Saturday Night Live Announces Season 50 Lineup Including Jean Smart, Ariana Grande and Chappell Roan

Saturday Night Live's landmark 50th season finally has some faces in its lineup!

On Sept. 18, NBC announced the hosts and musical guests for the first five episodes of the late-night sketch comedy show's upcoming season, with two newcomers opening the season.

Jean Smart is kicking off the season premiere on Saturday, Sept. 28 as host alongside musical guest Jelly Roll.

"SO EXCITED!!! Bucket list!" Smart, 73, wrote in a post on Instagram as she shared the news.

Jelly Roll, 39, was equally elated to be announcing his SNL debut, as he wrote in a post, "The premiere of the 50th season of SNL. BRB going to cry for a few hours and call every family member I have. Bringing therapeutic music to my favorite show ever. God is Good."

The season's second episode will be hosted by Nate Bargatze, who made his SNL hosting debut less than a year ago on the Oct. 23, 2023 episode.

Coldplay will be the musical guest for Bargatze's show on Oct. 5, marking the band's eighth time performing on SNL.

Ariana Grande will take the helm for the second time as a host for the season's third episode on Oct. 12. Grande, 31, last appeared on SNL in April as the musical guest following the release of her album Eternal Sunshine, but this time, she will not be performing, as the legendary Stevie Nicks is slated to be the musical guest.

"See you October 12th @ncbsnl ✨ ," Nicks, 76, wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Michael Keaton will host the Oct. 19 episode, and the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star will be joined by musical guest Billie Eilish. It'll be Keaton's fourth time hosting and Eilish's fourth time performing.

In an Instagram post announcing the show, Eilish, 22, wrote, "Coming baaaaack ;) see u october 19th SNL💋💋."

The Nov. 2 show is the final pairing SNL announced, and will see former cast member John Mulaney host alongside Chappell Roan, who will make her SNL debut as a musical guest.

"This is the first I'm hearing of this," Mulaney, 42, wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) as he shared that he'll return for his sixth time hosting.

Earlier this month, SNL announced the cast for the landmark season, which included the addition of three new comedians following three cast member's exits. Returning cast members Marcello Hernandez, Michael Longfellow and Devon Walker were also promoted to the main cast after two years each as featured players.

Ahead of the new season, Punkie Johnson, Chloe Troast and Molly Kearney have all stepped away, while Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim and Jane Wickline have been added to the sketch comedy show's slate.

Johnson, 39, initially shared the news in a video posted on Instagram on Aug. 1, as she told fans she "will not be returning to SNL for the 50th [season]," but clarified that there is "no bad blood" or "bridges burned."

She made history when she was promoted to a regular cast member in 2022 as the show's second openly queer Black woman. She originally joined SNL in 2020 as a featured player.

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The following day, Kearney announced their departure from the show on Instagram, as they reflected on an "amazing 2 seasons" that were "a dream come true."

Following NBC's announcement of her exit, Troast shared in a post on TikTok that it was "not my choice" to leave. "I wish I was there getting to be with my friends. It truly felt like a second home," she admitted.

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Saturday Night Live season 50 premieres Sept. 28 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.