Deadline Exclusive- Nellie Andreeva
Saturday Night Live is going through the first phase of annual cast changeover, which involves not bringing back some existing players. As usual, most affected are first-year actors. I've learned that the contracts of
Noël Wells and
John Milhiser, who joined
SNL as featured players last September, are not being renewed, joining fellow rookie Brooks Wheelan, who announced his dismissal yesterday on Twitter.
Things are murkier about
Michael Patrick O'Brien, who made his debut as a featured player last season after a four-year stint as a writer on the show. I hear discussions are underway for O'Brien's future on the show that could involve him returning to the writing staff or continuing to have an-screen presence if he stays on. With anchoring experience on the popular Web series
7 Minutes In Heaven, some have been calling for him to get a shot at co-hosting
Weekend Update.
Of the seasoned
SNL players, popular cast member Nasim Pedrad is leaving after five seasons as she co-stars on a new primetime series, Fox's
Mulaney, which is executive produced by
SNL boss Lorne Michaels.
deadline.com