Saturday Night Live cast of 1993: Where are they now, 30 years later?

For some Saturday Night Live cast members, the show is a ramp that helps them take off into superstardom. For others, SNL is the peak of their comedy careers. SNL season 18 was one of those rare years in which nearly every cast member went on to greener pastures after leaving the show. Thirty years later, where is the Saturday Night Live cast of 1993 now?

Dana Carvey

For Dana Carvey, 1993 would be his final year on Saturday Night Live. In fact, Carvey left halfway through season 18. His last show came on February 6, 1993, leaving behind a legacy as one of SNL’s greatest impressionists.

Carvey went on to lead the short-lived Dana Carvey Show in 1996. He added dozens of film credits to resume after SNL, too.

Where is Dana Carvey now? He currently co-hosts the podcast Fly on the Wall with David Spade. It brings fans inside Studio 8H with interviews featuring SNL cast members, writers, hosts, and more. On top of that, Carvey continues to tour as a stand-up comedian.

Chris Farley

Chris Farley delivered one of his most memorable sketches in 1993. “The Chris Farley Show” with Paul McCartney aired on February 13, 1993. Farley would continue on SNL until 1995 while starring in films like Black Sheep, Tommy Boy, and Beverly Hills Ninja.

As Saturday Night Live fans know, Chris Farley died of a drug overdose in 1997. The legendary comedian was 33 years old.

Phil Hartman

Phil Hartman further cemented his legacy as a Saturday Night Live all-time great in 1993. He helped the show’s political sketches, starring as Bill Clinton opposite Carvey’s George Bush and Ross Perot. Hartman left the show in 1995 and had a successful run of movies and TV series including NewsRadio and spots on The Simpsons.

Like Farley, Phil Hartman had his life tragically cut short. The former SNL cast member was murdered by his wife in 1998 at 49 years old.

Mike Myers

Mike Myers missed the first half of season 18 while out on leave. The funnyman eventually returned on December 5, 1992, and finished out the season. After leaving SNL in 1995, Myers became a box office draw thanks to the Austin Powers and Shrek franchises.

More recently, Myers has played supporting roles in films like Amsterdam and Bohemian Rhapsody. In 2022, he debuted The Pentaverate on Netflix. Myers created, wrote, and starred in the comedy satirizing conspiracy theories.

Fans are currently awaiting confirmation from Myers on a fourth Austin Powers movie.

Kevin Nealon

In 1993, Kevin Nealon was nearing the end of his run on Saturday Night Live. He did have the honor of hosting “Weekend Update” during season 18.

Nealon continued to appear in films and TV series post-SNL. Last year, he published the essay collection I Exaggerate: My Brushes With Fame detailing some of his famous friends. In 2023, he completed filming the movie Late Bloomers which premiered at the SXSW Festival in March. Fans can also catch Nealon on his YouTube channel where he posts “Hiking With Kevin.” The video series sees Nealon and a celebrity guest chat while hiking in California.

Chris Rock

Season 18 would be Chris Rock’s last on Saturday Night Live. After three frustrating years, Rock left SNL without ever really finding consistent footing. Luckily for Rock, his stand-up career brought him to a level of fame that SNL clearly wasn’t going to do.

Rock made history in 2023 by performing Netflix’s first live stand-up special. Chris Rock: Selective Outrage was a hit, partly because Rock used the platform to address the Will Smith slap.

Rock teams up with Netflix again for the 2023 film Rustin. He’ll play civil rights activist and NAACP leader Roy Wilkins in the film produced by Barack and Michelle Obama.

Rob Schneider

Rob Schneider likely isn’t on anyone’s list of the greatest Saturday Night Live cast members. But he still managed to create some memorable characters during his SNL run. The 1992-1993 season saw Schneider bumped up from featured player to repertory player.

Schneider continues to work in film and TV today, most notably alongside Adam Sandler. In 2023, he voiced a character in the Daily Wire’s animated series Chip Chilla. The comedian has also received attention in recent years over his anti-vaccination stance.

Julia Sweeney

Julia Sweeney joined the Saturday Night Live cast in 1990 after originally starting her career as an accountant. By 1993, Sweeney was nearing the end of her SNL run. Her most memorable character was Pat. The character’s ambiguous gender set up the comedy, and Sweeney eventually starred in a feature film based on the character.

Post-SNL, Sweeney turned her brother’s death and her cancer diagnosis into the basis for a one-woman show titled God Said Ha! that ran in Los Angeles and New York. The comedian went on to write and perform a series of successful monologues.

More recently, Sweeney had a guest appearance on Brooklyn Nine-Nine and a role in season 3 of American Gods on Starz. In 2023, she appeared in an episode of the Hulu series Not Dead Yet.

Ellen Cleghorne

Ellen Cleghorne was a featured player in the Saturday Night Live cast of 1992-1993. She had joined the cast the year prior. Cleghorne performed dozens of celebrity impressions on the show, including Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Quivers, and Tina Turner.

Cleghorne left SNL in 1995 to star in her own sitcom. However, Cleghorne! only ran for one season on the WB. The comedian went on to appear in smaller roles in several films and TV series while also earning a Ph.D. in performance studies.

For the past two seasons, Ellen Cleghorne has played Michael Che‘s mother in That Damn Michael Che on HBO Max. Cleghorne also lends her voice to the children’s animated series City Island. In 2023, she is filming Bernard and the Genie starring Melissa McCarthy.

Melanie Hutsell

Melanie Hutsell was in the middle of her tenure as a Saturday Night Live cast member in 1993. Her performance as Jan Brady in a touring improv show helped her land the SNL gig. Hutsell reprised the role several times during her time in Studio 8H.

Hutsell effectively retired from acting and performing between 1999 and 2008. She had recurring roles in Lady Dynamite and Transparent between 2015 and 2017. Hutsell wrote and starred in the 2018 comedy/drama Mother’s Little Helpers.

In 2023, Hutsell appeared one episode of the miniseries Tiny Beautiful Things. She’ll also appear in the upcoming film 45th Parallel and stars in the short film Do Over.

Tim Meadows

Tim Meadows remained a featured player during Saturday Night Live season 18. He joined the show the year prior and went on to be an SNL cast member for 10 seasons.

Meadows wasn’t yet at his full potential in 1993. But his career ended up being one of the most admirable and productive in SNL history. It’s no surprise that Meadows has remained in the spotlight since leaving Saturday Night Live.

In 2023, he had guest spots in The Mandalorian, Poker Face, and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. He also has a main role in the animated series Digman! from Andy Samberg. Next, he co-stars in the comedy Dream Scenario alongside Nic Cage, Michael Cera, and Julianne Nicholson. Meadows also reprises his role as Principle Duvall in the upcoming Mean Girls: The Musical.

Adam Sandler

Perhaps no Saturday Night Live cast member has had a bigger career than Adam Sandler. But in 1993, he was still a featured player and far from the comedy icon he’d later become.

Season 18 gave us the debut of “The Thanksgiving Song,” one of several holiday-inspired songs Sandler delivered on “Weekend Update.” Sandler left in 1995 (or was fired, depending on the story you hear) and went on to become a major box-office draw and stand-up success.

In 2023, he co-starred with Jennifer Aniston again for Murder Mystery 2 on Netflix. Sandler appears with his wife and two daughters in You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah coming to Netflix in August. Fans can get more of Sandler on Netflix in November with the release of the animated family film Leo. Finally, Sandler stars in the science fiction drama Spaceman which also hits Netflix in 2023.

David Spade

David Spade would be among the first to admit that he wasn’t exactly cut out to be a Saturday Night Live cast member when he joined the show. In fairness, he was competing for airtime with the likes of Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, Chris Farley, and more.

But Spade found his voice at the “Weekend Update” desk, delivering some of the more memorable punchlines in SNL history. He was a featured player in 1993 and left the show in 1996.

Outside of his stand-up career, Spade found success on sitcoms like Just Shoot Me!, Rules of Engagement, and 8 Simple Rules. His movies Tommy Boy, Black Sheep, and Joe Dirt are cult classics and fan favorites.

In 2023, Spade continues to tour the country as a comic. He also co-hosts the podcast Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey. It’s a must-listen for SNL fans and anyone interested in comedy history.

Al Franken

In 1993, Al Franken was in the middle of his second run as a writer and performer on Saturday Night Live. He did most of his work behind the scenes, with only limited on-screen appearances. Franken left the show in 1995 after losing the “Weekend Update” gig to Norm Macdonald.

Post-SNL, Franken starred in the flop Stuart Saves His Family based on his character Stuart Smalley. However, Franken found much more success in politics. First, he hosted a popular radio show, then was elected as a senator representing Minnesota from 2009 to 2018.

Franken served as a guest host of The Daily Show in 2023 following Trevor Noah’s departure. He also hosts The Al Franken Podcast.

Robert Smigel

Similar to Al Franken, Robert Smigel was more of a writer than a performer on Saturday Night Live. Still, he was credited in the cast in season 18.

1993 would be Smigel’s last on Saturday Night Live. He left the show to become the head writer for Late Night with Conan O’Brien. There, he helped make Conan O’Brien a household name while also giving the world Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and many more characters and impersonations.

Late last year, it was reported Smigel and frequent collaborator Adam Sandler were working on a coming-of-age movie musical. In 2023, Smigel joined Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend to read the script for the unmade Hans and Franz movie alongside Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon.

Which Saturday Night Live cast member from 1993 was your favorite? Who do you want to see more of in 2023 and beyond?