The past few years have seen Saturday Night Live bring in new talent, and that was very evident this year, given that massive cast shake-up. One of the cast members who remains after that slew of changes is Ashley Padilla, who joined the show during its landmark 50th season. Padilla has been steadily carving out a space for herself within SNL, and she’s arguably becoming a fan-favorite in the process. Funny enough, Padilla believed she’d lost the job after meeting with Lorne Michaels, and Seth Meyers thinks he knows why.
Anyone who’s aware of the SNL casting process likely knows that at some point, series hopefuls audition for series EP Lorne Michaels and later meet with him. That was the experience for Ashley Padilla, as she explained to Seth Meyers on Late Night (as seen on YouTube). During her appearance on the talk show, Padilla recalled being flown out to New York to audition for the NBC staple, and she eventually touched on her meeting with Michaels. After some small talk, the producer delivered a blunt piece of news:
I walked in, and he said, ‘Do you have any questions for me?’ I said, ‘Are you nervous about the 50th [season]?’ And I think he was just kind of like, ‘Yeah, until it’s over with.’ …. And he said, ‘Well, you know, there’s really no room for you in the cast.’ And I was like, ‘OK,’ and he was like, ‘Alright.’ And I was like, ‘OK, bye.’
Part of me is cringing just thinking about that awkward conversation and, after that chat, Padilla apparently went to grab a drink with other performers who met with Michaels and apparently received the same answer. However, the San Francisco native eventually received a call from a producer telling her that she’d landed the gig. So why did Michaels say what he said to her? Well, Seth Meyers shared a take on the seemingly gruff exec:
I think he’s so worried that somebody’s going to hug him… It’s not that he’s anti-hugs. I just don’t think he wants a hug from someone who’s like, overexcited.
Lorne Michaels – who was supposedly almost replaced by Judd Apatow years ago – doesn’t strike me as a cold man, based on his public persona. However, I could definitely see him being uncomfortable while being voraciously hugged by a newly hired cast member. Don’t be fooled by any anecdotes, though, as Michaels does indeed seem to care about the cast members – both current and former. (Pete Davidson opened up about how Michaels has been there for him amid his personal struggles.)
So far, I’d say that Michaels’ decision to hire Ashley Padilla is working out in a big way. Padilla has excelled in sketches like “Simon and Heather” and “Surprise,” and who could forget her Weekend Update debut as Jo-Ann of Jo-Ann Fabrics? More recently, the comedian has been shining in the role of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. In short, Padilla is on her way to becoming a breakout SNL star, and I’m glad her meeting with Michaels didn’t go as badly as she assumed it would.
Check out Saturday Night Live when it airs on the eponymous night at 11:30 p.m. ET amid the 2025 TV schedule. Fans can also stream full episodes using a Peacock subscription.
