Abby Elliott Reflects on Departure from SNL
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Abby Elliott, the former Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast member, recently opened up about her experience on the iconic sketch show and the events surrounding her departure. In a recent interview with The Independent, Elliott, now 38 years old, shared her thoughts on her time at SNL, where she was part of the cast from 2008 to 2012.
The journey for Elliott began when she was just 21 years old, making her the youngest female cast member at the time. Coming from a comedy background – with her father, Chris Elliott, also being an SNL alum – Elliott’s comedic roots run deep. She initially ventured into comedy at her father’s encouragement, delving into improvisation before landing a spot on SNL. However, despite her success with impersonations of A-list actresses like Angelina Jolie and Meryl Streep, Elliott expressed that she felt uninspired by those roles towards the end of her SNL tenure.
The pressure of working under the legendary producer Lorne Michaels and the high expectations at SNL took a toll on Elliott. She recounted the constant fear of being fired if she didn’t perform well on a weekly basis. In her interview, Elliott shared, “Every week was a new week, and your happiness would depend on whether you got something on air or not, and if three weeks went by without a sketch, you’d think, ‘Uh-oh, am I going to be fired?’” Eventually, Elliott’s fears materialized when she was let go after the 2012 season finale.
Despite initially contemplating staying on the show, Elliott came to the realisation that sketch comedy wasn’t the ultimate path for her. She acknowledged that leaving SNL was a necessary step for her personal and professional growth. Reflecting on her departure, she said, “As much as I enjoyed being on that show, sketch comedy wasn’t going to be it for me. It’s not why I started and it’s not how I wanted to end.” Post-SNL, Elliott went on to diversify her acting career with roles in shows like How I Met Your Mother and Odd Mom Out, before landing her role in The Bear in 2022.
The Elliott family has a longstanding connection to SNL, with Abby’s father, Chris Elliott, also having been a part of the show in the past. Chris Elliott’s own brief SNL stint during the 1994-1995 season was followed by his candid admission of not enjoying the experience due to feeling out of place. Interestingly, Abby Elliott also shared her familial ties to the show, revealing her relation to Steve Higgins, an SNL writer and a key figure on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Abby’s revelations about her SNL journey and her family’s connections to the television industry shed light on the complex dynamics behind the scenes of beloved TV shows. Her candid reflections offer a glimpse into the challenges and decisions faced by performers in the fast-paced world of sketch comedy and show business. As Abby Elliott continues to navigate her acting career post-SNL, her experiences serve as a testament to the resilience and growth that can come from making difficult but necessary career choices in pursuit of personal fulfillment and artistic growth.