It’s time to say goodbye to one of the brightest stars at Saturday Night Live. After eight seasons of hilarious jokes, memorable monologues, and classic characters, actress Heidi Gardner is leaving the long-running NBC comedy series. Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that Gardner will not return for the new 51st season, which debuts on October 4.
Part of a Bigger Cast Overhaul
Gardner’s departure is part of a full-blown cast overhaul at SNL, with other cast members Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow, and featured player Emil Wakim all leaving the show. Writers Celeste Yim and Rosebud Baker have also left. The departures represent one of the show’s more substantial behind-the-scenes and cast shakeups in a while.
Gardner first joined the cast in 2017 in Season 43. She was treading through a cast filled with stars such as Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, and Cecily Strong at the time. Although she had minimal screen time in the initial stages, Gardner soon established a role for herself, providing both solid supporting work and quirky lead characters.
Breakout Characters and Viral Moments
During her run on the show, Gardner came up with a number of fan favorites in “Weekend Update,” such as Angel, the over-the-top girlfriend character in each boxing film; teen movie critic Bailey Gismert; and employee Baskin Johns at Goop. Her offbeat sensibility and dedication to the art of character work made her one of the most talented character players on the roster.
One of her most popular moments occurred in April 2024, when Gardner continually broke character during a sketch with Mikey Day and guest host Ryan Gosling. The sketch had Day and Gosling in full prosthetics as Beavis and Butt-Head, and Gardner was hilarious trying to maintain a straight face. “I really tried,” she explained later. “I spotted the red shorts and knew I couldn’t look over there again.”
From SNL to TV Land
Beyond SNL, Gardner has popped up on many TV shows, such as Apple TV+’s Shrinking, as well as You, Superstore, Veep, The Other Two, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. She also guest-starred in Adam Sandler’s 2022 sports drama Hustle.
A Kansas City Chiefs superfan, Gardner won a personal victory when she convinced SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels to invite NFL star Travis Kelce to host on the promise that he must win the Super Bowl. Kelce came through, and the episode was a fan hit.
Saturday Night Live opens its 51st season on October 4 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
