Chloe Fineman departs Saturday Night Live after seven seasons

Chloe Fineman confirmed she will leave Saturday Night Live after completing seven seasons, the typical contract length for new cast members. She joined the show at the start of season 45 in 2019 alongside Bowen Yang and Shane Gillis. While Yang quickly became known for his Weekend Update characters and Gillis was dismissed before his first episode, Fineman built a repertoire of celebrity impressions ranging from classic figures such as Meryl Streep and Drew Barrymore to newer stars like Timothée Chalamet and Sydney Sweeney. Her performances have drawn mixed reactions from viewers, with some praising her versatility and others expressing disappointment. The pandemic extended the runs of longtime cast members Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong, which limited opportunities for Fineman to develop a recurring breakout character.

"Fineman’s impressions have been a mixed bag, capturing everything from Barrymore’s California cadence to Streep’s prestige-wine-mom gestures," a commentator noted. Fineman’s departure marks the latest cast turnover in the show’s annual summer tradition.