Pete Davidson, a 20-year-old, joined a very exclusive club last night as he made his Saturday Night Live debut. In the 40-year history of Saturday Night Live, Davidson may now be counted among the 10 youngest cast members, joining actors like Anthony Michael Hall, Eddie Murphy, and Robert Downey Jr. We have great hopes for Davidson following his fantastic debut last night, despite the fact that many of these young athletes have only been successful for one season.
1) ANTHONY MICHAEL HALL:
Shown here with another young cast member, Robert Downey Jr., Hall made his television debut on the first episode of the show’s 11th season at the age of 17 years, 6 months, and 26 days. He provided credible impressions of Hall & Oates and Bobby Kennedy while still riding the wave of his ‘Breakfast Club’ success, but he was one of the six cast members let go at the end of the season.
2) EDDIE MURPHY:
Despite the fact that his lengthy list of comedic roles may be drowning in SNL, Murphy was only 19 years, 8 months, and 3 days old when he made his SNL debut in the sixth season. He brought us Buckwheat, Gumby, and Mr. Robinson before “Beverly Hills Cop” and “The Nutty Professor.”
3) ROBERT DOWNEY, JR.
You may be more familiar with him as Iron Man, but before going to rehab and becoming the best paid actor in the world, Downey spent one season on Saturday Night Live when he was 20 years, 7 months, and 5 days old. He was one of the six cast members fired at the end of Season 11 (he was also one of them).
4) PETE DAVIDSON:
In the 40th season of Saturday Night Live, Davidson, who is only 20 years, 10 months, and 11 days old, will make his debut. Davidson was hand-selected by Lorne Michaels to join this season as a featured player after quitting college and declaring he wouldn’t “make it.”
5) ABBY ELLIOTT:
After bursting onto the scene in the middle of the 34th season of Saturday Night Live, Elliott rapidly showed that her youth (21 years, 4 months, and 30 days) didn’t limit her comedic abilities. Having grown up in a family of comedians—her father is comedian Chris Elliott, and her uncle is SNL producer and “Jimmy Fallon” sidekick Steve Higgins—did give her an advantage.
6) JULIA LOUIS DREYFUS:
Elaine lived a life apart from “Seinfeld”? Of course! Before “Veep,” “Arrested Development,” or “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” Louis-Dreyfus made her SNL debut in the eighth season and continued to appear for three more seasons. She was 21 years old at the time. While working at SNL, she also got to know author Larry David, who would go on to co-create the sitcom “Seinfeld.”
7) SARAH SILVERMAN
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Although she only appeared on SNL for 18 weeks, Silverman was just 22 years, 10 months, and 8 days old when she debuted. She would subsequently acknowledge that she was unprepared when she accepted the position and expressed gratitude that her tenure at SNL was brief so that it wouldn’t come to define her.
8) JAY PHAROAH:
This master of impressions began performing on Saturday Night Live in its 36th season at the age of 22 years, 11 months, and 11 days. It doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere anytime soon, what with his deadpan impressions of Jay-Z, Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington, and a host of others.
9) MELANIE HUTSELL:
Best recognised for this and her convincing portrayal of Jan Brady, Hutsell is pictured here in the middle as Di, the Delta Delta Delta sorority girl. In the 17th season of SNL, Hutsell was cast at the age of 23 years, 3 months, and 14 days. She has appeared in films including “Bridesmaids” and “Grown Ups 2” after her stint on the show.
10) LARAINE NEWMAN:
A member of the original cast, Newman was 23 years, 7 months, and 9 days old when the first season of “SNL” debuted. Newman, well-known for such as “Connie Conehead” and “Sherri the Valley Girl,” helped establish the tone for subsequent cast members.
