Saturday Night Live has been on the air since 1975, bringing laughter into the homes of millions. With a revolving cast of hilarious and talented actors and writers, it's no secret that the sketch comedy show has been the launching point for many influential comedy names in Hollywood. Even though critics moan every year that the series has "lost its funny," the show prevails and so does its cast and crew.
While Saturday Night Live has been able to keep going for nearly 50 years, the cast and writers are a revolving door, with many leaving the show to go on to bigger things -- like movies. Over the years, several SNL alumni have left the world of TV behind for the world of movies and have had massive success. Here is just a sample of some of the best movies that star Saturday Night Live veterans.
Animal House (1978) - John Belushi
John Belushi was one of seven original members of Saturday Night Live when the sketch show premiered back in 1975. He appeared in 79 episodes of the show over 5 seasons and also wrote several sketches. One of his most popular was his "Olympia Restuarant" sketch.
Belushi got his movie break-out role in 1978, while still appearing on SNL when he was cast as John Blutarsky in National Lampoon's Animal House. The movie centers on two college freshmen who get accepted to a rowdy fraternity that's on the dean's hit list.
Baby Mama (2008) - Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are two of the most successful women to come out of SNL. Fey started on the show as a writer before becoming a cast member. She later convinced Poehler to join the cast, and she went from a featured player to a full-time cast member in her first season.
The two's friendship and work relationship didn't end when they left SNL, and instead they've continued to work together on several projects including the 2008 movie Baby Mama. Fey plays Kate, a workaholic who seeks out a surrogate after being told she cannot carry her own child. She hires Poehler's character Angie, who agrees to surrogacy hoping to make a quick buck.
Dolemite Is My Name (2019) - Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy joined the cast of SNL in 1980 as both a cast member and a writer. He spent four seasons with the show, spanning 65 episodes, and is largely credited for introducing the show to an entirely new generation of young comedy fans.
Murphy has gone on to have an incredibly successful acting career in Hollywood, but one of his most recent iconic roles was as Rudy Ray Moore in Dolemite Is My Name. A comedic biopic, the movie centers on Moore, who has become an underground sensation and star in an anti-establishment movie.
Elf (2003) - Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell joined the cast in 1995 as part of SNL's necessary rebrand. He spent seven years on the show, where he became known for his political impersonations.
Ferrell left the series in 2002 and the following year starred in two movies, one of which is the Christmas classic Elf. The movie follows Buddy (Ferrell) on his quest to find his biological human father in New York after learning he was adopted and not an actual elf. While some might argue this isn't Ferrell's best role, the truth is it's a classic that demands to be watched every year, making it pretty high up there.
Grown Ups (2010) - Adam Sandler, David Spade, Chris Rock, Rob Schnieder, & Maya Rudolph
Rob Schnieder was hired as an SNL writer in 1988 before transitioning to cast member. Meanwhile, Adam Sandler, David Spade, and Chris Rock all joined the series in 1990, where they joined up with Schnieder to become the "Bad Boys of SNL." Maya Rudolph joined a decade later and spent seven years with the show.
In 2010 these SNL vets teamed up to create the hit family comedy Grown Ups. The movie centers on 5 childhood friends who reconnect as adults when their former basketball coach dies. Wanting to honor their coach's final wishes, the gang, and their families head up to the lake house where they reconnect with their childhood.
Palm Springs (2020) - Andy Samberg
Andy Samberg joined the cast of SNL in 2005 as a featured player and a writer. Samberg became known for his hilarious digital shorts which helped usher the series into the 2000s. Samberg left in 2012 but quickly returned to TV to star in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
However, Samberg has also had success in the feature side of the industry. He most recently starred in one of the best rom-coms of 2020, Palm Springs. Samberg stars as Nyles, a man who is stuck in a time warp. When Sarah (Cristin Milioti) also gets stuck in the time warp, Nyles's life gets even more interesting.
The Blues Brothers (1980) - John Belushi & Dan Aykroyd
Along with Belushi, Dan Aykroyd was one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live when the show premiered in 1975. He spent four seasons with the show where he appeared in several sketches that later were turned into feature films.
One of Aykroyd and Belushis's most iconic sketches to be turned into a movie was The Blues Brothers. Released in 1980, the movie centers on Jake and Elwood, two brothers who decide the only way to save an orphanage from closing is to reunite their old band.
The Skeleton Twins (2014) - Bill Hader & Kristin Wiig
Bill Hader spent eight years on SNL from 2005 to 2013 and was best known for his reoccurring original character on Weekend Update. Kristin Wiig joined the cast the same year as Hader, but left one year prior to him. Wiig was known for her hilarious original characters like Gilly.
In 2014 these two co-stars reunited to create the dramedy movie The Skeleton Twins. When a string of unfortunate events reunites a pair of estranged twins, they must evaluate their lives and their relationships with one another.
We're The Millers (2013) - Jason Sudeikis
Jason Sudeikis was hired as a writer in 2003 but didn't join the cast of the show until 2005. During his time, he had several reoccurring characters including Weekend Update's red devil. While Sudeikis has since returned to television, when he left SNL he focused more on movies.
One of Sudeikis's better-known movie roles was as David Clark in the 2013 crime comedy We're The Millers. The movie follows David as he ropes in his acquaintances/neighbors to pretend to be a fake family so he can transport his drug supplier's latest shipment to get out of debt.
When Harry Met Sally (1989) - Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal's history with Saturday Night Live is an interesting one. He originally was supposed to be a member of the inaugural season but after a band rehearsal, he was removed from the cast and instead appeared in only one episode that season in a guest role. Crystal returned as a cast member in 1984 for one brief season where he created a beloved reoccurring character.
Crystal has since had a successful movie career, with one of his best movies being the iconic romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally. The movie centers on two friends who are determined to prove that two people can stay friends without sex becoming an issue.