Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan conducted an extensive series of interviews with the living cast, writers and crew of the first-ever episode of Saturday Night Live, which aired on October 11, 1975 on NBC and has been going ever since.
The result of their efforts is Sony Pictures’ upcoming SNL 1975, a movie retelling the story of that night.
The pic, which Reitman and Kenan co-wrote and which Reitman is directing, tells the chaotic behind-the-scenes story of what happened that first night, just before the live cameras clicked on to launch a late-night institution and a slew of eventual stars among the young, mostly unknown troupe of comedians including John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase and Gilda Radner, all under the watchful eye of creator Lorne Michaels.
Some of the fun with SNL 1975 is following as the cast assembles to play members of that iconic SNL team, with The Fabelmans star Gabriel LaBelle among the first to land a role, playing Michaels.
Gabriel LaBelle: Lorne Michaels
Cooper Hoffman: Dick Ebersol
Matt Wood: John Belushi
Ella Hunt: Gilda Radner
Cory Michael Smith: Chevy Chase
Dylan O’Brien: Dan Aykroyd
Lamorne Morris: Garrett Morris
Kim Matula: Jane Curtin
Emily Fairn: Laraine Newman