LOS ANGELES — “Saturday Night Live” is adding three new cast members for its upcoming 45th season, including the show’s only Asian American performer.
Bowen Yang, who joined NBC’s “SNL” last season as a staff writer, will be a featured player, NBC said Thursday. Yang is co-host of a podcast, “Las Culturistas.”

This undated image released by NBC shows Bowen Yang who, along with Chloe Fineman and Shane Gillis, will join the cast of “Saturday Night Live,” premiering its 45th season on Sept. 28. Alex Schaefer/NBC via AP
Also joining the show as featured players are Chloe Fineman and Shane Gillis. Fineman has been a regular performer with the Groundlings improv company, and both she and Gillis were featured as “New Faces” at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal.
“Saturday Night Live” has taken heat over the years for an overall lack of ethnic diversity, with scant Asian representation among its cast members or hosts.
Former players Fred Armisen and Rob Schneider both are one-quarter Asian, but neither has been widely recognized for their Asian ancestry. Among hosts, the long history of “SNL” includes a short list of Asian or Asian Americans, with Awkwafina, Aziz Ansari and Jackie Chan among them.
Change is a constant at “SNL.” Leslie Jones, who joined the show after it was criticized in 2013 for the absence of an African American woman among its regular or featured players, is focusing on stand-up and movies and won’t be back this season.
The show returns Sept. 28 with host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Billie Eilish.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
-
Nation & World
Trump trial pending, McConnell calls it ‘vote of conscience’
-
Arts & Entertainment
Poet Amanda Gorman, 22, will read at Biden inaugural
-
Sports
Saturday’s NFL games: Ravens have right formula for road upset
-
Arts & Entertainment
Elvis Presley’s Graceland starting live virtual tours
-
Local & State
Driver of pickup in high-speed turnpike chase had gun taken away in October
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi {SUB NAME}, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have one? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login to participate in the conversation. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.