Behind the Scenes Facts About Saturday Night (2024)

Behind the Scenes Facts About Saturday Night

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the things you didn’t know about the making of director Jason Reitman’s quote-unquote “comedy-thriller.”

Gabriel LaBelle Was Forbidden From Speaking to Lorne Michaels

Well, not legally, or anything. But director Jason Reitman did discourage all of his “Saturday Night” stars from seeking out their real-life counterparts. So, in order to get into the head of a 31-year-old Michaels in 1975, actor Gabriel LaBelle took a different approach. The “Fabelmans” star shared that an obscure Bill Murray anecdote helped to make everything click. Some years after Murray departed the show, he returned to host, and reportedly commented to Michaels: “Wow, you really figured out how to do this.” LaBelle further noted that “[h]e started it when he was 30. He’s now 80 and has been doing it for 50 years. Nobody knows what to do when they first start.”

To Prep, Reitman & Gil Kenan Conducted Extensive Interviews

While the history of the legendary sketch show has been widely documented in various forms, Reitman and his co-writer/producer Gil Kenan followed in the spirit of the original “SNL” gang and threw the playbook away. That is to say, Kenan and Reitman forged their own path forward: said Reitman, the filmmaking duo interviewed “[e]very living cast member, every living writer, people from the art department, costumes, hair and makeup, NBC pages, members of Billy Preston’s band [...] anyone we could find.” These contributions would become integral plot points in “Saturday Night,” such as a story told by Laraine Newman that detailed host George Carlin’s objections to an Alexander the Great sketch.

Lamorne Morris & Garrett Morris Aren't Related

…although, the “New Girl” star might like you to believe that they are. Lamorne, a die-hard, lifelong comedy fan, recalled that, as a kid, he would claim that he was Garrett’s son because they coincidentally share a last name. However, after filming wrapped, the two Morrises developed a sweet rapport, with Lamorne sharing that “He called me and said something about owing my mom a call because he’s not convinced that he’s not my dad.” Lamorne relished the challenges that came with playing Garrett, noting the latter’s professional struggles around the time of “SNL’s” premiere. These included being the show’s only Black cast member and the fact that Garrett was a decade older than his fresh-faced co-stars.

It's Funny, But Don't Call It a Comedy

Director Reitman has been open in saying that, despite “Saturday Night” chronicling a comedy institution’s rise, it’s not a comedy in itself. In fact, that’s why the “Juno” and “Up in the Air” director claimed that the “villain” of Saturday Night is on par with Darth Vader from “Star Wars” or “Sauron” from “The Lord of the Rings.” Okay, to be clear, this is what he actually said:“This is a movie where the villain is time. It’s like our Sauron. Our Darth Vader is a clock, and you feel its presence at all times.” To emphasize this, Reitman referred to “Saturday Night” as “a thriller-comedy, if you can call that a genre.”

Why Nicholas Braun Plays Two Characters

Eagle-eyed “Succession” fans might’ve noticed Emmy nominee Braun in the “Saturday Night” trailer. Braun, better-known to Waystar Royco aficionados as “Cousin” Greg Hirsch, portrays Andy Kaufman, the loose-cannon of comedy who had a reputation for making his act an endurance test for captive audiences. Interestingly enough, Braun wasn’t initially slated to play Kaufman at all: the actor originally signed on to play “Muppets” creator Jim Henson. However, when original Kaufman actor and “Uncut Gems” co-director Benny Safdie dropped out at the last minute, Braun stepped in to play both real-life figures.

How Ella Hunt Prepared to Play the Late Gilda Radner

It goes without saying that Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989, remains a towering figure. This isn’t just for her iconic characters or comic skills, although those certainly help — it’s the fact that Radner is a trailblazing icon for women who aspired to careers in comedy. Commenting on her experience playing Radner in “Saturday Night,” Ella Hunt shared that, since she was exempt from Reitman’s “no contact” rule, she reached out to Alan Zweibel, who was Radner’s friend and “SNL” writing partner. Hunt mused that “[t]heir partnership in writing was so fiery and loving [...] There were things in Alan’s composure and the way that Alan communicated with me that I thought about in playing Gilda.”

“Saturday Night” Is Period-Accurate — Down To the Dressing Rooms

As Reitman has mentioned, “Saturday Night” is less of a hilarious hang-out and more of a stressful thrill ride that exemplifies the punishing nature of working in television. Thankfully, it doesn’t sound like Reitman’s film was anywhere near as much of a headache to make. If anything, as reported by Variety just ahead of the film’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, it sounds pretty fun! The publication noted that “the cast didn’t have trailers and convened in “a big common area” complete with ’70s era furniture, ping pong tables and board games, as well as dressing rooms that were specifically designed for each of their characters’ personalities.”

Are you looking forward to seeing “Saturday Night” in theaters? Let us know in the comments below!