Saturday Night
has sparked diverse opinions from the original cast depicted in the film, with many being vocal and forward about their thoughts on the movie. Saturday Night Live, also known as SNL, has been a staple on American cable TV since the show premiered back in 1975. However, getting such a novel and creative sketch show off the ground was no easy feat, as shown in Saturday Night.
Saturday Night goes back to the very beginning, capturing the incredible stress and excitement that accompanied the people who put their all into making this never-seen-before live comedy sketch show make it to air. With Lorne Michaels, the creator of the show, appearing as the heart and soul of the movie, trying to coordinate the madness of their opening night. And while the show does lean into it’s comedy foundation, the movie has split opinions among the cast who appeared on that fateful night.
While many of the original cast from 1975 are still alive, Gilda Radner, who is portrayed by Ella Hunt, and John Belushi, who is portrayed by Matt Wood, pᴀssed away in 1989 and 1982 respectively. Jane Curtin, who is played by Kim Matula has not been very vocal about her opinion on Saturday Night.
Laraine Newman Said Saturday Night Was A “Love Letter” & Captured The Spirit Of SNL
Emily Fairne Plays Laraine Newman In Saturday Night
Laraine Newman joined SNL from the very beginning, and continued to work on the show for five seasons throughout it’s earliest years. Watching the film, Newman praised the film as a “love letter” to SNL. While she notes that the movie itself is largely fictional, embellishing the events and making things much more outrageous, it captures the spirit of that night, and the challenges in bringing a show that was so nuanced and different to the mᴀsses. And on top of that, Newman mentions that she spoke several times with the director and his writing partner in order to really get a sense of what they needed to translate to the big screen.
The movie is definitely a love letter. It was written with such love by Jason Reitman and his writing partner, Gil Kenan. During the pandemic, they did some Zoom calls with me. We talked for a long time. The actual movie, the story that’s being told in the movie is kind of a lot of fiction, but it doesn’t really matter because it really captures the spirit of the show, the “by the seat of your pants” energy that was going on, and also the idea that we didn’t know if anybody was watching and we couldn’t believe the material we were able to get on the air.
Newman clearly admires the movie, and views it as a creative piece, rather than a documentary. And evidently, this is the case, considering this comedy movie is merely inspired by the events of that fateful night, and not a serious rendition of the actual events. Though it clearly manages to convey much of the same emotion and intensity that was felt by the cast on that night. However, Newman’s bright outlook on the film is much more favorable than some of the cast who feel strongly about the project.
Chevy Chase Told Saturday Night’s Director Jason Reitman He “Should Be Embarrᴀssed”
Cory Michael Smith Plays Chevy Chase In Saturday Night
Chevy Chase’s legacy on SNL and in many other projects is infamous, due to the actor’s tendency to be in the center of drama and disputes. As such, his depiction in Saturday Night is not necessarily a pleasant one. Cory Michael Smith does an incredible job portraying Chase and creating a rounded character, though it’s evident that his ego plays a large part in tension on set. And true to that image, Chevy Chase’s blunt response after having watched Saturday Night with the director, Jason Reitman, is a harsh critique.
Rather than praise the positives, or find the humor that is foundational to the movie, Chase told the director that he “should be embarrᴀssed” about the film. Considering the role that Chase has in the movie, often being antagonistic, sharp, rude, and egotistical, this makes perfect sense. However, the film does give the character some redeeming moments, and attempts to portray him as more than an arrogant comic whose star was on the rise. If Chase had more thoughts on the film, it is unclear, but as far as his immediate response to the movie, he was clearly displeased.
Dan Aykroyd Praised Saturday Night & Its Accuracy
Dylan O’Brien Plays Dan Aykroyd In Saturday Night
Dan Aykroyd is one of the biggest celebrities to ever come from SNL. After SNL, he and John Belushi starred together in blockbuster films like The Blues Brothers, and Aykroyd appeared in the Ghostbusters sequels. Today, Aykroyd continues to thrive and both perform and write for new projects. Evidently, his time was a lot more fond to look back upon when it comes to SNL than costars like Chase, which is reflected in the review he posted online after having watched the film. Aykroyd uses plenty of colorful verbiage to extol the film’s virtues, and intriguingly, notes that it was “pretty accurate,” which contradicts Newman’s comments.
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However, it’s difficult to determine exactly which scenes or characters Aykroyd may be referring to specifically in terms of accuracy. Potentially, he recognized a younger version of himself in O’Brien’s performance, as he wielded his charm and defused tension on set. Aykroyd’s character also shines through in the film, despite his tendency to garner as much female attention as possible. However, Aykroyd’s praise and sincere love for the film can be expressly felt through his comments.
Garrett Morris Called Watching Saturday Night A “Very Cathartic Experience”
Lamorne Morris Plays Garrett Morris In Saturday Night
Garrett Morris, the first and only Black member of the cast, also had some choice words to say about Saturday Night. According to the LA Times, both Garrett and Lamorne Morris, the actor who plays Garrett, had multiple conversations about the project and how Lamorne should approach the role. And, as it would turn out, the two had a lot more in common than just their coincidentally sharing a last name. Lamorne naturally felt out of place in some productions, which led to questions about why he was involved at all, in a similar way to Garrett, and which is beautifully captured in Saturday Night.
Garrett was indeed much older than the rest of the cast, and he came from a different background, with a more music-focused path. But evidently, Garrett proved to himself and everyone else that he deserved a spot on SNL with his incredible comedic talents and timing. For Garrett, he acknowledged that Saturday Night was “a very cathartic experience,” as the film clearly brought back memories and helped him to view it with more experience and wisdom. While not every original cast member got a kick out of Saturday Night, it clearly struck a chord with all of them.
