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Jimmy Fallon, one of the many comedians who started their careers on Saturday Night Live, became closely linked to the popularity of the show. An article published by SKJ Bollywood News on April 11, 2025, explored the reasons behind Fallon’s decision to leave the show after six seasons.
After joining SNL in 1998, Fallon immediately became well-known for his musical sketches, frequent character breaks during performances and celebrity impressions. When he joined Tina Fey as co-anchor of Weekend Update, his profile increased even more.
Many viewers were surprised when Fallon left the show in 2004, despite his success there. The SKJ article and Last Night On's insights indicate that Fallon made this choice because he wanted to try out different movie roles and take on new challenges. The goal of his debut films, Taxi and Fever Pitch, was to establish him as an actor outside of sketch comedy.
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Despite various reactions to the switch to film, Fallon went on to establish a successful profession hosting late-night talk shows. Even after quitting, through hosting and guest appearances, he has maintained a connection to Saturday Night Live over the years.
Jimmy Fallon left to explore film roles after Saturday Night Live success
Jimmy Fallon was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1998 to 2004. He became known for musical skits, impressions of Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld and Barry Gibb, and his Weekend Update segment with Tina Fey.
As reported by Last Night On in July 2024, Fallon left the show to “try his talents elsewhere,” hoping to take on more serious or leading roles in films. His first movie after SNL was Taxi, starring Queen Latifah. Although the cast was well-known, the film received poor reviews. He later starred in Fever Pitch, a romantic comedy with Drew Barrymore, which also did not receive good feedback from critics.
Fallon said that he felt more comfortable doing hosting and musical comedy than acting in films. He went on to host Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and then The Tonight Show. While the films didn’t work out the way he hoped, they helped him move toward a long-lasting career in television.
On the Strike Force Five podcast that aired on September 2023, Fallon shared how difficult it was during that time. He explained that the one thing that helped him was support from Lorne Michaels, the creator of Saturday Night Live. Fallon recalled Lorne saying to NBC executives:
"I think Lorne said, 'Look, I’ve worked with Jimmy. He’s a hard worker. He’s going to be great at this. Either you do this with Jimmy or I’m not involved.'" Fallon shared.
Fallon responds to Mumford & Sons after short Saturday Night Live 50 intro
During the March 26, 2025 episode of The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon addressed a moment from the Saturday Night Live 50th anniversary concert. Marcus Mumford called out Fallon for giving a very short introduction before the band’s performance. In response, Fallon shared that Lorne Michaels told him, “We just don't do those intros.”
“You totally did them for other artists!” Mumford disagreed and said.
To make up for it, Jimmy Fallon gave a long speech on his show before the band’s performance, talking about their history and mentioning each member. This followed their interview, where Mumford explained why he was surprised by the brief intro.
New episodes of Saturday Night Live air every Saturday at 11:30 pm EST on NBC and Peacock.
