Hammond On Cannes: Robert Redford’s Brave New Role … 
Hot Trailer: Jennifer Aniston And Jason Sudeikis’ … 
Warner Bros Tells Space Story, From The Bra Designers Who … 
Brad Pitt’s Plan B Banner Promotes Jeremy Kleiner To … 
Hot Trailer: ‘Don Jon’ 
Billy Crystal-Starring Comedy From Matt Nix & Larry … 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Dancing With The Stars’ … 
Hammond On Cannes: A New Day Comes To The Fest As HBO and … 
Cannes: Fleming Reflects And Finds Talented Trio A Breath … 
Hot Trailer: ‘Man Of Steel’ 
Former Digital Domain CEO & Auditors Sued For Fraud By … 
ABC’s ‘Nashville’ Undergoes Production … 
CBS Wins Season & Ties Sweep In Demo; ABC Tops Adults … 
Alki David Agrees To End Name Games With Aereo And Barry … 
Next-Gen Xbox One Unveiled With Content Including … 
Cannes: Weinstein Co Acquires Keanu-Reese Sci-Fi Pic … 
Hot Trailer: ‘The Wolverine’ 
Ang Lee Departs FX Pilot ‘Tyrant’ 
How Many Times Does Seth MacFarlane Have To Say No To The … 
Cannes: Stanley Weiser To Script ‘Three Graves … 
Cannes: Deadline Crashes Palais Forum With Costa Gavras, … 
Saturday Night Live star Andy Samberg today ended months of speculations that he would be leaving the veteran NBC sketch comedy show. He confirmed his exit through his publicist. Samberg, Kristen Wiig and Jason Sudeikis are the three SNL cast members whose contacts were up at the end of this season and who have been rumored to leave. Wiig’s departure was announced at the end of the season finale of SNL with a heartfelt send-off, leaving Sudeikis as the only one of the trio whose fate has not been fully determined. “It’s an incredibly emotional and strange moment in my life,” Samberg told The New York Times. “Obviously it’s not a huge shock, but I did officially decide not to come back.” In addition to his role as a sketch performer, Samberg also helped SNL transition to the digital age. Along with his Lonely Island cohorts Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer, he launched the show’s popular digital shorts franchise which became a pop culture fixture and even won an Emmy. Samberg seems to be looking to transition to a feature career — he is about to make his debut as a lead in a non-SNL-affiliated movie, starring opposite Adam Sandler in That’s My Boy, which opens in two weeks.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
Loading ...
Thank God..he is terrible.
Based on the horrendous trailers for “That’s My Boy,” perhaps he should rethink his career path. Looks just awful.
Sorry Andy but you’re no movie star. You will be on Comedy Central two years from now doing a show like Punk’d or Tosh 2.0. Adam Sandler has a movie career because he’s more relatable and he’s funnier and much more normal. You are very weird and too bizarre. Not every SNL player gets to be a movie star. They all get to do movies but very few get to do whatever they want when they want.
Samberg is infinitely more talented than one-note, mumbler Sandler. But simple minds relate to those repeatedly playing the simple minded.
“he is about to make his debut as a lead in a non-SNL-affiliated movie, starring opposite Adam Sandler in That’s My Boy, which opens in two weeks.”
Not true. Hot Rod in 2007 was a non-SNL-affiliated movie. Lorne was exec producer but the movie had nothing to with any SNL sketch.
Yeah but the fact that Lorne exec. prod’d it shows how he got the part. The point of THAT’S MY BOY is no one from SNL is related… unless you count the fact that Sandler is an SNL alumni, and I actually think you could count that, so then really he hasn’t broken out from SNL yet…
I have to say though, I think THAT’S MY BOY actually looks like of funny and I think it’s a great idea to play Sandler’s son. It sure has a hellava lot more potential than JACK AND JACK, oh I mean JACK AND JILL….UGH.
Actually, Hot Rod is more a Lonely Island movie project than an SNL-connected thing. It was directed by Schaffer and co-starred Taccone, so Lorne’s imprimatur was negligible and certainly not how Samberg got the role.
Slow down, folks!
THAT’S MY BOY hasn’t opened yet and based on the trailers I’ve seen it looks like Samberg’s doing the straight role and letting Sandler do all the “goofy” stuff.
Give the guy some room to breathe.
It’s too early to take the guy out at the knees.
Digital Shorts were the best thing on SNL for the last few years, shame he’s leaving.
Digital shorts were the best part of snl. The show sucks guys
He’s great. I hope he has a long career ahead of him.
He’s also pretty good in CELESTE AND JESSE which comes out in Ausust I think. A more grounded romantic role for him and he pulls it off. If I were a girl I’d f him.
Are Taccone and Schaffer leaving, too?
I think they left after the last season, that’s why there haven’t been so many digital shorts this past season.
they left 2 years ago
Hey is it me or does Samberg look like Eric Wattenberg?
Thanks a lot.
Losing Kristen Wiig was an amazing blessing for SNL. I don’t know why people think she’s funny – she’s the opposite of funny. She’s quite horrible at comedy, and SNL is better off for her not being there.
Losing Andy Samberg though? That is gonna hurt.
According to you she’s not funny. According to those who nominated her for Golden Globes, SAG Awards, Emmys, and an Academy Award, she is. But wait, Samberg has been nominated for….a Teen Choice Award…Oooohh! Samberg is known for one thing and one thing only on SNL. He might be missed for that; his performance elsewhere in the show, not so much.
The odd thing my girlfriend and I agree on is that pretty much every character Wiig played on SNL was one-note and annoyingly unfunny, but her film work has been subtle and interesting. Check the less broad moments in Bridesmaids or her supporting role in Whip It for examples. Her presence in movies is welcome; we won’t miss her on SNL.
I would add her drier than dry performance in ‘Knocked Up’ as well…
Humor is subjective. surely you can recognize that obviously there are enough people who like her that she’s started a promising career for herself, even if her brand of funny isn’t *your* thing.
Holy SHEEP DIP – got some haters on this site. This dude is funny man – grouchy bastards…
I personally think its to early for him to leave, Bill hader’s still on the show and he’s alot more recognisable then andy samberg and he’s been in alot more films while being on Snl sure lots of small parts but he’s built up a solid list of films. Samberg has been the in upcomng that’s my boy, i love you man and Hot Rod that i recall. Not enough to become a break out star like Sandler became, hopefully he can still pull off with solid future roles as i like the guy but i feel he might of been better in a year or two. Also does his leaving mean the end of Digital Shorts? God i hope not i love them And i think they could be great even without him, though as they likely arent hard or long to make, snl should of thought about letting him go from live duties but still creating the DS.
Did we miss the part where Sudeikis’ firing/departure was announced? Only Wiig’s was announced on air.
they need him for the election season to continue playing mitt romney. he’s pretty good at it. look for a rich one-year contract and that’s it.
Looking forward to “Dick in a Box” the movie!
The most crucial bit of information needed is what will happen to the Digital Shorts.
Andy will be a game show host in 2 years. He’s the next Howie Mandel.
Perfect job for him. Lots of old game shows that can be updated with him as host.
“Samberg also helped SNL transition to the digital age…”
I see. Because he made short films on a digital camera? Or because Lazy Sunday was popular on the internet? Is that what we are now calling the digital age?
Digital.
Honestly, it’s the other two guys from Lonely Island that are the funny ones. I’m more curious to know what THEY are going to do.
Anything & everything on TV is digital, DVDs & blu ray are digital, cable & dish and overseer are digital platforms. Cinema is now mostly digital. Anyone whose been on SNL for the last 8 years helped “SNL transition to the digital age” (Hulu). “digital age” and “digital platform” are nothing but over used keywords.
I expect to see Samberg and the Lonely Island folks to launch a “Funny or Die” type platform, a la Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Why do digital shorts for NBC when you can own them yourself?
andy is a great guy and a genuine talent. there are so many critics of SNL, but few of the critics truly understand what goes into making a live 1:30 show every week when you start on Monday afternoon. funny is subjective. there’s not a single person i’ve spoken to in the comedy community who doesn’t have a certain level of respect for andy. and there is NOBODY i know in the comedy community who doesn’t think Wiig is hilarious. andy is probably leaving at the right time – his crew is gone and he hopefully has a lot to give beyond sketch. good luck andy.
where do you start with this one ..maybe with lorne michaels -one of the all time greatest producers -period- So Saturday night live needs some help- not the first time- its been hit and miss since the departure of …im thinking chris and phil and for who knows why , the fabulous cheri oteri,…will is good but not with sandlers humor.andy….kristen…jason …will find homes as supporting actors. Saturday night Live is itself truly iconic , its offspring are true. the truth is in the proof, the proof is in the pudding, the pudding is- who cares as long as politics isnt thier drug of choice…it should demand More …Go team USA EHV2 Go Lorne Go Nikke
Samberg is going down the path of fallon and kattan. There’s a right and wrong time to leave SNL.
Andy,
Cool beans.