Perlman

Known for very courageous roles such as Clay Morrow on the FX show Sons Of Anarchy, Ron Perlman said his ventures as a stand-up comedian ended after a heckling exchange in the Bronx escalated and he retreated out of the venue through the back door, which seems like a strange move for such an intimidating man. 

Robin Williams

Arguably one of the best comedians of all-time, Robin Williams studied acting at the Juilliard School, which he later dropped out of to devote himself entirely to stand-up comedy before making the leap to television and movies. Known for his high energy and skillful impressions, he himself has inspired other actors to reenact some of his most dramatic real-life moments in honor of the late comedian. 

Patton Oswalt

The Prince of Queens, Patton Oswalt went from struggling in the comedy world to writing for the sketch comedy show MADtv and earning his own comedy special on HBO. He continued to impress critics and fans alike, with roles such as the voice of the lead character Remy the Rat in the Pixar film, Ratatouille. 

Richard Pryor

Unfortunately, tragedy and comedy often go hand-in-hand. Such is the case with arguably one of the genre's biggest icons, the late, great, Richard Pryor. The legend had a tough life growing up and eventually joined the military before playing nightclubs as both a musician and comedian at age 23. His comedy career was populated with milestones and achievements, as well as struggles and substance abuse before passing away in 2005 due to complications from M.S..  

Bette Midler

Bette Midler landed her first Broadway role in Fiddler on the Roof by 1966, four years before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. In 1972, she released the album The Divine Miss M, which earned her a Grammy Award, and she started making frequent appearances on late-night television shows and eventually a huge acting career. Along the way, she performed live comedy and even released an album.

Norm Macdonald

Norm Macdonald's first job was writing for The Dennis Miller Show and then Roseanne. While writing on the show, he was noticed by Lorne Michaels, who liked Norm's stand up so much that he offered the young comedian a job on Saturday Night Live in 1993.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey, who is easily considered one of the greats, was himself taken under the wing of another comedy legend, Rodney Dangerfield, who spotted the young comic in a Toronto nightclub. Carrey eventually made it to The Tonight Show which led to his role on In Living Color and parts in many comedy classics that we know and love today, such as Dumb and Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura. 

Tim Allen

Tim Allen started his career as a comedian in 1975 in a pretty peculiar way. On a dare from one of his friends, he participated in a comedy night at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, outside of Detroit. Following his release from prison in 1981 for a drug-related crime, he returned to comedy and went on to lead the hit show Home Improvement on ABC. 

Steve Martin

From community theater, to Disneyland, to the big screen, Steve Martin began his showbiz career as a teenager. After writing his own comedy routines, plays, and music, he went on to study philosophy and poetry before winning his first Emmy Award for comedy writing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour at the young age of 23.

Lily Tomlin

Initially studying biology at Wayne State University, Lily Tomlin decided to audition for a play which led to her changing her major to theatre and diving into stand-up comedy. Her stand-up was so impressive that it attracted the attention of the producers of Laugh-In, the notorious 1960s sketch comedy show. Tomlin went on to snag an Oscar nomination for her acting work.

Dana Carvey

One of SNL's most talented and beloved alumni, Dana Carvey absolutely dominated during his six seasons on Saturday Night Live, creating some of the show's most memorable characters. He never drifted far from stand-up though and has continued to take the stage and release specials.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks took the weirdest route to stand-up of anyone on this list. He was already in Hollywood and establishing a nice career when he decided to audition for a movie about stand-up comedy called Punchline. As part of that process, he developed his own stand-up routine and performed in clubs. There's even footage of it that trends every now and again.

Bob Odenkirk

Starting out as a D.J. in Illinois, Bob Odenkirk got his start in local improv workshops in Chicago, where he also did open-mic stand-up comedy for several years. In Chicago, he became friends with Robert Smigel, who would later help him become a writer for Saturday Night Live.

Larry David

Starting out in stand-up comedy, Larry David befriended Jerry Seinfeld and later went on to co-create Seinfeld. He also wrote for Friday's and Saturday Night Live and famously went on to create the all-time ridiculous show Curb Your Enthusiasm. 

Ed Helms

Ed Helms was studying improv with the Upright Citizens Brigade when he got his big break as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He later moved on to the hit NBC show The Office where he played Andy Bernard. From there, Helms went on to star in The Hangover trilogy. More importantly, he also acted in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.

Mel Brooks

There aren't many names in the world of comedy that stand larger than Mel Brooks. The legend started his career in stand-up before working as a writer for Sid Caesar's variety show Your Show of Shows from 1950 to 1954. After that, he, of course, took over Hollywood, winning an EGOT and directing classics like Blazing Saddles, The Producers and Robin Hood: Men In Tights.

Simon Pegg

A comedic force to be reckoned with in the U.K. before dropping smash hits like Sean of the Dead in the U.S., Pegg once told The Hollywood Reporter “I went into stand-up because comedy was something I enjoyed but also because it offered me a certain autonomy that I wouldn’t have if I was sitting and waiting for the phone to ring as an actor.”

Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd started performing comedy at 17 and later joined the main casts of Second City in Toronto and Chicago. Later, it was his work in the sketch comedy powerhouse Saturday Night Live that turned him into a huge name and opened the door for him to start in classics like The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters.

And those are some of the actors who also took the stage to perform stand-up or sketch comedy at some point during their careers!

Not only is Dan Aykroyd arguably one of the best Saturday Night Live cast members of all time, he’s also a comedy legend in the land of film. Looking back at some of the best ‘80s movies alone, you can see the impact the actor has had. So let’s take a walk down memory lane and talk about some of the most hilarious quotes from his projects. 

"We’re on a mission from God." -The Blues Brothers (1980) 

Dan Aykroyd’s character delivers this line many times during Blues Brothers, and it’s always hilarious. Throughout the film, the brothers use the line to justify their actions and get the band back together, overall, I think they succeed in their mission from the man upstairs. 

"You should have a job on the radio announcing the time." -Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

The best picture winner of 1989, Driving Miss Daisy is what led to Dan Aykroyd landing on the list of SNL cast members with an Oscar nomination, because of his performance as Daisy’s son Boolie. One of his more memorable, and funny, lines happened when Hoke came to pick up Daisy at 7:16, which she was baffled by. This led to Boolie saying the fantastic line above.

"Gozer the Gozerian... good evening." -Ghostbusters (1984) 

You know, when you are trying to take down a villain, what’s the harm in asking them to leave politely first? That’s exactly what Aykroyd’s Stantz tried to do as they took down Gozer the Gozerian in Ghostbusters, saying in full:

"It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses."  -The Blues Brothers (1980)

This is considered by many to be the best quote from Blues Brothers, and for good reason, it summarizes the energy of this movie perfectly. Elwood’s observations are not only factual, they’re funny, and it encapsulates his and Jake’s wild journey and their unique personalities so well.

"We’re not doctors!" -Spies Like Us (1985)

After everyone goes around the room greeting each other saying “doctor” over and over again – taking semantic satiation to a new level – Aykroyd’s Austin yells what we’re all thinking, they’re not doctors!

"You! You worthless piece of slime! You ignorant disgusting blob!" -Ghostbusters 2 (1989)

One of the reasons Ghostbusters 2 is better than you remember is how Dan Aykroyd’s Stantz delivers hilarious assertive lines at supernatural beings throughout, much like he did in the first film. In this case though, instead of addressing Gozer, he was shouting at slime for a science experiment he was conducting. 

"It's got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas. What do you say, is it the new Bluesmobile or what?"  -The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Bluesmobile is a classic car that was at the center of some of the most classic car chases, as Aykroyd’s brother laid out in his explanation of it. And it turned out to a be a pretty perfect car after Elwood went into all this detail, because the only request Jake had for it was to “fix the cigarette lighter.” 

"Listen... you smell something?" -Ghostbusters (1984)

At the very beginning of Ghostbusters, when the guys are just starting their busting careers, Dan Aykroyd’s Dr. Raymond Stantz asks this vital question as they all examine the library where the supernatural being was reported. 

"No Problem. If I can get a dessert down him, think you can throw in a couple of Paul Bunyan hats for the kids?" -The Great Outdoors (1988)

When the family goes out for dinner, Dan Aykroyd’s Roman asks about the Old’ 96er, and they find out if someone eats it the rest of the meal is free. John Candy’s Chet orders the massive steak, and proceeds to eat it. In the final moments, after the last bits of the steak are eaten, the chef says he needs to get it all down, including the gristle. And while The Great Outdoors is full of great John Candy quotes, in this scene he’s too full to say anything and the hilarious line came from Aykroyd.

"I'll have some toasted white bread, please."  -The Blues Brothers (1980)

It’s bits like this one that made me remember why The Blues Brothers is one of the best movies based on SNL characters. This interaction, where Elwood asks for only white bread, which is such an odd order, features Aykroyd, John Belushi and Aretha Franklin going back and forth about their funky diner orders. On top of this being a hilarious line, it also tips off the cook that his pals The Blues Brothers are out of prison and on a mission from god. 

"He spurned my sauce!"  -Neighbors (1981)

After Dan Aykroyd’s Vic says it’d be best if he and Ramona left, Enid begs them to stay. However, his character further explains why they should go by exclaiming that John Belushi’s Earl “spurned my sauce!” What can I say, when you put these two actors in a scene together, you get comedy gold. 

"Mom, if you want trouble - I am talking about scorched earth, no survival, wholesale destruction... body-bags and fire trouble then you just keep comin' on!" -Doctor Detroit (1983)

In an impassioned speech to Mom, who is a Chicago Crime boss, not Aykroyd’s character’s mother, his character Clifford gives an impassioned speech as his alias Doctor Detroit. What makes this truly hilarious is the fact that Clifford is actually a comparative literature professor, not a deadly chiropractor, so this speech was totally out of the norm for him. 

"What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath of God type stuff." -Ghostbusters (1984)

As Venkman (Bill Murray) and Stantz (Aykroyd)  tried to convince the mayor to let the Ghostbusters fight the evil beings, they used this biblically-based argument to convince him. What can I say? When you put these SNL alums in a scene together you get comedy perfection, which is easily the best thing about Ghostbusters!

"With the exception of you and canned cling peaches I'd be hard-pressed to find anyone or anything that doesn't know you should never leave your car keys in the ignition." -Dragnet (1987)

When you put Tom Hanks, one of the best SNL hosts, with Aykroyd, one of the best SNL cast members, you are bound to get something funny, which is what happened with Dragnet. And one of its funniest moments came after the crime-solvers car was stolen and Aykroyd’s Joe Friday insulted his partner, Hanks’ Streebek, in the most creative way. 

"Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration, don't fail me now."  -The Blues Brothers (1980)

When Jake and Elwood are being tailed by Bob and The Good ‘Ol Boys, Elwood utters this memorable expression after their rear window gets shot. While I’ve never been in this exact situation, this quote is certainly applicable anytime I get flustered on the road. 

"One minute you're up half a million in soybeans and the next, boom, your kids don't go to college and they've repossessed your Bentley. Are you with me?" -Trading Places (1983)

While approaching the New York Commodities Exchange, Aykroyd’s character Louis gives a hilariously persuasive speech in an attempt to get everyone on board with his plan. He asks them to “think big, and think positive,” before getting into the “carnage” they’re about to go through in “the pits” of this profession, as you can read in full:

"Something I loved from my childhood. Something that could never ever possibly destroy us. Mr. Stay Puft!" -Ghostbusters (1984)

Stantz accidentally thought of something from his childhood that could never hurt them, and that just happened to be Mr. Stay Puft. However, that turned out to be a pretty serious enemy for the Ghostbusters, and it resulted in all of them getting covered in marshmallow fluff.  

"Hard to believe its been only 15 minutes since I destroyed the world. In another 15 minutes, it'll all be over. Such a short time to destroy a world. And to think my high school guidance counselor said I'd never amount to anything." -Spies Like Us (1985)

Going from your average government worker to taking on a top-secret mission is quite the career jump. I think Dan Aykroyd’s character Austin reflected on this point perfectly as he spoke about what his and Chevy Chase’s characters had done, and how his high school guidance counselor didn’t think he’d do much. 

"Ah, Dr. Jones. I'm Art Weber. I spoke with your assistant and managed to secure three seats, but there might be a slight inconvenience as you will be riding on a cargo full of live poultry." -Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom (1984)

In Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Aykroyd’s Art Webber secures Indy, Willie Scott and Short Round transport on a plane so they can escape Shanghai. While it’s only a brief cameo, this funny line about less-than-ideal transportation is pretty iconic. 

"Well, we sing to it, talk to it, and say supportive, nurturing things to it." -Ghostbusters 2 (1989)

Stantz and Spengler were showing Venkman and Zeddemore their new mood slime. When Murray’s character asked how they’d been testing this gooey solution impacted by mood, Aykroyd's character responded with the above, which is obviously very serious mode of scientific experimentation.

"Try not to be so negative all the time. Why don't you offer a little... constructive criticism?"  -The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Blues Brothers is all about siblings, and this line showed off Jake and Elwood’s brotherly bond perfectly, as Aykroyd’s character quipped back at Belushi’s as he asked for “constructive criticism” rather than his negative attitude. 

"Calm yourself, Earl. I'm not gonna take you to court. That'd make for bad blood. We don't want any bad blood, especially since we'll be living next door to you for a long, long time." -Neighbors (1981)

Throughout Neighbors, Dan Aykroyd’s Vic drives John Belushi’s Earl crazy, leading him to want to do some wild things. In this scene, after Earl goes a bit cuckoo over the whole situation, Aykroyd’s character explains that after all this fuss and destruction, they won’t press charges because he and Ramona aren’t going anywhere. 

"Well, this is great. If the ionization-rate is constant for all ectoplasmic entities, we can really bust some heads... in a spiritual sense, of course." -Ghostbusters (1984)

In Ghostbusters, Aykroyd’s character is really jazzed about all the tech they have for busting supernatural beings. However, when it came time to defeat them, he was ready to “bust some heads,” but in a “spiritual sense,” duh.

"I warn you, I'm a chiropractor! I will use my skills negatively!" -Doctor Detroit (1983)

Clifford’s alias, Doctor Detroit, is a chiropractor who is reportedly trying to take over Smooth’s turf. That alone is a silly premise, but it’s even funnier when Akyroyd’s character tries to assert himself as the doctor through lines like this. 

"Ungrateful little yuppie larva. After everything we did for this city." -Ghostbusters 2 (1989)

While Ghostbusters saw our favorite supernatural exterminators saving the city, in Ghostbusters 2 they are facing the consequences of the destruction caused by the events of the first film. The boys are understandably a bit salty about this, and Stantz lets his annoyance out by insulting a birthday party of kids with this hilarious line.  

"Our courteous and efficient staff is on call 24 hours a day to serve all your supernatural elimination needs. We’re ready to believe you." -Ghostbusters (1984)

After the boys form the Ghostbusters, they decide to make a commercial to advertise their services. Obviously, their elevator pitch is genuinely hilarious as well as informative.  

"They're spies - but, not necessarily on our side." -Spies Like Us (1985) 

It’s always fun when the title of the movie gets thrown into the dialogue, which is what Chevy Chase’s Emmett did when he asked “Well, what are you saying? That they’re spies like us?”  However, Aykroyd’s Austin quickly corrected him with the hilarious line above. 

"When are you worried about my driving, Mr. l-Like-Life-In-The-Fast-Lane?" -Dragnet (1987)  

As Streebek and Friday are speeding to rescue Connie, Tom Hanks’ character, who is typically the wilder and freer one, yells at his partner to be careful. This leads to Aykroyd’s character hilariously saying the above. 

"How come Chet's kids look at him like he's Zeus and ours look at me like I'm a rack of yard tools at Sears? Why can't they connect with me?" -The Great Outdoors (1988)

In The Great Outdoors two families, one of whom is much more outdoorsy than the other, find themselves going against each other. Dan Aykroyd plays John Candy’s brother-in-law and fully realizes that his relative is more fit for the outdoors than he is, which leads to this funny quote. 

"Hey! Does this pole still work?" -Ghostbusters (1984)

After the boys decide to pursue ghostbusting full-time they need to find a base, and it comes to them in the form of an old firehouse. While touring the building Statnz is enamored by the firepole, and he humorously asks if it still works. Then, after proving it’s safe to use by sliding down it, he says:

"If you want my secrets, you'll eat my sandwich!" - My Stepmother is an Alien (1988)

In My Stepmother is an Alien, Kim Basinger plays Celeste the alien, and she’s on Earth doing research to save her own planet. However, things take a turn when she falls in love with Steve Mills (Aykroyd). So, as the two navigate their relationship, which is obviously odd, silly quotes are flying left and right, like this aggressively delivered line from the comedic actor. 

"What? Are you serious? That's great! I mean that's not great; that's terrible... Spengler, major slime-related psychokinetic event!" -Ghostbusters 2 (1989)

Listen, Stantz loves his job and he loves new scientific discoveries, so when he heard Dana’s bathtub tried to eat her, he was super excited. Although, he had to tamper that enthusiasm after he realized that while this might be scientifically exciting, it’s actually quite horrifying for literally everyone else.   

Dan Aykroyd truly is a comedy legend, and that was on full display in the 1980s when he starred in these incredible films. Overall, these quotes go to show why he’s considered one of the best of the best when it comes to comedy.  

Many Hollywood stars don't actually live in California these days. While some of the stars on this list might have a home in LA, they certainly seem to prefer to spend their off time very far away from the glitz and the glamour. Here are just some of the many stars that live outside of the Golden State. 

Nicole Kidman - Nashville

Nicole Kidman and her husband (and fellow Aussie) Keith Urban have quite a few homes around the world, including LA and their native Australia, but it's the greater Nashville area that they call home most of the time. 

Meryl Streep - Connecticut

21-time Oscar nominee Meryl Streep was born in New Jersey, went to school at Vassar and Yale, and certainly strikes me as an east coast type of person. While she's lived in LA at times throughout her career, it's Connecticut that she's called home for most of her adult life. She's lived in Salisbury for decades now. 

John Goodman - New Orleans

John Goodman spent years living in LA, but in the '90s he'd had enough of California and he and his Louisiana-born wife made a choice between his hometown of St. Louis, and her home state. They moved to New Orleans, where they've been ever since. 

Matthew McConaughey - Austin

You can take the boy out of Texas, but you can't take the Texas out of the boy. Matthew McConaughey was born in Uvalde, TX, went to school in Austin, and has long lived on a ranch near the Texas state capital and getting fed up with the paparazzi in Malibu.

Bill Murray - Charleston, SC

Bill Murray has lived all over the place, LA, NYC, and Chicago... but he's a known fixture around Charleston, South Carolina and even owns his own restaurant in town called Harold's Cabin. He's also invested in the Charleston minor league baseball team. 

Harrison Ford - Jackson Hole, WY

Harrison Ford moved to LA in the '60s to follow his acting dreams, but once he hit it big, he bailed out. While he does own a home in Brentwood, he spends most of his time at his 800-acre ranch outside Jackson Hole, WY. The ranch has been his primary residence since the 1980s and it seems he prefers to call that home. 

Demi Moore - Idaho

When Covid hit in early 2020, Demi Moore and her daughters holed up together in her longtime house in Sun Valley, Idaho. They were soon joined by her ex-husband and father to her daughters, Bruce Willis. Eventually, Willis' current wife Emma Heming, and her child with Willis also joined the big happy family. Moore has lived in Sun Valley for years and it's often featured on her Instagram page.

Jeff Daniels - Chelsea, MI

Jeff Daniels grew up in the small town of Chelsea, Michigan and as soon as he could after finding success in Hollywood, he moved back. He's a true small-town kind of guy and it makes perfect sense. While he makes his money in Hollywood, his heart is always in Michigan. 

Chris Rock - New Jersey

Chris Rock has always been an East Coast guy. Though he was born in South Carolina, his family moved to Brooklyn when he was a baby. He grew up in Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy. He started his comedy career in New York City, and for a couple of decades has lived in Alpine, New Jersey.

John Travolta - Ocala, FL

John Travolta loves to fly and is a first-class plane spotter. As such, he seems to have found the perfect place to live. The Pulp Fiction star has called Ocala, FL home for decades now. While that might sound odd, it's not when you find out his house backs up to an actual airport, so he can park his planes right at home. Sounds pretty awesome. 

Tom Cruise - Clearwater, FL

Superstar Tom Cruise actually has houses all over the world. LA and London, for starters. The most surprising place he's owns property though has to be Clearwater, FL. Cruise has what's described in the Tampa newspaper as a "sprawling penthouse" just blocks from the headquarters of the Church of Scientology, to which he has long been an outspoken member, so it makes sense. 

Taylor Swift - Nashville

Music star Taylor Swift grew up in Pennsylvania and Nashville and still has a home in the latter, where she seems to spend a lot of her time when she's not on the road. In fact, she has homes all over the place, including LA, Rhode Island, and New York City. 

Chris Evans

Chris Evans grew up just outside of Boston in the suburb of Sudbury, MA. Even though he's become one of the biggest stars in the world, he's stayed close to home. He and his new bride live nearby where he grew up in Massachusetts, after getting married in Boston. 

Chris Hemsworth - Byron Bay

The Australian native Chris Hemsworth couldn't ignore the siren call of home. After years in Hollywood becoming one of the biggest stars in the world, he decided it was time to move home. He and his wife Elsa Pataky settled in a small surfing community south of Brisbane called Byron Bay in 2015 and have never looked back. 

Tommy Lee Jones - Texas

Tommy Lee Jones doesn't seem to care much for the trappings of fame, though he has used some of the money he's earned as an actor to buy a huge tract of land in Texas. Jones might be Harvard-educated and work in Hollywood, but he's Texas through and through. 

Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani - Tishomingo, OK

Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani might be Hollywood's most unlikely couple, at least until you see them together. Less surprising is that they split time between her home stomping grounds in LA and his in Oklahoma. The two built a house on Shelton's ranch in Tishomingo, OK, where they spend most of their time. 

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds - Bedford, NY

The enduring couple of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds don't seem to be interested in big city living, instead opting for the small upstate town of Bedford, NY They maintain a couple of other houses, but their real home is in Westchester County, NY, where they live a quiet, but luxurious life in a small enclave with some celebrity neighbors including Martha Stewart and Micheal Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. 

Mark Ruffalo - Callicoon, NY

Mark Ruffalo is another actor who prefers the peace and quiet of small-town America to the bright lights of Hollywood. The Avengers star and his wife Sunny live in the tiny berg of Callicoon in the Catskill mountains of New York State. 

Elijah Wood - Austin

Elijah Wood doesn't actually live in a shire, like his Lord of the Rings character, but he doesn't live in a huge city, either. Wood has called Austin, TX home for years and a when he was on Hot Ones, he explained where to get all the best meals in town. 

Dave Chappelle - Yellow Springs, OH

Yellow Springs, Ohio might be the last place you'd expect to find a celebrity living among us, but when you understand Dave Chappelle's background, it makes perfect sense. The legendary comedian grew up in Yellow Springs and though he's made a name for himself in Hollywood, the Ohio town is clearly the place he calls home. 

Julia Roberts - Taos, NM

Many years ago, Julia Roberts bought a ranch in Taos, NM, and it seems every year, she spends more and more time there. She even married her husband Danny Moder there. While she does split time in a house in Malibu, closer to work, she seems to prefer the peaceful life of Taos, as she's explained in the past. 

Daniel Day-Lewis - Ireland

Long before Daniel Day-Lewis decided to retire from acting, he had settled into living in Ireland’s County Wicklow. It's hardly surprising that an actor like Lewis would shun the spotlight, after all, he really only worked when the part really fascinated him, and he retired in 2017 despite unparalleled success as a performer. 

John Cena - Land o' Lakes, Florida

Don't confuse John Cena's hometown of Land o' Lakes, Florida for a stick of butter. The Fast X star has lived in the town outside Tampa for a long time. Even as his star has risen in Hollywood, with a major role in the DCEU as Peacemaker both in The Suicide Squad and his own show, The Peacemaker, Cena has resisted moving to California. 

Vera Farmiga - Woodstock, NY

Upstate New York is a popular place for stars to escape the public eye and Vera Farmiga is one of the stars that prefers it that way. The Many Saints of Newark actor lives in the famous artist colony of Woodstock in the Hudson Valley, following in a long tradition of celebrities retreating to the woods to get out of the spotlight, even when she's popping into rock shows in Woodstock to play Iron Maiden covers in a bar band. 

Woody Harrelson - Maui, HI

Woody Harrelson is definitely a man who moves to the beat of his own drummer, so the fact that he lives in Hawaii is hardly a shock. He even semi-retired for a while at the height of his career. While he's not "off the grid", he's certainly off the beaten path. Thankfully, his home was unaffected by the tragic wildfires earlier this year. 

John Mayer - Livingstone, MT

John Mayer has settled down into a much quieter life in recent years. The Dead & Co guitar player has found peace and quiet in the small Montana town of Livingstone. While life on the road certainly has its wild times, one would think, it must be nice for Mayer to get back home for some relaxing peace. 

Ken Jennings - Seattle, WA

Despite being named co-host of Jeopardy! a couple of years ago, and really taking a shine to the gig that shoots in LA, Ken Jennings does not seem to have plans to permanently relocate to Southern California. Jennings and his family have long called Seattle home and it seems he's happy to commute when it's time to shoot new episodes of the legendary game show. 

Robert De Niro - New York City

It's hard to imagine Robert De Niro living anywhere but New York. He just doesn't seem to be a California type of guy at all, right? He even helped get the Tribeca Film Festival off the ground, which bolstered not only NYC but the actual neighborhood he lives in in Manhattan as it struggled to recover from the 9/11 attacks. 

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence is bi-coastal, for sure. She does have a house in LA, but her husband Cooke Maroney is an art dealer whose business and gallery are in New York City, so she seems to spend most of the time she's not working in the Big Apple. 

Dan Aykroyd - Sydenham, Ontario

Dan Aykroyd has always been proud to be Canadian and he's been a longtime resident of Sydenham, Ontario, near Kingston, ON, not too far from where he grew up in Ottawa. 

Jennifer Hudson - Chicagoland Area

Superstar Jennifer Hudson is a Chicago girl and as such, she's stayed close to home. She may be a worldwide star, but Chicago is what made her who she is today and despite the means to live anywhere, Hudson chooses to live in the suburb of Burr Ridge, outside Chi-Town. 

Nikki Glaser - St. Louis, MO

Despite being the hometown of a lot of huge stars like John Goodman, Sterling K. Brown, Jenna Fischer, and Jon Hamm, most don't stay in town. The exception to that rule is comedian and comedy roast specialist Nikki Glaser. She moved back during the pandemic and found it much more fulfilling to live in her hometown than on either coast. 

While Los Angeles may be the city of dreams, it's not always the city of permanent residence for stars that have reached those lofty heights. Most may get their start on the West Coast but many of the biggest stars in the world don't live in California. 

We could talk forever about our favorite SNL actors and their funniest sketches, but when was the last time we showed our appreciation for the people who were the real brains behind the operation? That is what we intend to do here as we look back at some of Saturday Night Live’s most celebrated bits and characters as we share the stories behind those who wrote them into reality.

NPR's Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls (Ana Gasteyer)

The glorious piece of suggestive comedy that is “Schweddy Balls” is just one — let alone, arguably, the funniest — edition of a recurring sketch called “NPR’s Delicious Dish,” which was the brainchild of one of its stars, Ana Gasteyer. The Happiest Season cast member recalled to NPR — of all places — that she was still part of the improv comedy troupe, The Groundlings, when gastronomic radio shows from LA called “The Splendid Table” and “Good Food” inspired her to write the bit. 

Close Encounter (Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell)

We have SNL actor Mikey Day and writing partner Streeter Seidell to thank for what is widely considered one of Kate McKinnon’s best SNL sketches, “Close Encounter.” According to Day and Seidell’s talk with Vulture, they knew that host Ryan Gosling would not be able to stop laughing at Colleen Rafferty’s horrendous experience with an alien abduction because he wasn’t able to hold it together during any of the rehearsals.

The Olympia Cafe (Don Novello)

Comedian Don Novello is best known for playing Father Guido Scarducci on SNL, but he is also the unsung hero of “The Olympia Cafe,” which some may recognize better as the “cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger” sketch. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, the bit was inspired by an actual Chicago restaurant called the Billy Goat Tavern, which Novello and the sketch’s star, John Belushi, would frequent.

Matt Foley: Van Down By The River (Chris Farley, Bob Odenkirk, And Robert Smigel)

After seeing Chris Farley perform at Second City as his character, Matt Foley, Bob Odenkirk was inspired to write the sketch that introduced the motivational speaker to SNL in 1993. However, as the former Breaking Bad cast member revealed on Hot Ones, it was Robert Smigel’s last-minute idea for Farley to fall down onto the table.

More Cowbell (Will Ferrell) 

According to Rolling Stone, the faint sound of the cowbell on Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” inspired Will Ferrell to write a now-classic sketch — that Christopher Walken believes ruined his life — revolving around the one playing the obscure instrument on the 1976 hit. He later discovered from an SNL art department employee whose father worked on the Agents of Fortune album that he had unwittingly captured the characteristics of the song’s real cowbell player… save the low-cut sweater and overzealous gyration.

Church Chat (Dana Carvey And Rosie Shuster)

On an SNL 40th Anniversary retrospective by People, Dana Carvey recalls performing as the Church Lady in his pre-SNL days at clubs, where he spontaneously improvised her famous catchphrase, “Isn’t that special?” He teamed up with writer Rosie Shuster to develop the character’s SNL debut, leading to the creation of “Church Chat” — which Carvey would revive as a host in later years.

Wayne's World (Mike Myers)

According to Primetimer, when Mike Myers showed then-SNL writers Conan O’Brien, Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, and Greg Daniels his idea for “Wayne’s World,” they politely advised him against pitching it in the writer’s room. Well, the joke is on those nobodies because the sketch — a cable access program filmed in Wayne’s (Myers) basement and co-hosted by Dana Carvey’s Garth — was a huge hit that inspired one of the best SNL movies ever.

Haunted Elevator (Ft. David S. Pumpkins) (Bobby Moynihan, Mikey Day, and Streeter Seidell)

Wanting to break free from the political-heavy humor of SNL’s 42nd season, Bobby Moynihan, Mikey Day, and Streeter Seidell — after much trial and error — crafted a sketch for the Halloween show featuring a strange man who would become one of Tom Hanks’ best SNL characters: David S. Pumpkins. According to Vulture’s oral history, the trio was astonished by the success of “this dumb, dumb thing” that even inspired an animated special on NBC the following year.

Mom Jeans (Tina Fey)

In an interview with Jess Cage for Sirius XM, Tina Fey recalls purchasing a “really unfortunate pair of jeans” at J. Crew, and she decided to use that as fuel on writing night at Studio 8H. The result was one of SNL’s funniest commercial parodies, for which the future 30 Rock cast member and creator wore a prosthetic stomach and rear end.

MacGruber (Jorma Taccone)

Played by Will Forte, easily distracted special forces agent MacGruber was first envisioned by Jorma Taccone — one-third of the Lonely Island — according to Vanity Fair’s oral history. Having later spawned a feature film and a Peacock original series, you could argue that the recurring sketch hit a level of attention that resembled the love for the TV show that inspired it, MacGyver (whose star, Richard Dean Anderson, cameoed in one edition).

Two Wild And Crazy Guys (Dan Aykroyd, Steve Martin, Marilyn Suzanne Miller)

In collaboration with writer Marilyn Suzanne Miller (according to Ultimate Classic Rock), Dan Aykroyd partnered with SNL host hall-of-famer Steve Martin to create the Festrunk Brothers, who are better known as the “wild and crazy guys!” The Czechoslovakian swingers became a staple of the show, and they would return in more recent years alongside another famous duo: Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg’s highly inappropriate R&B singers.

Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton Address the Nation (Seth Meyers)

One of SNL’s sharpest pieces of political satire sees Sen. Hillary Clinton (Amy Poehler) struggling to remain civil during a non-partisan appearance alongside Gov. Sarah Palin (Tina Fey) in response to the latter’s Vice Presidential nomination. According to Vulture, then-head writer Seth Meyers penned that legendary SNL cold open, which also featured a few jokes by Poehler and Fey and Palin’s iconic line “I can see Russia from my house,” courtesy of Late Night producer Mike Shoemaker.

Stefon (Bill Hader And John Mulaney)

At The New Yorker Festival in 2014, Bill Hader recalled how a flamboyant barista he frequently bumped into and a strange email John Mulaney received about an aspiring club owner’s bizarre ideas — including “a room full of broken glass” — were the catalysts for Stefon. Hader also mentions that he tested the character in a particularly forgettable sketch opposite host Ben Affleck before making him Weekend Update’s city correspondent. The former Barry cast lead has never been able to play the role without laughing and covering his face, thanks to Mulaney’s last-minute cue card additions and Seth Meyers’ immaculate patience.

Lazy Sunday (The Lonely Island, Chris Parnell)

Chris Parnell was SNL’s resident rap star before the emergence of The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer), which is why they asked him to collaborate on a music video about him and Samberg seeing The Chronicles of Narnia. As they recall in Variety’s oral history, “Lazy Sunday” made SNL Digital Shorts a celebrated event, skyrocketed The Lonely Island’s stardom, and, most importantly, dawned a new era of viral comedy.

The Coneheads (Dan Aykroyd)

In the book Live From New York: The Complete Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, Dan Aykroyd recalls how he was watching TV in a heightened state of mind, and he noticed that people’s heads rarely hit the top of the screen. This gave him the idea for a sketch about characters with noggins that are several inches taller than the average humans, who eventually became the out-of-this-world family known as The Coneheads. 

Celebrity Jeopardy! (Norm Macdonald)

As the late Norm Macdonald revealed to Howard Stern (via SoundCloud), we have SCTV to thank for "Celebrity Jeopardy!” The comedian — who also played Burt “Turd Ferguson” Reynolds — took inspiration from the Canadian sketch comedy series’ game show parody “Half Wits” when crafting this recurring bit featuring Will Ferrell as an Alex Trebek driven mad by absent-minded famous people and taunting from Sean Connery (Darrell Hammond).

Debbie Downer (Rachel Dratch And Paula Pell)

Rachel Dratch recalled to Salon that while vacationing she told someone at a communal dining table that she was from New York, to which the stranger replied, “Were you there for 9/11?” That ultimately inspired her to team up with Paula Pell — with whom she later reunited for Wine Country — to create the character Debbie Downer, whose debut SNL sketch did not go as planned, but was all the more memorable for it.

Spelling Bee (Will Forte)

On a Reddit AMA hosted by Will Forte (via AMATranscripts.com), one user asked if the actor’s insanely long misspelling of the word “business” in Season 31’s “Spelling Bee” was recited as written or all spontaneous. The MacGruber cast lead revealed that the bit originated from his days on the improv comedy troupe, The Groundlings, and that he would have listed off even more random letters in the SNL sketch if he wasn’t being directly followed by musical guest Neil Young.

The Ladies Man (Tim Meadows, Dennis McNicholas, and Andrew Steele)

A character as lewd and crude as Leon Phelps might not be so successful these days, but, then again, it’s hard not to be charmed by any role portrayed by Tim Meadows. While promoting the 2000 movie, The Ladies Man, the Mean Girls cast member revealed to The Crimson that the lispy voice was his biggest contribution to the character, who was initially conceived by Dennis McNicholas and Andrew Steele.

The Californians (Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, And James Anderson)

While speaking to Seth Meyers on Late Night, Bill Hader shared how he and Fred Armisen would kill time before table reads by mockingly describing how they would get around in LA while donning over-the-top West Coast accents. Sometime later, Hader learned that Armisen and writer James Anderson took that gag, made it into a soap opera, and, thus, “The Californians” was born.

Girl Watchers (Conan O'Brien, Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, And Greg Daniels) 

Retired late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien actually came up with a few of Tom Hanks’ best SNL sketches, such as “Girl Watchers,” in which the Oscar winner and Jon Lovitz comment on their losing streak with the ladies with contrarian confidence. O’Brien shared on Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, how he jokingly demonstrated this characteristic on a whim while hanging out with fellow SNL writers Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, and Greg Daniels, who all worked together to turn into the classic sketch.

Hans And Franz (Kevin Nealon And Dana Carvey)

While Arnold Schwarzenegger has never hosted SNL, he would make a cameo alongside fellow Austrian bodybuilders, Hans and Franz. It probably comes as no surprise that the Terminator star — who was even interested in doing the scrapped Hans and Franz movie — is also the inspiration for the characters. Kevin Nealon told Juice that it all started when he and Dana Carvey caught an interview with the actor on TV that compelled them to talk like him for days.

Diner Lobster (John Mulaney And Colin Jost)

Season 43’s “Diner Lobster” was an instant classic that started a tradition of Broadway-inspired sketches anytime John Mulaney hosts SNL, but its road to success was longer than you may think. The comedian and Weekend Update anchor Colin Jost revealed in a featurette that they actually wrote the sketch eight years earlier, but no one wanted to touch it at the time.

Lunch Lady Land (Adam Sandler, Bob Odenkirk, Tim Herlihy, And Allen Covert)

One of Adam Sandler and Chris Farley’s funniest collaborations was a musical sketch set to a song called “Lunch Lady Land,” which the Uncut Gems star did not write himself. According to Uproxx, his co-composers were Bob Odenkirk, Tim Herlihy (father of Please Don’t Destroy’s Martin Herlihy), and Allen Covert.

Weekend Update: The Iceberg On The Sinking Of The Titanic (Bowen Yang And Anna Drezen)

The bit that made Bowen Yang one of SNL’s biggest stars was his viral “Weekend Update” appearance as the Iceberg that sank Titanic, who believes he is the real victim of the tragedy. He spoke to former SNL star-turned-Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon about how writer Anna Drezen texted him about the concept months before they decided to give it a try, despite not having much faith in it at the time.

Mary Katherine Gallagher (Molly Shannon)

Apparently, an unnamed SNL writer did not believe that Molly Shannon’s character Mary Katherine Gallagher had a chance of making it onto the show, as she told People in 2015. Luckily, the nervous schoolgirl did make it onto air and the White Lotus cast member’s energy and commitment to the role made her a hit. Even Whitney Houston would agree to appear alongside this superstar.

What Up With That? (Kenan Thompson, Bryan Tucker, And Rob Klein)

According to Rolling Stone, Kenan Thompson — the longest-running SNL cast member — came up with an idea in 2009 for a talk show host who becomes obsessively unable to stop singing his own theme song. After bringing the idea to fellow writers Bryan Tucker and Rob Klein and teaming up with musical director Katrees Barnes for the song, the idea eventually made it onto the show as “What Up With That?” which became a recurring hit.

Target Lady (Kristen Wiig)

Academy Award-nominated SNL star Kristen Wiig could be the show’s greatest female cast member, judging purely on the amount of diverse characters she has brought to the table, such as “Target Lady.” She told James Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio that the role — originally conceived for The Groundlings — was inspired by an actual Target cashier she met with an “eggy” voice.

Papyrus (Julio Torres)

Ryan Gosling gives one of his funniest performances ever in a pre-taped SNL bit as a man driven insane by the fact that the logo for one of the most popular movies of all time, Avatar, is just a modified version of the common font “Papyrus.” Julio Torres told EW that this was initially a joke he used in stand-up until the Oscar-nominated actor suggested turning it into the hilarious viral hit that even James Cameron responded to.

Super Bass-O-Matic ’76 (Dan Aykroyd)

A 12-year-old Dan Aykroyd once witnessed his aunt — a Canadian cooking show personality — dump a whole fish, bones and all, in a blender for a bouillabaisse. That story, which he revealed to The Food Channel, was his inspiration for one of his funniest faux infomercials, “Super Bass-O-Matic ’76.”

The Barry Gibb Talk Show (Jimmy Fallon, Steve Higgins, Ken Scarborough)

Out of Jimmy Fallon’s many great collaborations with Justin Timberlake, one of the funniest is “The Barry Gibb Talk Show.” While having the actual surviving Bee Gees as guests on Late Night, Fallon recalled how he and his future sidekick, Steve Higgins, actually crafted the sketch together with fellow writer Ken Scarborough, who went on to become the head writer of Sesame Street.

Foreign Man: Mighty Mouse (Andy Kaufman)

On the very first episode of SNL, Andy Kaufman appeared, nervously starring at the audience while playing the theme song to Mighty Mouse and only exhibiting a more confidant demeanor to lip-sync the lyric, “Here I come to save the day!” According to Fandom’s SNL wiki page, the very bizarre bit — something totally on brand for the legendary comedian — was a branch of his character known as “Foreign Man,” which was one of his earlier and most iconic acts.

If you have ever found yourself watching one of these classic SNL sketches and wondered who came up with these ideas and how, now you know.

In its nearly half a century on the air, Saturday Night Live has launched the careers of many icons who would go on to score some truly remarkable achievements. In fact, there are quite a few who have received attention from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for the talents they expressed on the big screen and, in some cases, from behind the camera. Let’s take a look at all the SNL stars with an Oscar nomination (and one with an Oscar win)… so far.

Dan Aykroyd (Best Supporting Actor, Driving Miss Daisy)

Following his stint as a founding SNL cast member, Dan Aykroyd went on to have a stellar movie career — including a few movies based on SNL characters, like The Blues Brothers. However, it is one of his more dramatic roles as Boolie Werthan in 1989’s Driving Miss Daisy that earned him recognition from The Academy. While Aykroyd did not take home the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, the film took home four statuettes for Best Picture, Actress (Jessica Tandy), Makeup, and Adapted Screenplay.

George Coe (Best Live Action Short, De Düva: The Dove)

George Coe — who actually starred in the Best Picture Oscar winner Kramer vs. Kramer — was only credited as a Not Ready For Primetime Player on SNL’s very first episode, and he went on to occasionally appear in sketches throughout the freshman run. However, years earlier, he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short for 1968’s De Düva: The Dove, which he co-directed with Anthony Lover. The filmmaker — who passed away in 2015 — also acted in the 15-minute parody of Ingmar Bergman films, alongside two-time Oscar nominee Madeline Kahn and Pamela Burrell of 1980's Popeye fame.

Joan Cusack (Best Supporting Actress, Working Girl And In & Out)

While only lasting on SNL for one season from 1985 to 1986, Joan Cusack went on to become the first alum to earn two Academy Award nominations not long after. Her first nod, for Best Supporting Actress, was for stealing the show in 1988’s Working Girl as Cyn. Her second nomination — and in the same category — was for her hilarious performance as one of the best ‘90s movie supporting characters, Emily Montgomery, in 1997’s In & Out.

Robert Downey Jr. (Win: Best Supporting Actor, Oppenheimer; Nominations: Best Actor, Chaplin; Best Supporting Actor, Tropic Thunder)

Though his single year on SNL is often forgotten, former Marvel movies star Robert Downey Jr. is known today as one of Hollywood’s most dynamic talents and his performances as recognized by the Academy are proof of why. He was first nominated for a dramatic performance as silent-era comedian Charlie Chaplin in Richard Attenborough’s 1992 biopic, Chaplin, and again for his comedic performance as horribly misguided dramatic actor, Kirk Lazarus, in director Ben Stiller’s bold satire, Tropic Thunder, from 2008. He would finally take home the Best Supporting Actor Oscar (and become the first winning SNL cast alum) at the 2024 Academy Awards for his mesmerizing portrayal in Cristopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer cast as Lewis Strauss.

Michael McKean (Best Original Song, A Mighty Wind)

While best known to modern audiences for his Emmy-nominated work as Better Call Saul character, Chuck McGill, Michael McKean’s all-time biggest claim-to-fame are his collaborations with director and co-star (as well as fellow SNL alum) Christopher Guest on hilarious faux documentaries like Best in Show — one of the best movies of the 2000s — and A Mighty Wind. 

The latter 2003 comedy — about a folk music reunion concert — was nominated for one Oscar for the original song, “A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow,” which McKean wrote with Annette O’Toole for Mitch & Mickey (Schitt’s Creek cast members Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara) to perform.

Laurie Metcalf (Best Supporting Actress, Lady Bird)

You would be forgiven if Laurie Metcalf's two contributions to SNL — a brief bit on “Weekend Update” and a short film also starring Catherine O’Hara — slipped your mind. She is much better known anyway for her role as Jackie on Roseanne (and The Conners), playing Sheldon's mom on The Big Bang Theory, and her Oscar-nominated role in writer and director Greta Gerwig's acclaimed A24 movie, 2017's Lady Bird, as the mother of the title character.

Eddie Murphy (Best Supporting Actor, Dreamgirls)

Another SNL veteran who has tried his hand at making music is Eddie Murphy, who had a Rick James-produced hit in 1985 with “Party All the Time.” However, some might say the peak of his musical talents (and acting talents) was his performance in one of his best movies, Dreamgirls, as titillating R&B singer, James “Thunder” Early. The role — seen as a comeback for the comedy legend at the time — earned Murphy a Golden Globe win and an Oscar nomination, but, much to the surprise of many, the statuette ultimately went to Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine.

Bill Murray (Best Actor, Lost In Translation)

After joining SNL as Chevy Chase’s replacement, Bill Murray, arguably, became an even bigger icon after he left the show — partially because of his willingness to branch out beyond comedy. Of course, writer and director Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation — one of the best movies produced by Focus Features — is not without its funny moments, but Murray’s performance as a fading movie star working as a spokesperson for a Japanese whiskey is a captivating meditation on loneliness. The Ghostbusters star absolutely earned his Oscar nomination for the role and, as some might argue, should have won.

Randy Quaid (Best Supporting Actor, The Last Detail)

The second person to become an SNL cast member with an Academy Award nomination before joining the show (after George Coe) was Randy Quaid, who was a regular for the 1985-1986 season. The performance that put the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation cast member in the running for an Oscar was 1973’s The Last Detail. He played Larry Meadows — a Navy seaman, dishonorably discharged for stealing, whom two first-class officers (Jack Nicholson and Otis Young) decide to show a good time before bringing him to prison.

Kristen Wiig (Best Original Screenplay, Bridesmaids)

The only Bridesmaids cast member to be recognized by the Academy for acting was Melissa McCarthy, but the brilliant Kristen Wiig — a member of, arguably, the best cast in SNL history — still got some deserved attention. Her script for the beloved 2011 comedy, which she co-wrote with her future Barb and Star co-star, Annie Mumolo, was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay that year. 

In addition to Robert Downey Jr’s win for acting in Oppenheimer, there are a couple of former backstage Studio 8H employees who have taken home Oscars – such as former SNL music director, Howard Shore. He won three Academy Awards for Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movies (scoring The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King and co-writing the song, “Into the West,” from the latter). Also, former writer Adam McKay has seven nominations under his belt, with one win for adapting The Big Short with Charles Randolph. 

Now, we'll just have to wait and see if and when any more Saturday Night Live alums from behind and in front of the camera become Oscar darlings.

You may have heard of Jann Wenner, the magazine head honcho who co-founded Rolling Stone Magazine, not to mention helped get the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame together in Cleveland. He was also a man about the town in New York (and San Francisco) in the seventies, eighties and beyond, where he knew the likes of Lorne Michaels and many of the stars from Saturday Night Live, including John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. The latter two at one point took an assignment for the magazine and played one of the more over-the top pranks I’ve ever learned about. Yes, the two involved Wenner in a prank about manslaughter. 

The Epic Arrest Prank John Belushi And 'Danny' Aykroyd Once Pulled

In his biography Like a Rolling Stone, the longtime socialite told the story. He was at home one night before his magazine moved coasts. Dan Aykroyd, or “Danny,” as Wenner calls him, was at his home having a relaxing evening of “sniffing, sipping and smoking” when he got a call from Louisiana. The voice on the other line had some bad news: he had in custody the two SNL knuckleheads, who were allegedly in custody and were saying they were on assignment for Wenner. The man, who identified himself as the “sheriff of Plaquemines Parish” said:

According to what Wenner wrote in his biography, he had to think fast – a difficult proposition given what he had been up to of his own accord that night. He made it clear to the sheriff that Belushi and Aykroyd were “freelancers” – not full-time employees – and worked to get the latter SNL star on the phone. 

The bit went on in that manner, until Aykroyd could stand it no longer. He got back on the line and spilled the beans. 

The Connection Between Jann Wenner And SNL

Jann Wenner met John Belushi at a party he’d thrown in New York around the time of the democratic convention in 1986. They spent significant time together. In Like A Rolling Stone, the head honcho recounted visiting the SNL star in the hospital, and also shared another incident in which he’d chided the comedian for marking up the “research department dictionary” at Rolling Stone that had cost a pretty penny. He was also an attendee at Belushi’s funeral after his death in 1982. 

His relationship with Belushi seemed relatively close, as John would often crash on his couch in San Francisco and later when Wenner would live in New York. He said his doorman loved John. In addition, the Rolling Stone magnate in New York would attend tapings at Rockefeller Center on Saturday nights, where Lorne Michaels would let him stand on the studio floor. 

But by far my favorite story from the book is this tale of Dan Aykroyd and Belushi’s practical joke from the road. The two did really travel across the South to the San Francisco offices of the rock ‘n’ roll magazine. And Dan Aykroyd really did write an article. It’s called “Jimmy Carter: New South Burn” and it was published in the magazine in 1977. 

A couple of years later, the two actors would film Blues Brothers, a comedy story based on characters they'd originated on Saturday Night Live beginning during the 1976 TV season. The movie would put the two actors back into a car together, and its legacy is definitely some of the unbelievable set memories that Belushi and Aykroyd created while filming it.  

The Ghostbusters franchise is certainly one that has shown an ability to survive the test of time. Even though only one of the first two films is generally regarded as any good, the Ghostbusters name was still enough to greenlight both a reboot and a legacy sequel in recent years. Ghostbusters: Afterlife was a big enough hit that the legacy sequel has spawned a Ghostbusters sequel of its own, but where will the franchise go from there? Dan Aykroyd has an idea.

The as-yet-untitled sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife recently wrapped production at Leavesden Studios in the UK. While the sets will stand in for American locations, Aykroyd recently told the Daily Mail that he has enjoyed working in and visiting the surrounding area, so much so that he actually has an idea for a Ghostbusters movie that would be set in the UK, not simply be filmed there. He explained…

A Ghostbusters movie set in the U.K. would certainly be a very different sort of thing for the franchise. But considering the very different places it has been already, maybe such a thing isn’t a completely crazy idea. He’s not wrong about the mythical creatures one can find there. The Ghostbusters vs. the Loch Ness Monster sounds a little wild, but who knows? Maybe it could work.

Little is known about exactly how the new movie will follow the last one. The Ghostbusters: Afterlife ending certainly indicated that the classic Ghostbusters crew might be going back to work. It's been confirmed the original Ghostbusters will once again return, though the size of the roles is unclear. Still, one assumes that the focus of the new movie will be on the same younger generation that made up the core Ghostbusters: Afterlife cast of previous film. Why they might end up in England or Scotland fighting ghosts is even harder to imagine than the OG Ghostbusters, but honestly, if the rest of the movie worked, audiences would likely overlook a slightly clunky premise.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife was a solid box office hit which was something of a surprise considering it came out during a time when audiences hadn't b been as willing to return to theaters following the pandemic closure. There is obviously a feeling that under even more favorable conditions, a new Ghostbusters movie could be a smash. We’ll find out when it comes out next year.  

Just about every single hilarious line of dialogue from The Blues Brothers is as much of a classic as the beloved ‘80s movie itself. One of the best movies about music, director John Landis’ 1980 comedy starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as their soul-singing alter egos, Jake and Elwood Blues, is still wonderfully entertaining even when no music is present, thanks to the bizarre script that makes it arguably the best movie based on Saturday Night Live characters to this day.

Now, I find myself on a mission from God to pick out the 25 funniest Blues Brothers quotes and rank them from “real cute” to “powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.” The challenge would result in the following list. Hit it.

25. "I Hate Illinois Nazis" 

Throughout the film, Jake and Elwood make enemies with quite a few people, including the local chapter of the Aryan Union (led by Henry Gibson) who set out to kill them. The pursuit begins after Jake proclaims his distaste for the bigoted organization, leading the brothers to drive right through their rally, forcing them to jump off a bridge into the river underneath.

24. “Fix The Cigarette Lighter”

After hearing Elwood describe all the reasons why the new Bluesmobile, a former police car, is one of the coolest cars in movie history, Jake points out its one flaw: the cigarette lighter needs fixing. Of course, that would not be the case if Jake had not thrown the device out the window after lighting his cigarette moments earlier.

23. “Use Of Unnecessary Violence In The Apprehension Of The Blues Brothers HAS Been Approved”

Even with all of the trouble that Jake and Elwood get themselves into, it is insane to see just how many law enforcement officials end up chasing them in the final climax. By then, a police dispatcher announces via radio that getting violent to an “unnecessary” degree in order to catch them is encouraged.

22. "Your Women. I Want To Buy Your Women. The Little Girl, Your Daughters... Sell Them To Me. Sell Me Your Children!"

Jake and Elwood sometimes have to cause trouble in order to entice some of their bandmates to come back, especially trumpeter Alan “Mr. Fabulous” Rubin who is a maître d’ at the luxurious French restaurant, Chez Paul. After a very bothersome display, the final straw comes when Jake bothers a man sitting nearby with offers to purchase his wife and young daughters – something I would sue the establishment over if it happened to me.

21. "...It Wasn't My Fault, I Swear To God!"

When Jake and Elwood come face to face with the vengeful woman Jake left at the altar (played by Carrie Fisher in one of her best non-Star Wars movie roles), he comes up with an elaborate list of excuses before desperately pleading his innocence. His alibis for missing the wedding include the likes of a flat tire and a stolen car before he gets biblical and names an “earthquake, a terrible flood, locusts.”

20. "So, Jake, You're Out, You're Free, You're Rehabilitated. What's Next?... You Got The Money You Owe Us, Motherfucker?"

When Jake and Elwood begin their crusade to put the band back together and, eventually, put on a show to save the orphanage where they grew up, we discover that they are not exactly on the best terms with their former bandmates. We figure this out through this condescending greeting by drummer Willie “Too Big” Hall (starring as himself, along with the rest of the Blues Brothers Band), who reveals Jake has been indebted to them since before he entered the joint.

19. "You Know, I Kind Of Like The Wrigley Field Bit"

The Blues Brothers is also one of the best John Candy movies, in which the late, beloved comedian plays Det. Burton Mercer, who helps track the brothers down. He steals scene after scene with some brilliant quotes, such as this one when he shows some admiration for Elwood’s “real cute” idea to fake his address as 1060 W. Addison Street, which is where the Chicago Cubs play.

18. "I've Always Loved You"

Near the end of the film, two of the Illinois Nazis become so distracted by their pursuit that they drive off an unfinished bridge. As their car falls from an absurdly high altitude, Gruppenfuehrer (Eugene J. Anthony) sees this as a perfect opportunity to confess his true feelings for his leader.

17. "Did You Get Me My Cheez Whiz, Boy?"

The Blues Brothers is one of the few movies that masterfully turns random events into comedy gold, such as when makeup artist Layne “Shotgun” Britton cameos as an elderly gentlemen at Elwood’s apartment building who apparently asked him to go shopping for him earlier.

16. "Hey, Jake. Gotta Be At least $7 Worth Of Change Here"

The ruthless pursuit of Carrie Fisher’s unnamed character to murder Jake and Elwood is, perhaps, the best random running gag in the movie. One attempt — taking a flame-thrower to a phone booth next to a gas tank which launches the brothers into the heavens — just results in a massive spill of coins, which is not quite enough money to save the orphanage.

15. "So Often That You Won't Even Notice It" 

Probably the most admirable of the brothers’ distinct characteristics is their unbridled optimism. One of the most definitive and hilarious examples is when Jake asks him how often the train right next to Elwood’s apartment passes, and this is how his brother replies.

14. "Jake Ain't Lying, Though. We Had A Band Powerful Enough To Turn Goat Piss Into Gasoline"

I do not think that I could ever come up with a better metaphor to describe the profound effect of great, soulful music like what the Blues Brothers Band specializes in than what bass player Donald “Duck” Dunn comes up with here. It almost makes me wish there was a moment when a goat actually takes a leak in the Bluesmobile’s gas tank outside during a performance and fuels the car with no issue. I really don’t think that would feel out of place here.

13. "I Knew A Hooker Once Named Minnie Mazzola" 

Needing to stall the big show while Jake and Elwood are running late, their old music mentor, Curtis (the real hero of this ‘80s movie), asks the band if they know “Minnie the Moocher” — one of the best-known hits by the legendary musician playing him, Cab Calloway. Murphy Dunne (replacing original keyboardist Paul Shaffer, who had to back out of the film) gives an answer that might make him the film's funniest supporting character.

12. "One Unused Prophylactic... One Soiled"

Frank Oz (an actor better known for voicing Yoda in the Star Wars movies) appears at the beginning of the film as a Joliet corrections officer listing off Jake’s belongings before his release. Among them are a couple of condoms — one of which Jake had apparently used before starting his sentence, which Oz points out in a priceless tone of voice.

11. "Who Wants An Orange Whip? Orange Whip? Orange Whip? Three Orange Whips"

Yet another great Blues Brothers quote from John Candy — whose friendship with Dan Aykroyd predates their fame — comes after Mercer decides he wants to stay and watch Jake and Elwood perform before arresting them. According to VinePair, it is alleged that the detective’s requested cocktail — which requires rum, vodka, orange juice, and a whole lot of whipped cream — was improvised by Candy as a favor to a costume designer, whose father worked for the Orange Whip Corporation.

10. "Bring Me Four Fried Chickens And A Coke"

An even funnier instance of food service in the film comes when the Soul Food Cafe server (played by the late Aretha Franklin) is asked by Elwood for “dry white toast” and by Jake for the feast above. Belushi’s deadpan delivery is what makes the request — which lets cooks Matt “Guitar” Murphy and “Blue” Lou Marini know that the Blues Brothers are back — so iconic.

9. "Oh, We Got Both Kinds. We Got Country AND Western" 

What makes the Blues Brothers soundtrack such a winner is its variety, even if there are people who prefer some styles more than others, or even refuse to acknowledge any other kind. Exhibit A: when Elwood asks the bartender at Bob’s Country Bunker, Claire (Sheilah Wells), what kind of music they typically have and her answer excludes anything their band specializes in.

8. "A Microphone?... OK, I Can See That" 

The movie wastes no time establishing how passionate the Blues Brothers are about music by revealing why Elwood drives a used police car now. Jake is initially angry to learn that he no longer has their old Bluesmobile, a Cadillac, until his brother reveals what he traded the car in for.

7. "Two-Thousand Bucks And It's Yours. You Can Take It Home With You. As A Matter Of Fact, I'll Throw In The Black Keys For Free"

There are some amazing cameos by music legends here, but my favorite has to be Ray Charles (who was portrayed in an Oscar-winning performance by Jamie Foxx in the 2004 biopic, Ray). The singer and piano player exhibits some keen comedic timing when his character — a music store owner of the same name — demonstrates his questionable skills in negotiation with the band over an old keyboard.

6. "No, Ma'am. We're Musicians" 

The first scene of Jake and Elwood’s search for their bandmates feels like it was ripped straight from an old school TV detective drama, which is why — on top of what kind of vehicle they drive — it makes perfect sense that Mrs. Tarantino (Toni Fleming) initially assumes they are cops when asking about Tom “Bones” Malone and Lou Marini’s whereabouts. The way Elwood tells her their true profession so matter-of-factly is the perfect capper to the moment.

5. "Our Lady Of Blessed Acceleration, Don't Fail Me Now"

Out of all the best movie car chase scenes in history, I would say that The Blues Brothers features at least a few especially notable entries, including when Jake and Elwood are being tailed by the Country Bunker owner, Bob (Jeff Morris), and The Good ‘Ol Boys (led by Charles Napier's character). After their gunshot blows a hole in the Bluesmobile’s rear window, Elwood lets out this beautiful prayer that I’m pretty sure I’ve quoted during a highway drive when I was running late for something.

4. "So, For Me, For My Mother, My Grandmother, My Father, My Uncle, And For The Common Good, I Must Now Kill You, And Your Brother"

It is in this climactic scene that we finally discover why the Mystery Woman has wanted to murder Jake and Elwood: the former did not show up for their apparently expensive nuptials. As a fun fact about the Princess Leia actor, in real life, she actually dated Aykroyd and the one who set them up was Belushi.

3. "Hi, This Is Car Um... Car 55. Um, We're In A Truck!"

Easily my favorite out of John Candy’s epic Blues Brothers quotes comes from the scene that sees Mercer, Trooper Mount (Steven Williams), and Trooper Daniel’s (Armand Cerami) pursuit come to a bombastic end. After they accidentally drive their vehicle straight into the side of semi-truck trailer, Mercer gets on the radio to report the situation in a deliriously upbeat manner.

2. "They're Not Gonna Catch Us. We're On A Mission From God"

It’s actually while Jake and Elwood are first being tailed by Mount and Daniel when Elwood utters the first (and just about the funniest) use of a quote that pretty much encapsulates the entire plot of the film. It’s no wonder it was used as the tagline.

1. “It’s A Hundred And Six Miles To Chicago. We Got A Full Tank Of Gas, Half A Pack Of Cigarettes. It's Dark, And We're Wearing Sunglasses"

While the quote before effectively summarizes the film’s plot, the Blues Brothers line that best encapsulates the film’s tone (and one of Dan Aykroyd's best '80s movie quotes) is this marvelous mouthful. Elwood’s quick debriefing before he and Jake head off to pay the orphanage’s debt with their earnings from the show — capped with Jake’s immortal “Hit it!” — has been one of my Top 10 all-time favorite movie quotes for as long as I can remember.

It looks like we completed our mission to rank the funniest Blues Brothers quotes pretty smoothly. Do you agree?

The month of April is Autism Awareness Month/World Autism Month, and it’s a time to celebrate and empower those on the spectrum while also educating others about it. It also highlights those who have made a positive impact on the community. In the entertainment industry specifically, many actors have spoken about their diagnosis to help make discussions about autism more mainstream. This includes performers like Anthony Hopkins, Bella Ramsey and more, as many actors have opened up about how being on the spectrum has impacted their personal and professional lives.

Bella Ramsey

Bella Ramsey, who got their start acting on Game of Thrones when they were 11, was diagnosed with autism while filming the first season of The Last of Us. While speaking with British Vogue, the actor explained that a crew member who has an autistic daughter had assumed Ramsey was also on the spectrum. That led to them seeking out a professional and a diagnosis, confirming something they had “always wondered” about.

While opening up about this diagnosis, Ramsey explained that they’ve become a better actor because of it, as they explained:

Overall, they see this diagnosis as “freeing.” Elaborating more about why, Ramsey said:

Overall, the Catherine Called Birdy star was very candid about how this diagnosis has impacted their life and career and was clear that it’s been helpful in many, many ways.

Anthony Hopkins 

About 18 years ago, Anthony Hopkins was diagnosed with high-end Asperger's syndrome, The Daily Mail reported. The actor, who has two Oscars and over 140 films to his name, spoke about this neurological condition that impacts his ability to socially interact. He spoke specifically about how it’s helped him as an actor, saying:

According to Autism Speaks, the strengths of having Asperger's syndrome include “remarkable focus and persistence” and “attention to detail.” This ability to figure out what makes a person tick has helped the Silence of the Lambs star throughout his career. Just looking at Anthony Hopkins’ best movies, you know we are living among a legend.

Daryl Hannah 

Daryl Hannah was diagnosed with autism when she was a young child, according to People. In a candid interview, the actress explained that she had “debilitating shyness,” and growing up and living with autism during a time when it wasn’t understood well was difficult. The Splash star went on to explain that she found peace in watching old movies, saying:

She went on to say that once she found success, autism complicated her career. The Wall Street actress said that she wouldn’t do talk show appearances or premieres because she “was terrified.” As her career went on, Hannah said she figured out how to be comfortable in her own skin, and said she wished she could teach her younger self about everything she’s learned.

Rick Glassman

Amazon’s series, As We See It, made it a priority to “authentically” explore a cast of characters on the autism spectrum. The three leads of the series are on the spectrum, and one of those stars, Rick Glassman, opened up to CinemaBlend about how his own experience with autism impacted his character on the show. He said:

Since Glassman was able to pull from his real life and his experience living on the spectrum, he took a lot of pride in his character and the show

Wentworth Miller

Wentworth Miller, who is best known for his work on Prison Break and Legends of Tomorrow, posted a candid message about his autism diagnosis, which he received in 2021. The beloved TV actor wrote:

He then continued his message, noting that he was working to evolve his understanding of autism. Miller also explained that he would be “re-examining 5 decades of lived experience thru a new lens.” The Legends of Tomorrow veteran ended his post saying:

Along with teaching himself about his diagnosis, Miller also made it clear he was an advocate for the community, and he wanted to learn as much as he could.

Dan Aykroyd

One of the greatest stars to grace Saturday Night Live’s stage has also spoken about living with Asperger's syndrome. Dan Aykroyd opened up about being diagnosed with Tourette’s at a young age, and then Asperger syndrome as an adult. The Ghostbusters star told The Daily Mail:

According to Autism Speaks, Asperger's syndrome generally involves "restricted interests" and "distinctive strengths," it’s clear that Aykroyd was able to use both of these and his legendary comedic skills, to create one of the greatest comedies of all time.

Kayla Cromer

Kayla Cromer, who starred in the series Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, has been very open about how much she’s loved seeing more representation of the autism community on screen. As an actress who was diagnosed with Asperger’s, she told People:

In the article, it explains that Cromer is the first actress to play a woman on the spectrum, and be a woman on the spectrum herself. To watch her performance, Everything’s Gonna Be Okay is available with a Hulu subscription.

These are only seven of the many famous actors and artists who have spoken about being on the autism spectrum. Overall, we’ve seen an influx of representation for this community in recent years, but as Cromer put it, “there are still so many stories that need to be told.”

Jim Belushi and Dan Aykroyd have something major in common: The Blues Brothers. Aykroyd first appeared as Elwood on Saturday Night Live in 1976, and Belushi has performed with Aykroyd as Zee for over 25 years. The Blues Brothers are still going strong, and as you’ll see in the Discovery show Growing Belushi, the two have even started using the iconic name to sell marijuana.

So, how did Jim Belushi and Dan Aykroyd come to the conclusion that their comedy/music group had an obvious crossover with the cannabis industry? It’s easier to understand once you learn how Aykroyd convinced Belushi to get involved with cannabis in the first place.

Why Jim Belushi Started Growing Marijuana

Dan Aykroyd is more than a pop culture icon, as he’s also a great business man. He’s also not afraid to milk the beloved franchises he started for everything they’re worth. He was a strong proponent of both Ghostbusters reboots (he even wants a prequel series to happen), he never really stopped performing as The Blues Brothers, and he even continues to pitch potential Blues Brothers movies to this day, despite the fact that they haven’t graced the silver screen since 1998. Outside of the entertainment industry, he founded popular businesses like The House Of Blues and Crystal Head Vodka. So, when he gave Belushi advice on how to utilize his new farm, Belushi took it to heart, and the rest was history.

I recently caught up with Jim Belushi to discuss Season 3 of Growing Belushi, and when I assumed that it was he who had dragged Aykroyd into the cannabis industry, he corrected me that it happened the other way around:

As you’ll see on Growing Belushi, Captain Jack still works on the farm to this day. Given the fact that SNL started both Belushi and Aykroyd’s careers in comedy, their SNL weed dealer’s inclusion in this business of theirs is a strange and beautiful story for the comedy history books. But how did they come to brand it Blues Brothers? We went there as well.

How They Came To Sell Blues Brothers Weed Products

The Blues Brothers are clearly a huge part of both Jim Belushi and Dan Aykroyd’s lives. Dan Aykroyd’s original Blues Brothers co-star was John Belushi. John’s untimely passing was obviously a big moment in brother Jim Belushi’s journey, which led to him pleading with Chris Farley to stop using drugs, and caused him to reflect on his firing from SNL as the “best thing that’s ever happened to him.” It also caused Jim to believe that growing marijuana is his own “mission from God,” referencing the famous Blues Brothers quote, as he believes it’s possible that with access to legal marijuana his brother John may still be alive.

Aykroyd has seen tragedy under the Blues Brothers umbrella as well, having lost his own brother, SNL writer and Blues Brothers The Animated Series star Peter Aykroyd. In 2021 they even paid tribute to Aykroyd during the Simu Liu episode of SNL. Understanding all of this information helps to understand why the two see The Blues Brothers, family, and this cannabis “mission from God” as all being one in the same, as Jim Belushi went on to explain:

There you have it! The Blues Brothers, the Belushis, the Aykroyds, and a mission from God. You can hear more about the cannabis industry from the SNL legends when Growing Belushi returns with Season 3 on April 5 at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery. We here at CinemaBlend will of course continue keeping you updated with all upcoming 2023 TV premiere dates.

The Blues Brothers have been around since John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd created the original sketch for Saturday Night Live in 1976. Since then, many comedic actors and musicians have appeared as a Blues Brother in one way or another, with Dan Aykroyd being the only constant presence in the band, and John’s brother Jim Belushi stepping in as a mainstay for the live shows. There hasn’t been an official Blues Brothers film since 1998’s Blues Brothers 2000, and although nothing is technically in the works, it hasn’t stopped Dan Aykroyd from coming up with ideas for the future of the franchise. And oh man, some of them sure are ‘out there.’

Jim Belushi’s Discovery channel series Growing Belushi is entering its third season, and the reality/scripted comedy hybrid about Belushi’s marijuana farm features a ton of familiar faces from his decades as a presence in pop culture. This includes Dan Aykroyd, as the two still tour as the famous brothers regularly. Naturally I was curious as to whether or not they discuss potential for The Blues Brothers to make their way back to the silver screen, and Belushi did admit that Aykroyd is always coming up with potential new ideas:

Is it too early to start dream-casting who would play the Blues Sisters and their Albanian brother? Although the ideas seem a little silly, I also feel like they could totally work. Aykroyd has never shied away from the potential of reviving his old franchises, as he’s even fought for a potential Ghostbusters prequel and is down for the idea of a live-action TV show. Not that it really matters, as Jim Belushi seems pretty confident that the brothers’ time in film is over. As he put it:

The history of The Blues Brothers is rather complicated. They certainly are a real band, albeit depicted as fictional characters, and Jim Belushi never appeared in the films. He was supposed to be in Blues Brothers 2000, but there was a conflict with his Total Security television contract with ABC. He initially did not replace his late brother John as Joliet, but instead played a new brother, Zee Blues. John isn’t the only Blues Brother they’ve lost in the band’s 47-year history, as their bassist Donald Duck Dunn passed at 70, and Dan's brother Peter Aykroyd, who voiced the character Elwood for The Blues Brothers Animated Series, passed in 2021. They even paid tribute to him on a 2021 episode of SNL hosted by Simu Liu.

The ways that the Blues Brothers connect to Growing Belushi goes far beyond an occasional appearance by Aykroyd, as he and Jim Belushi are business partners on a brand of cannabis products that sports the Blues Brothers name. Belushi even calls his work in the cannabis industry a “mission from God,” referencing the famous Blues Brothers quote, as he believes access to such medicine might have changed his brother John’s untimely fate. He takes this mission seriously and even once plead with Chris Farley in an effort to prevent him from ending up like his famous brother.

Growing Belushi Season 3 premieres on Discovery channel at 9pm ET on April 5! There’s also a slew of other awesome TV premieres coming our way in 2023, so make sure to stay up to date here at CinemaBlend. 

Jamie Lee Curtis is a force to be reckoned with, both on screen as one of the most iconic Scream Queens in history and off. She has become quite the figure in Hollywood, but back near the beginning of her career she was still trying to prove herself in the industry. This may have led her to being more open to doing that famous nude scene in Trading Places, and she now has opened up to why she was “embarrassed” about the scene opposite Dan Aykroyd.

She may act opposite Dan Aykroyd in her Trading Places nude scene, but Jamie Lee Curtis might as well be the star of the movie in those few moments. She looks amazing, and her screen presence is undeniable.

In an interview with People, Jamie Lee Curtis explains that she knows she looks good and she entered the scene fully aware of what it entailed, but that having done the nude scene was the source of much embarrassment for the actress. Here’s what she says, exactly:

I think it’s completely relatable to feel embarrassed over something that happened at a young age like 21. The difference is, though, that most of us don’t have our embarrassing moments cemented in history forever in a well-known film opposite some seriously big names in Hollywood, like Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy. I see Facebook memories from ten years ago that bring on some major cringes, and I’m the only one who sees them. I can’t imagine basically having my nudes mainstreamed to the entire world, even if I looked as amazing as Jamie Lee.

In the same interview, Jamie Lee Curtis admits that there’s no chance she would be doing a nude scene at this point in her career. She references that she’s in a completely different stage of her life now, saying:

Kids or no kids, if someone isn’t comfortable being nude on camera, they shouldn’t need to. The reality is, though, that the willingness to be nude on screen can be the deciding factor of an actress (or, in some cases, actor) getting a part. For a newer actress, this could make or break a career. For someone who has had a lengthy and successful Hollywood career, though, Jamie Lee Curtis could basically refuse anything a part entails with not much consequence. 

While she certainly wouldn’t be the first established, older actress to go nude on screen (Meryl Streep just went nude for Don’t Look Up, with a twist), the point is that she has no desire to do so. It sounds like Jamie Lee Curtis had enough of it in her younger years, with Trading Places not being the extent of her experience going nude in front of the camera. We see nudity from her in a number of films, along with films like True Lies with Arnold Schwarzenegger having her in very little clothing, much to Schwarzenegger’s dismay. 

Luckily, Jamie Lee Curtis won’t need to go out of her comfort zone, or clothes, if she doesn’t want to. It doesn’t sound like we’ll be seeing any Trading Places nostalgia anytime soon, but that doesn’t apply to her Halloween franchise. Halloween Ends is one of the highly anticipated upcoming films of 2022, and will have Curtis saying goodbye to a role she has held for 4 decades. We can expect the film to hit theaters this October 14th, just in time for its titular holiday. 

At this point, Ghostbusters is one of the most beloved movies of all time and its stars are some of the most recognizable faces in all of show business. But that wasn’t always the case when Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson suited up in Ivan Reitman’s 1984 horror comedy classic. This isn’t to say the cast of comedy heavyweights were unknown at the time, especially with several of them having been Saturday Night Live standouts and National Lampoon mainstays, but they were able to get up to some rather hilarious shenanigans without causing a scene.

Included with the home release of Ghostbusters: Afterlife is “Ghostbusters: A Look Back” an insightful group interview with the surviving members of the cast and director Ivan Reitman which sees the longtime friends go into detail about how the movie was made, its famous scenes, and its enduring legacy. Also included in the interview are a couple of hilarious stories shared by Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd about essentially using the streets of New York City as their personal playground:

While making movies can be serious business, it sounds like the original cast of Ghostbusters were definitely able to have some fun along the way. Because when you're suited up in full costume, why not?

But whipping ECTO-1 around corners in the Big Apple and confusing police officers wasn’t the only example of the Ghostbusters cast having fun while filming the movie. In fact, they used everyone’s confusion to have fun with some of those hoity-toity shops and boutiques along Madison Avenue, as Bill Murray put it:

It is safe to say that none of that would fly in today’s world, especially with the Ghostbusters stars being immediately recognizable and how so much has changed with movie shoots. But even so, I personally would love to see footage of Bill Murray taking thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from unassuming New Yorkers. That is near the top of the list of crazy things the comedy legend has pulled off over the years.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife, a movie we’ll still be talking about years from now. is currently available on 4K, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital, and if you want to know what else is coming out, take a glance at CinemaBlend’s 2022 home release release schedule.

It had been four decades since moviegoers witnessed Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson save New York City with their proton packs. So seeing them pop up in Ghostbusters: Afterlife was a pleasant surprise for OG fans doubting whether the three surviving members would appear. Of course, some time had passed since the trio last appeared on screen together. The passage of time didn’t bypass Aykroyd as he filmed the last scene in the sequel. The OG Ghostbuster revealed the significant difference between filming the original films and the 2021 reboot.

The finale was everything devoted fans wanted as Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore fought a blast from the past in Gozer the Gozerian. While the OG Ghostbusters helped to finish the ghost, acting and real-life merged in the pivotal moment. After being blasted back, Stantz remarked ghostbusting was more painful than he remembered. Being the group’s voice of reason, Zeddemore responded with “I do.” That was Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson being themselves, not their characters. Aykroyd explained to Vanity Fair how the moment played out while filming Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Jason Reitman might’ve temporarily forgotten that Aykroyd and the other OG’s were four decades older, and things don’t move like they used to. Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson were in their thirties while shooting the first two films. But for the reboot, all three actors were in their sixties and seventies. Like the SNL icon stated, there was no “hopping up” and getting back into action. It took time for their bodies to recover after not holding the proton gun for decades. Thankfully, Reitman allowed that moment to stay in the movie.

While it was nice to see Venkman, Stantz and Zeddemore once more, fans couldn’t help but notice Egon Spengler’s absence. After all, Spengler served as the foundation for the sequel. Harold Ramis’ passing left a huge hole in the OG’s return, but Jason Reitman kept him in the reboot in some touching ways. Reitman even got the seal of approval from Ramis’ daughter in handling Spengler’s passing. Those loving touches paid off as fans – new and old – showed up opening weekend.

Hopefully, the return of the OGs will mean more sequels and other projects as hinted by the end credits. Maybe Dan Aykroyd will have an easier time ghostbusting the next go-around. To see the OG Ghostbusters back in action, you can check out Ghostbusters: Afterlife in theaters right now.

When Christmas with the Kranks premiered in the fall of 2004, it wasn't deemed a Christmas classic by critics, it's fair to say. While the cranky comedy was scathed mercilessly by critics, audiences were comparatively kinder. Based on John Grisham's novel, Skipping Christmas, the movie hasn't earned the same fanfare as bonafide Christmas classics, like Elf from the year prior, for instance, but Christmas with the Kranks is elevated by its esteemed ensemble, including star turns from Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, along with notable supporting roles from Dan Aykroyd, M. Emmet Walsh, and Felicity Huffman. 

Now that nearly 18 years have passed, with the holiday season upon us and the film available to watch streaming on Starz, let's see what Christmas with the Kranks' cast is doing now. 

Tim Allen (Luther Krank)

As Luther Krank, a hard-working businessman who decides to forgo the holiday festivities when his daughter takes a trip abroad for the season, Tim Allen plays the protagonist in Christmas with the Kranks. Most notably, the actor-comedian is known as the Emmy-nominated star of ABC’s Home Improvement. Allen was also the frontman of ABC/Fox’s long-running sitcom, Last Man Standing. 

Away from television, however, Tim Allen is best known as the voice of Buzz Lightyear in all four Toy Story movies, along with other Toy Story projects. Furthermore, Allen starred in The Santa Clause trilogy, Galaxy Quest, Wild Hogs, Jungle 2 Jungle, El Camino Christmas, and The Shaggy Dog, which he also produced. He also starred in and directed 2010’s Crazy on the Outside. Away from acting, Allen wrote two books: 1994’s Don’t Stand Too Close to a Naked Man and 1996’s I’m Not Really Here. 

Currently, Tim Allen co-hosts History Channel’s Assembly Required. 

Jamie Lee Curtis (Nora Krank)

In the role of Nora Krank, Luther’s more socially-conscious wife who also decides to skip Christmas this year in order to take a trip on a cruise, Jamie Lee Curtis plays the female lead in 2004’s Christmas with the Kranks. Making her acting debut as Laurie Strode in John Carpenter’s hugely influential Halloween, the actress became known as a scream queen, particularly in films like The Fog, Prom Night, Terror Train, and Roadgames. Additionally, Curtis reprised her role as Laurie Strode in Halloween II, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, Halloween: Resurrection, and, most recently, 2018’s Halloween and this year’s Halloween Kills. She can also be seen and heard, albeit briefly, in Halloween III: Season of the Witch. 

Outside of the horror genre, Jamie Lee Curtis is also known for Trading Places, A Fish Called Wanda, for which she received several award nominations, True Lies, Blue Steel, My Girl, My Girl 2, Freaky Friday (2003), and Knives Out. Away from film, the actress was Emmy-nominated for her lead performance in CBS’ Nicholas’ Gift. Curtis’ other television credits include New Girl, Scream Queens, and Operation Petticoat. In addition to the new Halloween movie, Curtis was recently seen in Senior Entourage. 

Next, the actress will appear in Everything Everywhere All at Once and Borderlands. Curtis will also star in Halloween Ends. Beyond acting, Curtis is behind last year’s podcast, Letters From Camp. She’s also set to write and direct the eco-horror movie, Mother Nature. Furthermore, Curtis wrote several children’s books. 

Julie Gonzalo (Blair Krank)

Playing the part of Blair Krank, Luther and Nora’s world-traveling daughter who won’t be home for Christmas this year, Julie Gonzalo is a young, adventurous woman in Christmas with the Kranks. The year prior, the actress appeared in 2003’s Freaky Friday with Jamie Lee Curtis. Gonzalo’s other notable film credits include A Cinderella Story, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Must Love Dogs. Additionally, the actress starred in Hallmark Channel’s Flip That Romance, The Sweetest Heart, and Pumpkin Pie Romance. She also frontlined Lifetime’s 3 Holiday Tails. 

Away from film, Julie Gonzalo is known for playing Pamela Rebecca in TNT’s Dallas, Maggie Dekker in ABC’s Eli Stone, and Parker Lee in Veronica Mars. Most recently, the actress was seen as Andrea Rojas in The CW’s Supergirl. And in 2020, Gonzalo starred in Hallmark Channel’s Jingle Bell Bride. Most recently, she appeared in A Dark Foe and made a guest appearance in ABC’s The Good Doctor.

Dan Aykroyd (Vic Frohmeyer) 

As Vic Frohmeyer, the Kranks’ holiday-loving, Frosty-enforcing neighbor, Dan Aykroyd plays a stubborn supporting character in 2004’s Christmas with the Kranks. Most notably, the actor-comedian was one of the original members of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Aykroyd is also the co-writer and star of Ghostbusters I and II, The Blues Brothers and Blues Brothers 2000, Dragnet, Spies Like Us, and Coneheads. Additionally, the actor was Oscar-nominated for his supporting turn in Driving Miss Daisy. Aykroyd also previously worked with Jamie Lee Curtis in Trading Places and My Girl 1 and 2. His other notable film credits include The Great Outdoors, Chaplin, Sneakers, Grosse Point Blank, and Get On Up. Moreover, Aykroyd wrote, directed, and starred in Nothing But Trouble. 

Currently, Dan Aykroyd narrates Travel Channel’s Hotel Paranormal. He also recently lent this voice to The Simpsons. Most notably, Aykroyd produced and reprised his role as Ray Stantz in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Away from acting, he co-founded the House of Blues chain of music venues and the Crystal Head Vodka brand. 

M. Emmet Walsh (Walt Scheel)

In the role of Walt Scheel, the Kranks’ cranky old neighbor, M. Emmet Walsh is a grouch who can’t stand his neighbors in Christmas with the Kranks. Most notably, the acclaimed character actor starred in Blood Simple, for which he was well-recognized. Walsh was also seen in The Jerk, Ordinary People, Blade Runner, Wild Wild West, Critters, Calvary, Harry and the Hendersons, Raising Arizona, Back to School, Fletch, Straight Time, Romeo + Juliet, Serpico, and Slap Shot, to name only a select few. He’s also heard in The Iron Giant. Most recently, Walsh appeared in Knives Out and The Mimic.

On television, furthermore, M. Emmet Walsh played Colonel Fred Patterson in ABC’s Home Improvement. His other TV credits include Sneaky Pete, Damages, The Sandy Duncan Show, Nichols, and The Mind of a Married Man. Most recently, Walsh was seen in HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones. Next, the actor will appear in Shriver and The Immaculate Boom. 

Elizabeth Franz (Bev Scheel)

Playing the part of Bev Scheel, Walt’s ailing wife, Elizabeth Franz has an emotional supporting role in 2004’s Christmas with the Kranks. Most notably, the actress won a Tony for her performance as Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman. Franz later received an Emmy nomination for this acclaimed performance during its televised presentation. Additionally, the actress received two additional Tony nominations for Brighton Beach Memoirs and Morning’s at Seven. 

Away from the stage, Elizabeth Franz is known for her turn as Alma Rudder in NBC’s Another World. Her other film credits include Sabrina, The Secret of My Success, Thinner, The Pallbearer, School Ties, Jackknife, and The Substance of Fire. Franz was last seen in 2015’s Take Me to the River. 

Erik Per Sullivan (Spike Frohmeyer)

As Spike Frohmeyer, Vic’s son, Erik Per Sullivan had a rare film role in Christmas with the Kranks. Most notably, the child actor was known for his scene-stealing performance as Dewey in Fox’s long-running sitcom, Malcolm in the Middle. Sullivan is also recognized for his voice work in Pixar’s Finding Nemo and its accompanying video game. Additionally, he can be seen in Joe Dirt, Unfaithful, The Cider House Rules, Armageddon, Wendigo, Wonderland, and The King of Queens. 

Following Malcolm in the Middle's series finale, Erik Per Sullivan gradually moved away from acting. Most notably, the former actor played the title character in 2007's dramedy, Mo. He also lent his voice to Arthur and the Invisibles' English dub and starred in 2006's short film, Once Not Far From Home. Sullivan was last seen in Joel Schumacher's Twelve.

Cheech Marin (Officer Salino)

In the role of Officer Salino, Cheech Marin provides a cameo in 2004’s Christmas with the Kranks. Most notably, the actor-comedian is known for his collaborations with Tommy Chong, including several movies that they co-wrote and starred in together. Those films include Up in Smoke, Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie, Nice Dreams, Things Are Tough All Over, Still Smokin’, and Cheech & Chong’s The Corsican Brothers. Marin also starred in, wrote, and directed Get Out of My Room and Born in East L.A. He can also be seen in Tin Cup, From Dusk Till Dawn, the Spy Kids movies, Machete, After Hours, Ghostbusters II, and Desperado.

Most recently, Cheech Marin was seen in The War with Grandpa. He was also heard in Maya and the Three. Next, Marin will be seen in Shotgun Wedding and heard in Lapham Rising. 

Felicity Huffman (Mary)

Playing the part of Mary, Nora’s concerned friend, Felicity Huffman has a minor role in Christmas with the Kranks. Prior to this film, the actress was best known for her Golden Globe-nominated performance as Dana Whitaker in ABC’s Sport Nights. The same year that this movie was released, however, Huffman gained acclaim for her Emmy-winning turn as Lynette Scavo in ABC’s Desperate Housewives. She also received three Emmy nominations for her work in ABC’s American Crime. 

Away from television, Felicity Huffman was Oscar-nominated for her lead performance in Transamerica. She can also be seen in Georgia Rule, Magnolia, and The Spanish Prisoner. Most recently, Huffman produced and starred in Otherhood and Tammy’s Always Dying. In 2019, the actress gained nationwide attention for her involvement in a college entrance exam cheating scandal, where she was charged with conspiracy to mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. Huffman later pleaded guilty to federal charges. After keeping a lower profile, she landed her latest major role with an untitled ABC baseball drama.

Jake Busey (Officer Treen)

As Officer Treen, Jake Busey also makes a cameo in 2004’s Christmas with the Kranks. The actor’s most notable film credits include The Frighteners, Starship Troopers, Twister, Contact, Identity, Tomcats, Enemy of the State, PCU, Straight Time, and The Predator. Additionally, Busey starred in and produced The Rain Makers and Cross. Most recently, the actor was seen in DIVOS!, A Solider’s Revenge, Adventures of Dally & Spanky, and In from Outside. 

Perhaps most notably, however, Jake Busey plays Bruce in Stranger Things 3. His other television credits include L.A.’s Finest, Ray Donovan, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Shasta McNasty, and Sex, Love & Secrets. Next, Busey is expected to star in Black Zone. 

Austin Pendleton (Marty)

In the role of Marty, an umbrella salesman dressed as Santa Claus who might be more than he seems, Austin Pendleton played a small-but-notable part in Christmas with the Kranks. A well-distinguished actor, playwright, and theater instructor of great renown, the performer was Tony-nominated for his direction of 1981’s The Little Foxes. He has amassed a number of other stage credits throughout the past five decades, resulting in the documentary, Starring Austin Pendleton, being made about his professional history. Currently, Pendleton teaches acting, though he continues to remain active as a performer through the Steppenwolf Theatre. 

On the screen, moreover, Austin Pendleton’s other notable film credits include Short Circuit, My Cousin Vinny, The Muppet Movie, Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, The Notorious Bettie Page, A Beautiful Mind, Searching For Bobby Fischer, and Catch-22, to name a few. He’s also known for his work on HBO’s Oz. Most recently, the hard-working entertainer was seen in Our Father, The Mimic, Before/During/After, Paint, and 5-25-77. Pendleton also appeared on The Good Fight and New Amsterdam. Next, the actor will be seen in The Reunion and the short film, Audition in Hell. 

Christmas with the Kranks is available to stream on Hoopla and Starz. To read more about other Christmas films available on streaming, follow CinemaBlend. 

Something strange has been brewing in the neighborhood for some time, as fans have been waiting to get their eyes on Ghostbusters: Afterlife. With just a couple of weeks standing between everyone and a fresh round of busting, feelings are starting to approach the status of “good” yet again. And the final trailer for director Jason Reitman’s legacy-quel will definitely help, as not only is there more Dan Aykroyd present, but there’s a little Bill Murray for the folks at home to enjoy.

We say a little, because despite this being the big push for Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s impending theatrical release, not all of the movie’s presents are being given away. We only hear Dan Aykroyd, both in archival audio and in his appearance in the latest film; and the ever chatty Bill Murray is also only heard, not seen, in this same clip. But what the trailer to Ghostbusters: Afterlife lacks in familiar faces seems to be made up for in clues hinting towards how this movie will build on its two predecessors.

If you’re more versed in 1984’s Ghostbusters than you are its 1989 sequel Ghostbusters II, you’re going to be a-ok when heading into Ghostbusters: Afterlife. At least, that’s what this final trailer seems to be telling us, as Dan Aykroyd’s chilling monologue about bible scripture with Ernie Hudson is implicitly referenced. Speaking of Mr. Hudson, he too is also present in Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s latest trailer, as we can see three Ghostbusters in that final shot.

Getting the gang back together sounds like a great idea for various reasons, especially when the potential for Ghostbusters follow-ups is a going concern. And as anyone who’s seen a legacy-quel to a franchise like this will tell you, the ties to the past are very important for a movie like Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Which is why it’s time to revisit Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore’s apocalyptic discussion from Ghostbusters: 

There definitely looks to be a lot of connections ready to renew the Ghostbusters legacy in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. With the repercussions literally being biblical, the new generation of paranormal experts are going to need all the help they can get. And from what we’ve seen here, it definitely looks like they know who they’re gonna call; which is a good thing, because we’re not very far from seeing the results for ourselves.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife possesses theaters on November 19th, ready to make audiences believers in the storied franchise once again. Dogs and cats living together, and mass hysteria look to be on the menu yet again, so prepare yourself accordingly. And if you’re curious about what’s heading to theaters around that same time, head over to the 2021 release schedule, and break out your notepad! 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is poised to be one of 2021’s biggest films. While moviegoers are anticipating the sequel’s release, some are still a little gun-shy after 2016’s female-led Ghostbusters reboot. But original Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd is here to calm fans’ fears. He knows first-hand that the director can handle the Ghostbusters franchise, and the Afterlife star recently explained why Jason Reitman is the right director for the job.

As a Ghostbusters vet and the co-writer of the original films, Dan Aykroyd knows the franchise better than most people. Aykroyd seems to have plenty of confidence in the new film, and his return to the multimedia franchise after three decades was a good sign of Ghostbusters: Afterlife's story and direction. In an interview with Cigar Aficionado, Aykroyd shared some thoughts regarding what franchise newcomer Jason Reitman brings to the franchise:

Dan Aykroyd’s approval of Ivan Reitman’s direction is a huge plus. But it shouldn't be surprising given the history between the actor and the director. Aykroyd practically has known Jason Reitman for years and has seen his love of the franchise. So Aykroyd knows Reitman would do the franchise’s legacy justice with the sequel.

When you consider Jason Reitman’s history with the Ghostbusters franchise, Dan Aykroyd is right on the nose. Reitman’s father, Ivan Reitman, served as the director and producer of the original Ghostbusters film along with its 1989 sequel. The younger Reitman even had a small part in the second film. So directing Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a full-circle moment for the younger Reitman. Another plus is that his father has also returned, though this time he's only serving as a producer. Making this long-awaited sequel has truly been a family affair.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the film also allowed the Oscar-nominated Reitman to reunite with his extended family. Including Ghostbusters alum such as Dan Aykroyd, Billy Murray, Ernie Hudson and more was a nice nod to the franchise his father helped to build. Given the fact that the sequel exists in the continuity of the original movies, it’s only right for him to bring the OG cast back into the fold. Original Ghostbusters Hudson and Murray also approved of Reitman’s work on the legacy reboot. The only bittersweet part of the movie is that the late, great Harold Ramis couldn’t be a part of it.

Hopefully, this throwback family feel will translate to the big screen once Ghostbusters: Afterlife is released. But it shouldn’t be too much pressure for Jason Reitman given his reputation as a filmmaker. All in all, Dan Aykroyd’s words will likely reassure Ghostbusters fans that the reboot will be worth seeing when it arrives in theaters on November 11.

There have been so many movies affected by the release-date shift of 2020, every once in a while I am reminded of a film and it makes me go, “Oh yeah, I’m excited to see that and I totally forgot it was supposed to come out months ago.” Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife falls into that category. Originally due to drop in the Summer of 2020, the sequel now eyeballs a June 11, 2021 release, and as such, is ramping up promotion. Empire shared this latest image of the younger members of the Ghostbusters: Afterlife cast, and their costumes really caught my eye:

Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard are sitting in Ecto-1 in this new image, and they are wearing the signature Ghostbusters jumpsuits. Now, are they just playing dress up, because Grace's character found equipment that once belonged to her later grandfather, Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis)? Or are the kids inheriting the “family” business, and getting ready to bust some ghosts?

Think back to the trailer for Ghostbusters: Afterlife that dropped oh so long ago. Carrie Coon plays a mom who moved her family to the Midwest, back to the farm that was in her family. Then, strange things started happening, and the audience learned that these people were Spenglers. Paul Rudd held up that Ghost Trap, and educated the kids on the exploitations of the Ghostbusters. Here, just watch it!

Speaking with Empire, Jason Reitman confirms that the movie he directed is set in the same universe as the first two Ghostbusters stories (which is different, then, from Paul Feig’s reboot). And he said that his father, Ivan, recently got to see a cut of the film, which led to this beautiful interaction:

That’s wonderful. And while it seems like we may see a young generation busting ghosts in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Jason Reitman has secured the appearance of surviving cast members Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and Sigourney Weaver, making this an official Chapter Three in the saga.

As Empire notes, “Nostalgia Sequels” are hot right now, with franchises from Mad Max to Star Wars tapping back into their roots to get fanbases fired up for new stories. Jason Reitman was an inspired choice to follow up on his father Ivan’s legacy, and that first trailer brought the right mix of fear and wonder. I, for one, can’t wait to see where this movie goes, and anticipate its arrival on June 11, 2021.

Other than his performance as John Blutarsky in Animal House, John Belushi’s role as Joliet Jake in The Blues Brothers is quite possibly his most iconic. In that movie, he and Dan Aykroyd went from one wild antic to another while on their mission from God. And it sounds like John Belushi's antics continued behind the scenes as well, as he randomly disappeared from the set of The Blues Brothers one day.

Typically, when you’re an actor on a set, you’re expected to stick around until production has wrapped for the day. I guess John Belushi didn’t get that memo while working on The Blues Brothers. During a recent appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Dan Aykroyd shared a little story about John Belushi’s sudden absence, which occurred while they were shooting one of the movie's key scenes. Here's what Aykroyd said:

John Landis directed The Blues Brothers, and I can only imagine how alarmed he and the crew must have been when hearing that one of their lead actors had disappeared. Plus, you have to remember that there were no cell phones in the late '70s, early '80s, meaning a simple text message was out of the question.

So Dan Aykroyd took it upon himself to hunt John Belushi down, even if that meant going out into a nearby neighborhood. He later said:

The fact that John Belushi could meander into a stranger’s house, rummage through his fridge and then take a nap tells you something about both his celebrity and charm. At the time, he was one of the biggest comedians around, so his host probably didn’t think he could just say no to Belushi when he came knocking on his door.

Sadly, John Belushi’s career was cut short when he died on March 5, 1982 of a drug overdose, just a few years after filming The Blues Brothers. His legacy, however, has lived on in various ways, such as through Gemberling's portrayal of him in the Netflix comedy, A Futile & Stupid Gesture. Showtime is also releasing a documentary about his life entitled Belushi.

For a time, there had been buzz about a possible biopic about John Belushi’s life, with both Emilie Hirsch and Zach Galifianakis, at one time, being eyed for the lead role, but that project appears to have stalled. Until such a project is made, we’ll just have to remember him through great stories and documentaries. You can check out Belushi when it premieres on Sunday, November 22 at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime.