Devon Walker is officially closing the book on his Saturday Night Live chapter, and he’s not sugarcoating what the ride was like. The comedian, who joined the legendary NBC sketch show in 2022, confirmed he’s stepping away after three seasons, describing the experience as both incredible and incredibly tough.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Walker explained why now felt like the right moment to walk away. “To be frank, I guess the best way I put it is like me and the show kind of looked at each other and we decided together that it was time to go our separate ways,” he said. “I think I felt ready to leave the show, and I think the show felt ready to leave me.”
The 34-year-old admitted the job took a toll on his personal life. “Being on the show has been a life commitment,” he said, adding that the grind meant he missed out on “a lot of life stuff.” He described his decision simply: “I was just ready to do something else. We both felt like it was time. I think that me and the show are both ready to turn the page.”
Walker made his exit official last week with an Instagram post, pairing photos from his time on set with a thoughtful message. “To me, jobs in this industry feel like a bunch of little marriages. Some of em last for a long time if we’re lucky, but most of them are fleeting. Permanent until they’re not,” he wrote.
Looking back on his time at SNL, Walker was honest about the mix of good and bad. “Me and the show did three years together, and sometimes it was really cool. Sometimes it was toxic as hell. But we … made the most of what it was, even amidst all of the dysfunction. We made a f–ked up lil family.” He closed the post with a cheeky caption: “me and baby broke up.”
Walker isn’t the only one stepping away before Season 51 kicks off this October. Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, and Emil Wakim are also leaving the cast, part of what creator Lorne Michaels recently hinted would be significant changes to the lineup.
For Walker, the departure isn’t about closing the door on a career highlight but about opening a new one. As he told Rolling Stone, he’s “ready to do a different version of my life.” That could mean stand-up, writing, or something totally unexpected, but one thing’s clear: he’s not looking back with regret.
SNL has long been known for its revolving door of talent, with many performers moving on to huge careers in movies, TV, and beyond. Walker’s candid reflections remind fans that while the show is a dream job in many ways, it can also be a pressure cooker. Balancing the joy of live comedy with the grind behind the scenes isn’t easy, and Walker’s honesty about both sides of the coin makes his exit feel real and relatable.
Season 51 of Saturday Night Live premieres in October, and fans will be watching closely to see how the new cast shapes up after this wave of departures.
