Saturday Night Live: Fans React to Alec Baldwin’s SNL Cameo

Saturday Night Live loaded its first three episodes this year with plenty of surprise cameos due to the SAG-AFTRA strike being in effect at the time. Though the strike ended earlier this week, the live sketch comedy managed to get another surprising cameo stuffed into the show’s latest episode, a cameo that’s not all too big of a hit with viewers. In the episode’s closing moments, Alec Baldwin appeared in a sketch, taking over for a character played by Timothee Chalamet. In total, Baldwin appeared for just a few short seconds in the night’s final sketch, then reappeared on the stage at Studio 8H as Chalamet gave his thanks and signed off for the night.

Suffice it to say, those tuning in weren’t too thrilled with Baldwin’s appearance on the show. “The cameos have been so fun this season and we just had to end the show with an Alec Baldwin jumpscare,” one tweeter posted. Another added, “Alec Baldwin is always, always gonna kill the vibe on SNL from here on out. His sketch days are over, it’s time to move on.”

It was Baldwin’s first appearance on the show in over three years due to his role in the accidental shooting on the set of Rust in 2021. Baldwin both stars in and produces the film, and was holding a gun that accidentally discharged a live round that struck and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Baldwin had previously been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, but those counts were dropped earlier this April. Since then, prosecutors have said they’re weighing new charges against the actor, with a presentation to a grand jury set to take place sometime by the end of November. 

Who is in the Saturday Night Live cast?

Cast members for Saturday Night Live season 49 include almost the entire cast from season 48 of SNL. Returning stars include Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, James Austin Johnson, Punkie Johnson, Colin Jost, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, and Bowen Yang. Featured players that are part of the cast include returning stars Marcello Hernandez, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, and Devon Walker, plus the show’s only fully new cast member for the year, newcomer Chloe Troast. The comedy troupe Please Don’t Destroy, made up of Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, are also a recurring part of the series.

Saturday Night Live Season 49 is ongoing now with new episodes airing on both NBC and Peacock, starting Saturdays at 11:30 PM ET. All 48  seasons of Saturday Night Live are also now streaming on Peacock.