Chloe Fineman's Saturday Night Live career officially came to an end earlier this month after seven seasons. But it didn't take long for her current and former castmates to celebrate everything she accomplished at Studio 8H.
Fineman shared the news on Instagram, a day after she spoke to Saturday Night Live boss Lorne Michaels about her future. It came just ahead of the show's 52nd season, closing the chapter on a memorable run that made her one of the show's defining impressionists. From celebrity impressions to memorable original characters, Fineman carved out a unique place in the cast.
Current cast member Marcello Hernandez was among SNL stars to publicly react to the news during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. Rather than focusing on what the show was losing, Hernandez emphasized Fineman's excitement for what comes next.
"I'm just excited for Chloe," Hernandez said. "And if she's excited, I'm excited. I love to see that her emotion is that she's ready for her next step in her career. So, all the best to Chloe and I'm going to miss her on set. She's a funny lady."
Hernandez and Fineman will always have a special connection. She stars opposite him in the "Domingo" sketches that added increased visibility to both Saturday Night Live and Hernandez.
Elsewhere, former cast member Cecily Strong offered the perspective of someone who witnessed Fineman's talents from the beginning. Speaking with Parade, Strong praised Fineman as one of the most talented impressionists in SNL history.
Strong specifically pointed to a sketch in which Fineman played the understudy to the rest of the female cast members. It showcased Fineman's talents, while also giving her a chance to share the sketch with multiple castmates.
"I hope that she's just so proud of herself and her seven years there and all she did," Strong said. "And there are really fun moments that we get to have on video [and] get to see forever. I revisit [them] all the time, and I love it."
Fineman didn't have to wait long to get a new gig. Days after news broke that she was leaving Saturday Night Live, an announcement came that Fineman had been cast in the upcoming Netflix drama Myron Bolitar.
Meanwhile, Marcello Hernandez is staying busy while remaining part of the SNL cast. He's out promoting his new Netflix movie 72 Hours, and he'll be back in Studio 8H for season 52 starting in September.
For Strong, it has been four years since she said goodbye to Saturday Night Live as the longest-tenured female cast member in show history. She recently finished an off-Broadway run of What Happened Was…, and she has a role in the upcoming series Vought Rising in Amazon's The Boys universe.
Add us as a preferred source on Google