Bowen Yang said Lorne Michaels delayed his exit from “Saturday Night Live” with a “Turning Point” phone call last year.
While chatting with Rachel Sennott in a new interview with Variety published Monday, the comedian recalled receiving a call from the NBC sketch show’s creator while attending the U.S. Open in August 2025, which made her feel “made up” about retiring.
“He was like, ‘Listen, you should come back,'” Yang, 35, said on an “Actors to Actors” roundtable.
He said Michaels, 81, is looking to help mentor the newest cast members hired for season 51.
“There’s a lot of new kids…a lot of people leaving, a lot of people coming in,” Michaels was quoted as saying at the time. “At least for the first half of the season, you should be there to set an example for them. I’m saying that’s going to be very important.”
“It was the first time that someone who made so many things possible for me was like, ‘I need you,'” said Yang, who describes Michael as “really good at ending situations.”
The Emmy nominee was “not going to turn it down” and was “happy” with the chance to help “till the soil.”
Yang, who joined the program as a writer in 2018 and became a notable player the following year, announced his departure midway through the December 2025 season.
“I loved working at ‘SNL.’ … I’m grateful for all the time I spent there,” he wrote via Instagram. “Thank you for giving Lorne the job, for giving us standards, and for uniting everyone at work.”
A source said at the time: “Everyone tried to keep Bowen on loan, but he just made up his mind and it was over. You could tell he wasn’t happy.”
Mr. Yang explained the shocking decision to Mr. Sennot, 30, on Monday.
“There was a lot of uncertainty about what the show would be like after season 50,” the actor said. “I was like, ‘I think this show is going to be in a great place without me.’
Additionally, the Wicked star said he had “never felt so central” to SNL and felt there was a “weird utility” to his role.
“I’ve never played a father or a straight teacher,” he pointed out. “I was always there as a condiment.”
Yang immediately clarified, “[I]thought, ‘That’s amazing. I’m so lucky. I can’t believe I’m having a steady job in comedy.'”
He said he would “cherish” his time on the show “for the rest of my life” and remembers “sobbing” during the final table read, feeling like a “fucking mess.”
