Comedian Bowen Yang is leaving the cast of Saturday Night Live, announcing that he will no longer be part of the long-running sketch programme following the airing of the latest episode.
In an Instagram post, Yang did not specify his reason for exiting mid-season, but expressed deep gratitude for his time on the show. I loved working at SNL, and most of all I loved the people, he shared, having started as a writer in 2018 before joining the acting cast.
At 35, Yang made history as SNL's first Chinese-American cast member and has grown into one of its most recognizable figures. In his farewell post, he reflected on the valuable lessons learned during his tenure. I learned about myself (bad with wigs), he quipped, highlighting the camaraderie and talent of his fellow cast members.
Yang leaves behind a legacy of memorable characters and parodies, including his portrayal of the iceberg from Titanic and disgraced ex-Congressman George Santos. His last episode will feature Ariana Grande as host, coinciding with his role in the film Wicked: For Good.
An impressive five-time Emmy nominee, Yang co-hosts the podcast Las Culturistas and is slated to voice a character in the upcoming Cat in the Hat animated film next year.
