The rumored exit has come to be: Chloe Fineman announced on social media that she is leaving Saturday Night Live and will end her tenure after seven seasons. Her final episode was the last episode of Season 51.
Fineman’s departure could potentially create an opening for a female as a featured player. The cast that is expected to return in the fall for Season 52 includes only one current repertory female player: Sarah Sherman. There are three female featured players: Ashley Padilla, Veronika Slowikowska, and Jane Wickline. It’s possible that all three of those ladies will be elevated to full cast members. But the cast has not had a woman of color since Ego Nwodim left before Season 51.
Fineman’s SNL run was uneven. She never materialized into a star, but she did provide solid work, especially with her impressions, such as Drew Barrymore and Melania Trump. In her last year on the show, Fineman was embroiled in some controversy when she missed a show while reportedly taking a vacation. Fineman came onto the show in 2019 with Bowen Yang, but unlike him, Fineman never found a strong audience for her. Whereas Yang had a “goodbye” sketch and episode in December of 2025, Fineman is leaving off-season. That’s the same way Heidi Gardner and Nwodim left SNL.
According to Deadline, Fineman will join the cast of “Myron Bolitar,” a Netflix drama set to debut later in 2026. According to reports, Fineman will portray a sports reporter in a show about a former athlete who now works as a sports agent.
