Most TV shows are lucky to air for even a single season let along 50, and yet Saturday Night Live, a show that began as a scrappy off-beat late night sketch show and blossomed into a legendary institution, has reached the big five-oh. Lorne Michaels‘ brainchild aired its first episode on Oct. 11, 1975 (you can watch the new film Saturday Night if you’d like more details on the Season 1 premiere), and has never looked back.
Since 1975, SNL has aired nearly 1,000 episodes (it will hit that milestone in a few years) and featured over 160 cast members, many of whom went on to become Hollywood legends in their own right. Every episode of Saturday Night Live features a celebrity host who guides the show. The very first was George Carlin, but over 50 years, hundreds of A-list actors, musicians, athletes and models have hosted he show.
Related: ‘SNL’ Origin Movie, ‘Saturday Night’ Drops Its Trailer
With this being the 50th season of SNL, fans have been speculating about the hosting lineup for the year. Will it feature SNL alum like Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig? Will Five-Timers Club members like Steve Martin or Tom Hanks make appearances? Or will they try to attract some talented A-listers who have never taken the gig like Leonardo DiCaprio or Julia Roberts?
Here’s the current list of SNL hosts for Season 50, which we’ll be updating as new stars are added to the lineup throughout the year.
Every Saturday Night Live host of Season 50
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Jean Smart — Episode 1 (Sept. 28)
Season 50 will be starting off strong with veteran actor and SNL newbie, Jean Smart taking the reins. Smart has been acting almost as long as SNL has been airing (she first appeared on TV in 1979), but despite 6 Emmys and a Golden Globe (all for comedies), she hasn’t hosted SNL before. Her latest Emmy-winning role in Hacks, however, seems to have finally earned her a monologue (and you know it’s going to be good).
Related: Jean Smart Says Actors Should Be ‘Grateful’ for Their Roles
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Nate Bargatze — Episode 2 (Oct. 5)
Just one year after his Season 49 hosting debut, comedian Nate Bargatze is returning to host again. Appearances on back-to-back seasons are rare, so clearly Lorne was impressed with his freshman appearance. Bargatze is also working on a Christmas special along with Lorne Michaels, so clearly the connection is strong. Here’s to hoping we get a follow up to “Washington’s Dream.”
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Ariana Grande — Episode 3 (Oct. 12)
Actress, singer and star of the upcoming Wicked films, Ariana Grande will be returning to SNL yet again. A recent favorite, Grande first appeared on the premiere of Season 40 as a musical guest before returning the following season to pull double duty as a host and musical guest. She then returned last year in Season 49 as a musical guest. This will be her fourth time appearing on the show, but only her second time hosting.
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Michael Keaton — Episode 4 (Oct. 19)
Michael Keaton isn’t quite in the Five-Timers Club, but he’s getting close. His recent turn as Beetlejuice seems to have earned him the headlining spot on the Season 50 Halloween episode. He previously hosted during Season 8, Season 18 and Season 40, so this will be his fourth time at the helm. He’ll be getting that dinner jacket soon enough.
Related: Meet All 25 Members of the SNL Five Timers Club—and Who Could Be Next
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John Mulaney — Episode 5 (Nov. 2)
John Mulaney is the first SNL alum announced to host on Season 50 as well as the first member of the Five-Timers Club. While Mulaney was never a cast member, he was a writer on the show from 2008-2012. Since then he’s hosted during Seasons 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47, with the Season 50 gig making him a six-time host.
Hosts for later episodes of Season 50 have yet to be announced.
Next, Everything You Need To Know About ‘SNL’ Season 50
