To celebrate the 40th anniversay of "Saturday Night Live," Glamour magazine hosted a reunion with 17 of the most memorable female cast members to talk about everything from their first nervewracking auditions to playing their most recognizable characters.
Yes, those tryouts do sound terrifying:
Kristen Wiig: "Auditioning for SNL is the most nervous I’ve ever been in my life. It was terrifying."
Cheri Oteri: "I got food poisoning the night before my audition. But even with no sleep, I could’ve danced with two broken legs. It’s that adrenaline."
On writing parts for women, by women:
Tina Fey: "It’s understood that everyone comes in and has to write for themselves. That’s the difference between getting handed the part of the stewardess and getting to play what you think is funny. You’re not going to stay up all night to give yourself one wife line."
Rachel Dratch: "When I came up in comedy, you had to gender-neutralize yourself for good roles. If you thought of yourself as a woman instead of as one of the players, you’d be relegated to the waitress role. But in my time on 'SNL,' that started changing."
Amy Poehler: "I liked the costumes depending on how easily I could take a nap in them. I always pitched a character called Sleeping Bag Lady, who just wore a sleeping bag, but it never caught on."
How Debbie Downer, Mary Katherine Gallagher, Mom Jeans and Target Lady were born:
Rachel Dratch: "I was on vacation in Costa Rica, and when I told someone that I was from New York, they asked, “Were you there for 9/11?” The conversation froze. When I got back, the name [Debbie Downer] popped into my head."
Molly Shannon: "Every Mary Katherine Gallagher sketch was about fear and success. I was so nervous on the show, but she made me feel brave. When you write what’s inside of you, people relate."
Tina Fey: "I was complaining about my unfortunate jeans with Amy, Maya, and Rachel. Somebody called them mom jeans, and it turned into the [ Mom Jeans ad]. Looking back, I’m at my goal weight in that commercial, even though I was wearing padding."
Kristen Wiig: "Gilly [the pesky schoolgirl] started with a silly face I made working late at the show one night. Target Lady was in fact inspired by a Target worker. Penelope came from listening to someone one-up people all the time. We all know a Penelope or two."
Aidy Bryant: "Kate [McKinnon] and I are best buds, and we started calling ourselves [Dyke and Fats]. We’d be like, 'Sorry! Dyke and Fats are late.' We knew it was touchy, but it felt powerful to put it [in a 2014 skit], like, 'We don’t worry about this stuff, so neither should you.'"
Amy Poehler: "Every time I did a scene with the other ladies, it felt like a highlight. And if it was a stinker, it was almost more fun to think about how we would laugh about it later."
Kristen Wiig: "Leaving [the show] was a punch-in-the-gut sadness. It still lingers. I don’t think it will ever go away."
From left to right: Laraine Newman (original cast member, 1975–1980); Kristen Wiig (cast member, 2005-2012); Amy Poehler (cast member, 2001-2008); Ana Gasteyer (cast member, 1996-2002); Tina Fey (cast member and writer, 1997-2006); Sasheer Zamata (cast member 2014-present); Jane Curtin (original cast member, 1975-1980); Cecily Strong (cast member, 2012-present); Colin Jost (cast member and writer, 2005-present); Kate McKinnon (cast member, 2012-present); Rachel Dratch (cast member, 1999-2006); Michael Che (cast member and writer, 2013-present); Aidy Bryant (cast member, 2012-present); Casey Wilson (cast member, 2008-2009); Cheri Oteri (cast member, 1995-2000); Molly Shannon (cast member, 1995-2001); Maya Rudolph (cast member, 2000-2007); Vanessa Bayer (cast member, 2010-present); Leslie Jones (cast member and writer, 2014-present); Taran Killam (cast member, 2010-present)
For more with the women of "Saturday Night Live," pick up the March issue of Glamour, on newsstands nationwide Feb. 10.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
Sign up for Peacock to stream NBCU shows.