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Lorne Michaels believes Tina Fey possesses the qualities to succeed him in leading Saturday Night Live. Notably, Michaels created the late-night comedy variety show in 1975, and has been a producer of the same since its inception.
The 80-year-old producer told Entertainment Tonight on the Emmy Awards red carpet on January 15, 2025:
"We're doing the 50th anniversary show in February '25. So, I will definitely be there for that and definitely be there until then. And then we'll figure out what we're going to do."
According to Turner, many people have said that Tina Fey would be a suitable showrunner.
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"It could easily be Tina Fey. But there are a lot of people who are there now who are also, you know...Tina's brilliant and great at everything. She's a very important person in my life."
Tina Fey started working with Saturday Night Live (SNL) in 1997 after joining the writing team of the show. In 1999, she became SNL's first female head writer. Fey advanced her position in 2000 by co-leading "Weekend Update" together with Jimmy Fallon before pairing with Amy Poehler as a co-anchor.
Tina Fey dedicated 10 years to SNL and worked as both a performer and writer from 1997 until 2006. Her time at the show influenced how it progressed during the early 2000s with Lorne Michaels, and they continued their creative partnership after her SNL years.
Responding to Michaels' statement in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress and comedian said that he is "irreplaceable."
Tina Fey says Lorne Michaels can’t be replaced
Tina Fey, set to star in Netflix’s upcoming comedy series The Four Seasons, a reimagining of the 1981 film of the same name, recently opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about her desire to step back from the spotlight and support emerging talent.
"The impulse to hide and retire is very strong, it’s time to help new voices get in the mix," she said.
She continued:
"Even on the walk over here, I was like, 'I am so tired of hearing from me.' Surely everyone else is tired of hearing from the same people over and over again."
In the same discussion with The Hollywood Reporter, Fey expressed thankfulness and humble acceptance of Michaels' supportive words. "Nice of him to say that, and I love him very much," she said, but added that Michaels is "irreplaceable."
"His set of gifts and skills are entirely unique, His eye for talent! He’s one of the last three people in show business who actually understand everything. I’ll leave it at that," she concluded.
In other news, Fey announced her disagreement with wealthy individuals having side jobs during her appearance on Amy Poehler's new podcast, Good Hang With Amy Poehler. She expressed that feeling "safe" with "enough money to live" was enough for her basic needs.
While Lorne Michaels sees Tina as a worthy successor, her response shows both respect for his legacy and a personal desire to let fresh creative minds lead Saturday Night Live.
