Why Bill Hader Wasn't In The SNL 50th Anniversary Special

Legendary cast member Bill Hader was notably not in attendance at the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special on February 16, 2025. The SNL 50th Anniversary Special featured all sorts of iconic guests and special appearances, including Adam Driver, Cher, Keith Richards, Bad Bunny, Jon Hamm, Peyton Manning, and many more. The special combined actors, comedians, and various public figures to celebrate the 50-year legacy of Saturday Night Live.

Hader, a 3-time Emmy winner for creating, directing, and starring in his hit HBO series Barry, was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2005 to 2012 during seasons 31 to 38. The last time he appeared on the show was in season 44 on March 2, 2019, with John Mulaney hosting. Hader is also known for his appearances in South Park, Inside Out, Trainwreck, and Superbad. He will star as The Cat in the Hat in the upcoming 2026 adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic.

Bill Hader Declined To Be Part Of The SNL 50th Anniversary Special

His Publicist Said It's Due To A "Longstanding Scheduling Conflict"

Bill Hader looking shocked as Richie Tozier in It Chapter 2

Hader, known for his hilarious performances in classic SNL skis such as The Californians and as Weekend Update guest Stefon, was not seen at the SNL special after he "politely declined" the invitation, according to Hollywood insider Matthew Belloni of Puck News. Hader's absence comes as a surprise considering how much of an impact he had on the show when he was a part of it. Hader only had one film or television role in 2024, playing Banana in John Krasinski's animated film IF.

According to UNILAD, Hader's publicist, Matt Labov, confirmed that Hader would not be in attendance at the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special due to a "longstanding schedule conflict." While Stefon did not make a surprise appearance during the extended Weekend Update on the SNL 50th Special, Seth Meyers and Bill Murray joined current hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che, as well as classic "Millennial" favorites Drunk Uncle (Bobby Moynihan) and Girl Who You Wish You Didn't Talk To At The Party (Cecily Strong).

Hader Has Been Open About His Anxiety While Part Of SNL's Cast

A Lonely Island Skit Interestingly Focused On Former Cast Members With Anxiety

Hader has been open about his anxiety while being a member of the SNL cast. While he won't be a part of the SNL 50th reunion, he did make an early appearance in a VW car advertisement with fellow "Californians" Kristen Wiig and Fred Armisen. Interestingly, Andy Samberg spearheaded a Lonely Island musical number that humorously took aim at previous cast members with anxiety, such as Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy. Surprisingly, there will not be a full "Californians" reunion with Hader's Trey character during the SNL 50th Anniversary Special.

Hader has not publicly commented on why he chose not to attend Saturday Night Live's 50th Anniversary Special.

Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels wasn't necessarily therapeutic in how he handled Hader's frequent panic attacks before live shows. According to an excerpt of Susan Morrison’s upcoming biography “Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live” published in The New Yorker, "Bill Hader, who is prone to anxiety attacks, remembers Michaels coming to his dressing room when he hosted and snapping, ‘Calm the fuck down. Just have fun. Jesus Christ.’" Hader has not publicly commented on why he chose not to attend Saturday Night Live's 50th Anniversary Special.

Who Else Was Missing From SNL's 50th Anniversary Special

Dan Aykroyd & Dana Carvey Were Surprisingly Absent

Dan Aykroyd holding a fish on Saturday Night Live

Several other Saturday Night Live alums did not appear during the SNL 50th Anniversary Special, such as Dan Aykroyd, Dana Carvey, and Colin Quinn. Aykroyd took to social media to reflect on his time at Saturday Night Live as an original cast member but did not reveal why he would not be in attendance, even though other original cast members such as Chevy Chase and Garrett Morris were in attendance.

Aykroyd posted on X, "Cracking a Head with pride at having been a co-founder of SNL along with everyone we were together with in those four years, five decades ago. This telecast is as historical as the next moon landing." The "Head" Aykroyd is referring to is his Crystal Head Vodka, which he created and sells out of Canada. Interestingly, Aykroyd tweeted several promotional posts about the SNL 50th Anniversary Special during the week leading up to it.

Carvey, who was a cast member from 1986 to 1993, was one of the most surprising omissions considering he had appeared parodying Joe Biden multiple times during previous episodes of Saturday Night Live's 50th season. In fact, he was a part of nearly every episode to kick off SNL season 50 in 2024, starting with Jean Smart's season opener on September 28 to Martin Short's episode on December 21 with musical guest Hozier. Quinn, who was a Weekend Update host from 1998 to 2000, was also out of sight at the SNL 50th Anniversary Special.

Why Bill Hader Is An All-Time Saturday Night Live Great

Hader's Hilarious Impressions & Brilliant Characters Make Him An SNL Legend

Bill Hader imitating holding a gun while doing his Alan Alda impression on SNL

Hader was a core part of the so-called "Millennial" generation of Saturday Night Live, which featured a robust and stellar cast that included Fred Armisen, Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Kristin Wiig, and more. He was well-known for his hilarious impressions of public figures and celebrities such as Al Pacino, John Malkovich, Charlie Sheen, and Clint Eastwood. Hader became a fan-favorite cast member on Saturday Night Live during his 8-season run.

Hader was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on Saturday Night Live, becoming the first male cast member to do so since Eddie Murphy in 1986. Michaels reassured Hader after Seth Rogen's episode in 2009, telling him "You can work here as long as you want" (via Grantland). Hader added an original spin on nearly everything he touched at Saturday Night Live and was, to many, one of the funniest and most unpredictable cast members in the show's history.

Hader remains one of the modern legends of the prolific comedy sketch show.

Hader's absence at the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special was truly felt considering how much he added to the show when he was a part of it. While it has been quite some time since then, Hader remains one of the modern legends of the prolific comedy sketch show.

Meryl Streep in Devil Wears Prada and Mamma Mia 2

Meryl Streep's SNL Appearance Was A Remarkable First In 50 Years (& Had A Great Reference To Her $326M Movie)

Meryl Streep was one of the stars who appeared in Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary episode, but her skit was special for a couple of reasons.

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Considering how much of a role John Mulaney played in the SNL 50th Anniversary Special, who was a frequent collaborator with Hader and actually co-created the character Stefon with him, it is surprising that Hader missed out on the Weekend Updates and the weekend's festivities at large. Hopefully, Hader will make his way back to the Saturday Night Live stage some other way.

Sources: Puck News, UNILAD, The New Yorker, Grantland