Here's Why Kate McKinnon Really Left Saturday Night Live
Kate McKinnon left "Saturday Night Live" in May 2022 after appearing in over 200 episodes of the long-running variety show. The comedian spent a decade wowing fans with her hilarious and sometimes exceedingly accurate impersonations of Hollywood's most prominent celebs — including Ellen DeGeneres, Justin Bieber, and Angela Merkel. McKinnon scored nine Emmy nominations and walked home with two wins before her exit, and departed "SNL" alongside three other beloved cast members: Pete Davidson, Kyle Mooney, and Aidy Bryant.
One of McKinnon's final sketches used her recurring "SNL" character — an alien abductee named Ms. Rafferty — to help fans adjust to her departure. In the end, McKinnon willingly returned to her alien kidnappers. "I kind of felt like an alien on this planet anyway," McKinnon said as Rafferty. She added, "Well Earth, I love you, thanks for letting me stay awhile. Live from New York, it's Saturday night!" Although McKinnon's final performance was a big hit with fans, there were still questions about her exit and whether it was her choice or someone else's.
Fortunately, McKinnon has revealed exactly why she left "SNL" — and as it turns out, she was just worn out.
Kate McKinnon was tired
Kate McKinnon didn't leave "Saturday Night Live" because she wanted to. Unlike some former "SNL" cast members, McKinnon loved being a part of the show's cast. "All I ever wanted to do in my whole life was be on Saturday Night Live," McKinnon revealed during an episode of "Live! With Kelly and Ryan" in 2022. Unfortunately, the job was hard on her body, even though she likened her time on the show to "the best decade." She said, "And then I was just, like, my body was tired, and I felt like it was time."
During an August 2022 interview with Vulture, McKinnon spoke about the show's intense schedule. "Leaving was in the back of my mind for a while, because it's just a grueling schedule," said McKinnon. "I mean, I could do it for the rest of my life, happily, if the schedule were not so grueling and if I was not naturally a person who liked to wake up at 8 a.m. and go to bed at midnight." McKinnon also revealed that she knew her time on the show was up when she started having trouble staying awake until 1 a.m. "And I was like, 'Okay. I have to go. As scared as I am and as sad as I am, it's time.'"
What Kate McKinnon has done since 'SNL'
Fortunately, Kate McKinnon has not disappeared from Hollywood since leaving "SNL.". Over the Summer, McKinnon appeared in the highly-anticipated live-action "Barbie" movie as a character called "Weird Barbie." During one scene, McKinnon introduced herself and her quirks to a group of humans. "I'm weird Barbie, I'm in splits, I have a funky haircut and I smell like basement" said McKinnon. "Barbie" star America Ferrera then explained that weird Barbies resulted from their owners playing with them too hard. Her character's shameless oddities made her a favorite among fans. Mattel has even released a line of Weird Barbies modeled after McKinnon for fans to purchase, according to Teen Vogue.
In addition to that, McKinnon also starred as Carole Baskin in "Joe Vs. Carole," the same year she left "SNL." She's also done voicework in "DC League of Super Pets" and Nature Cat. According to Deadline, McKinnon's next big project is in the sci-fi realm. In March 2023, the outlet reported that McKinnon had been cast in "In The Blink of An Eye," which consists of three storylines that chronicle the circle of life. At this time, McKinnon's character name, narrative arc, and confirmed co-stars are unknown.