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Julia Louis-Dreyfus Reflects on Early SNL Experience

As Saturday Night Live marks its 50th season, Julia Louis-Dreyfus reminisces about her early days on the show.

The Golden Globe winner recently shared insights into her “excruciating” first rehearsal after joining the cast in Season 8 in 1982, making her the youngest female cast member at just 21.

“When I was just getting started, I was part of the Practical Theatre Company in Chicago,” she told People. “The producers of SNL came to see the show, loved it, and hired all of us to come to New York.”

Challenging First Rehearsal

During her initial rehearsal, Louis-Dreyfus had to perform with three “complete and total unknowns” in the SNL office, “under fluorescent lights in the middle of the day in front of 20 very cynical, unfriendly SNL cast members and writers.”

She noted that the existing cast “already hated us because a bunch of their best friends had just been fired to make room for us.”

“We never had a chance. Sketches that had killed in Chicago died a terrible, terrible death that day. It was excruciating. I think that humiliation influenced our whole SNL experience for the next couple of years,” she added. “I’ve learned a lot since that cringey day in a carpeted office on the 17th floor of 30 Rock.”

During her time on SNL, Louis-Dreyfus became known for characters such as televangelist April May June, ‘Let’s Watch TV’ co-host Consuela, and ‘Weekend Update’ teen correspondent Patti Lynn Hunnsucker.

She performed alongside notable figures like Billy Crystal, Eddie Murphy, Martin Short, Christopher Guest, and now-husband Brad Hall before leaving the show in 1985.

 

Person

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Eddie Murphy, Ed Koch, Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Christopher Guest, Brad Hall

Company Names

NBC

Titles

Saturday Night Live

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