{"id":2460054,"date":"2026-06-15T11:22:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T11:22:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2460054"},"modified":"2026-06-15T11:22:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T11:22:19","slug":"15-famous-stars-who-tried-but-never-made-it-to-snl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/15-famous-stars-who-tried-but-never-made-it-to-snl\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Famous Stars Who Tried But Never Made It to \u2018SNL\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Breaking into the cast of Saturday Night Live is a dream for many comedians, but even some of Hollywood\u2019s brightest and most hilarious stars have found themselves on the outside looking in. From charismatic stand-up regulars and scene-stealing TV actors to blockbuster movie talents, some of the funniest minds in entertainment never got the SNL spotlight. Discover which of your favorite comedy icons auditioned \u2014 or simply never made the cut \u2014 and learn about their unique journeys beyond Studio 8H.<\/p>\n

Kevin Hart<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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MEGA<\/span><\/p>\n

Kevin Hart<\/strong><\/a> may be one of the world\u2019s top comedians and a box office heavyweight, yet SNL never became his launching pad. Hart auditioned for a part in the show in 2001 but was not cast, as reported by Mental Floss<\/a>. Despite his massive influence in both stand-up and comedic films, the late-night stage always eluded him. Hart\u2019s unmatched energy and signature charm found a home on other stages, making him an icon even without an SNL breakthrough.<\/p>\n

Kathy Griffin<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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Xavier Collin\/Image Press Agency \/ MEGA<\/span><\/p>\n

Kathy Griffin<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s sharp wit and fearless humor made her a household name, but it never brought her an SNL gig. Known for her biting celebrity commentary and Emmy-winning specials, Griffin won two Primetime Emmy Awards for her hit reality series, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, per Griffin\u2019s official website<\/a>. Griffin built her own path with a fiercely devoted fanbase. She is proof that you can push comedy boundaries and still command the spotlight without ever stepping onto Studio 8H.<\/p>\n

Zach Galifianakis<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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Ron Adar \/ M10s \/ MEGA<\/span><\/p>\n

Zach Galifianakis<\/strong><\/a> is famous for his quirky, deadpan delivery and surreal comedic style. Despite later hosting and making memorable cameos, he never secured a spot as a cast member. Galifianakis hosted Saturday Night Live for the third time on May 4, 2013, according to NBC<\/a>. He instead gained fame through his own irreverent creations and standout film roles, cementing his place in comedy history outside SNL\u2018s structure.<\/p>\n

Aubrey Plaza<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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With her singular deadpan and unpredictable comedic presence, Aubrey Plaza<\/strong><\/a> seemed destined for SNL. She worked as an NBC page during college and interned with SNL in 2004 and 2005, and later told Jimmy Fallon<\/strong><\/a> on The Tonight Show about her failed SNL audition early in her career, as reported by Boston.com<\/a>. Her quirky performances on Parks and Recreation and acclaimed film roles have more than made up for her SNL near miss. Plaza\u2019s career thrives on her own distinct comedic voice.<\/p>\n

Geena Davis<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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Geena Davis<\/strong><\/a>, an Oscar winner and versatile actress, brings comedic flair to the big screen but never became part of the SNL family. Davis received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Accidental Tourist. She\u2019s made followers laugh and inspired on her own terms in film and TV. Her path highlights how the biggest stages aren\u2019t always the only outlets for comedic talent.<\/p>\n

Jordan Peele<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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Jordan Peele<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s genius for blending comedy and horror captivated Hollywood, yet Saturday Night Live passed him by. Instead, he gained fame with the acclaimed sketch show Key & Peele, which was created by Keegan-Michael Key<\/strong><\/a> and Jordan Peele for Comedy Central and ran from 2012 to 2015. Peele\u2019s journey is a testament to creating your own opportunities beyond the SNL audition room.<\/p>\n

Steve Carell<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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Xavier Collin \/ Image Press Agency \/ MEGA<\/span><\/p>\n

Steve Carell<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s connection to Saturday Night Live is one comedy fans still debate \u2014 SNL creator Lorne Michaels<\/strong><\/a> has publicly stated that Carell auditioned, while Carell himself has disputed the story, as reported by Comic Basics<\/a>. He went on to define comedic television with The Office and excel in dramatic roles and hit comedies. Carell\u2019s wide-ranging career is proof that missing SNL isn\u2019t the end \u2014 it can actually be the beginning of a different kind of stardom.<\/p>\n

Stephen Colbert<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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Xavier Collin \/ Image Press Agency \/ MEGA
Stephen Colbert<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s razor-sharp satire found a home on The Daily Show and later his own series, yet SNL never added him to their ranks. Colbert auditioned for SNL in 1992 and later went on to become The Daily Show\u2018s longest-serving correspondent before getting his own show, The Colbert Report, according to Britannica<\/a>. Today, Colbert has become a late-night institution on his own merits.<\/p>\n

Jim Carrey<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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One of the most successful comedic actors ever, Jim Carrey<\/strong><\/a> auditioned for SNL but wasn\u2019t chosen as a regular. Afterward, from 1990 to 1994 Carrey was a regular cast member of the ensemble comedy television series In Living Color, which helped launch his career, as reported by Britannica<\/a>. His career was subsequently filled with blockbuster hits and critical acclaim for both comic and dramatic roles. Carrey\u2019s audition may have been a no, but his legacy is a resounding yes.<\/p>\n

Jennifer Coolidge<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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Jennifer Coolidge<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s singular voice and hilarious roles from Legally Blonde to The White Lotus didn\u2019t come via SNL, but she\u2019s become a comedy powerhouse on her own. Coolidge won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Tanya McQuoid on HBO\u2019s The White Lotus \u2014 her second win for the series.\u00a0Coolidge\u2019s influence continues to grow, proving her talent needs no SNL stamp.<\/p>\n

David Cross<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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David Cross<\/strong><\/a> is beloved for his boundary-pushing comedy and cult hit shows like Mr. Show, but SNL was never his home turf. Mr. Show with Bob and David aired on HBO from November 3, 1995, to December 28, 1998, and remains a highly influential piece of American sketch comedy.\u00a0Cross represents a generation redefining sketch comedy far outside the SNL bubble.<\/p>\n

John Goodman<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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Although John Goodman<\/strong><\/a> has hosted SNL many times and become a fan favorite, he never joined as a main cast member. Goodman hosted NBC\u2019s Saturday Night Live 13 times between 1989 and 2013, with only Alec Baldwin<\/strong><\/a> and Steve Martin<\/strong><\/a> hosting the show more, as reported by Men\u2019s Journal<\/a>. Goodman\u2019s comic legacy stretches far beyond any single show.<\/p>\n

Jack McBrayer<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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Jack McBrayer<\/strong><\/a> charmed audiences as the ever-pleasant Kenneth on 30 Rock, yet he never joined the SNL lineup. McBrayer starred as Kenneth Parcell on all seven seasons of the hit NBC sitcom 30 Rock, which ran from 2006 to 2013. McBrayer has built his own sunny legacy, showing that likability goes a long way without SNL\u2018s stamp.<\/p>\n

Ellie Kemper<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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Ellie Kemper<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s endearing awkwardness and radiant comedic timing light up any screen, but not the SNL stage. In August 2008, she auditioned for a spot on Saturday Night Live but was not cast, as reported by Variety<\/a>. Instead, Kemper wowed America on The Office and as the title character in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, finding her place as a comedy darling elsewhere. Her bubbly personality made her a star without ever needing an SNL audition.<\/p>\n

Lisa Kudrow<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n
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RSH \/ ZOJ \/ WENN.com \/ MEGA<\/span><\/p>\n

Lisa Kudrow<\/strong><\/a> is best known for her beloved role on Friends and a long roster of memorable comic work, but she wasn\u2019t among SNL\u2018s chosen cast. Kudrow tried out for Saturday Night Live in 1990 but was passed over, and went on to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1998 for her role as Phoebe Buffay on Friends, according to Newsweek<\/a>. Kudrow proves you don\u2019t need Saturday night to become a sitcom icon.<\/p>\n

This story 15 Famous Stars Who Tried But Never Made It to \u2018SNL\u2019<\/a> first appeared on InTouch Weekly<\/i><\/a>. Follow InTouch Weekly<\/strong> on Yahoo<\/strong><\/a> so you don\u2019t miss what\u2019s coming next.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Breaking into the cast of Saturday Night Live is a dream for many comedians, but even some of Hollywood\u2019s brightest and most hilarious stars have found themselves on the outside looking in. From charismatic stand-up regulars and scene-stealing TV actors to blockbuster movie talents, some of the funniest minds in entertainment never got the SNL […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2460055,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25173],"tags":[483792,315770,86662,68192,462124,359322,21890,22653,319616,483209,332929],"class_list":["post-2460054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artists","tag-ivan-nikolov","tag-jordan-peele","tag-kathy-griffin","tag-kevin-hart","tag-mental-floss","tag-press-agency","tag-saturday-night-live","tag-stephen-colbert","tag-steve-carell","tag-xavier-collin","tag-zach-galifianakis"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/15-Famous-Stars-Who-Tried-But-Never-Made-It-to.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2460054","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2460054"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2460054\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2460056,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2460054\/revisions\/2460056"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2460055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2460054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2460054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2460054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}