7 of My Favorite SNL Cast Members with An Improv Background

Before I dive into this post, I want to be clear that these are simply some of my favorites, and not an objective list of who the greatest of all time might be or some sort of achievement-based ranking of talent. No, these are the SNL players who I happen to enjoy the most and who have an improv training background that they then leveraged for artistic exploration and ultimately, a casting on Saturday Night Live. 

What I admire most about this list is that the training each person received is evident in their work. We see points of view, we see “game”, but above all, we see each person playing to their strengths as a performer. 

Here is my list, in some particular order:

Chris Farley (Second City)

The brilliance of Chris Farley is often overshadowed not just by his tragic death, but by the blatant exploitation of his weight while a cast member on SNL. (Forgive me for not laughing along to the Chippendale’s sketch, where the punchline was clearly a knock on Farley’s weight.) Farley was gifted for his ability to stay present in the moment, but also lend his characters a point of view that dictated their decisions and movements. Matt Foley and the Zagat’s wife are two prime examples. Sure, he has a gigantic element of physicality to his comedy, but I sense this was wedged in more than it was Farley writing or improvising it in there. Farley is a Second City alum, where the genesis of his Matt Foley character took place alongside the writing of Bob Odenkirk.

Vanessa Bayer (Second City)

People frequently ask who the most underrated SNL cast member is of all time, and I mean truly underrated, and my answer is always Vanessa Bayer. In a just world, Bayer would be viewed as a cast member who brought just as much absurdity and sideways optimism as any other cast member of her era (the 2010s). Her “Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy” and “Dawn Lazarus” (the nervous weather girl) characters could presumably break beyond their brief Weekend Update appearances and be full sketches or, dare I say, be the centerpiece of a feature-length film. Bayer has an “It’ factor I can’t quite define, but I know when she’s on the screen, it’ll be hilarious. Beyond SNL, her sketch in “I Think You Should Leave” is her full talent on display. She’s a Second City alum, but also trained at iO and the Annoyance Theater in Chicago. 

Kristen Wiig (Groundlings)

The Groundlings are very mystical to me and it's likely due to my being on the East Coast and them being primarily a West Coast company. To my knowledge, their philosophy is very character-forward, placing emphasis on physicality, vocal exploration (accents?), and bold decisions. When you consider this, it makes sense that Kristen Wiig is as successful as she is hilarious. Her work on SNL reflects what I believe to be taught at Groundlings, especially with her work in the Californians and her impression of Ann-Margret throwing away a piece of paper, which, honestly, needs to be seen to be understood as to why it’s so hysterical. Seeing Wiig in "Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar", a comedy film that isn't talked about nearly as much as it should be, is another prime example of Wiig's comedic prowess stemming from her training.

Phil Hartman (Groundlings)

My all-time fave SNL cast member (tied with Bill Hader). Every sketch group, theater production, and cast of a show needs a guy like Phil Hartman. He’s what's largely considered a “glue guy” and on SNL you can see how his subtle, more introverted approach plays to a sketch's strengths, no matter who he is standing next to. The dad who grounds the Matt Foley sketch? Yep! A caveman who also happens to be an eloquent lawyer? Absolutely. The template of every ad pitchman who appeared on a TV screen for decades? Yes, Phil Hartman is all of those and then some. Whereas most might view the key to successful comedy as being BIG and GRAND with gestures/voices, Hartman proved you can also be as funny if contained. He was an alum of Groundlings and notably worked with Paul Reubens to bring his Pee-Wee Herman character into focus before landing on SNL.

Tim Robinson (Second City)

OK, so I struggled with whether or not to include Tim Robinson on this list. He was a cast member on SNL for one season, had no notable characters or sketches, then switched over to the writer’s room before leaving and going on to create the Tim Robinson Universe with his head writer, Zach Kanin. Many would argue that Robinson was held back by SNL due to many of his and Zach’s rejected sketches becoming the seeds of “I Think You Should Leave”, their breakthrough sketch show on Netflix. But…he did get cast on the show and he does employ a lot of what is taught at Second City into his comedy, so I’m making my own rules and including him (this is my blog after all). Robinson has no doubt forged a unique point of view into his comedy, one that centers around middle-aged men who possess the enthusiasm and taste of an 11-year-old. Watching Robinson drop this character into ubiquitous settings and projects is no small feat, but he’s done it, and it hasn’t disappointed so far. I’d love to see him explore his range in the coming years, but he’s striking while the iron is hot and there’s no fault in that.

Amy Poehler (UCB)

Amy Poehler is a founding member of the UCB. I sense it was only a matter of time before she was cast on SNL once she began appearing on Conan’s Late Night as Andy Richter’s kid sister. Her stage presence and comedic sensibilities are time-tested, as her most notable sketches still hold up today. The UCB reinforces “game” in their sketches; it was frequently on display in Amy’s SNL appearances due to the broad range she was cast for, as opposed to one centralized character. She moved on to the Weekend Update desk where she shone in her abilities to satirize the news, but also lent an assist to other cast members who wheeled in as their own characters. Amy is what I like to call a “utility performer” due to her versatility and seamless talent to elevate any written material--a Swiss army knife-type of comedian. Her training parlayed into her SNL experience only highlights the success she found on the long-running sitcom, Parks & Rec.

Will Ferrell (Groundlings)

The hallmark of Will Ferrell’s comedy is his characters. It’s evident his training out of Groundlings helped shape who he was to become as an SNL cast member and then a box office smash. Before he was an exaggeratedly masculine news anchor, he was a hyperactive cheerleader, a soft-spoken high school music teacher, and of course, a histrionic cowbell player. Ferrell’s range is in his physicality, which is one of the tenets of character work, especially in the program at Groundlings. The comedy is in his ability to attribute an outrageousness to harmless characters existing in our world, instead of their own. 

Allow Your Improv Background to Guide Your Next Steps

With improv training, the goal should be to relax your thinking, remain present, and support your scene partner. Beyond that, though, there is an opportunity to truly find your voice and skillset, much like the names mentioned above had done. We remember them and laugh with them because of their ability to lean into the philosophies they learned from their respective training grounds. 

If you’re interested in chatting more about your and my favorite SNL cast members, then send me a message! I’m also available for improv coaching and workshops for teams and corporate events.