Which 'Saturday Night Live' cast members appeared on the most seasons?

This list begins with those who have were on "SNL" for eight seasons, and Gardner is the newest addition to that group. She hit her eighth season in 2024. Though she has not emerged as an iconic cast member like some on this list, she's stuck around for a reason. Also, if you don't watch "SNL" these days, you have probably seen her in something else, even if it's just shilling stuff with Daniel Levy. That speaks to her skill.

Davidson is one of the most polarizing "SNL" cast members ever. Frankly, he's one of the most polarizing celebrities in recent history. He pretty much only excelled or even seemed comfortable being himself on the show. Davidson is more personality than performer, but he's far from the first person to craft success in show business doing that.

It feels surprising that Bennett was on “Saturday Night Live” for eight seasons. He hasn’t had as much of an impact as some of the members of this list, both on the show and outside of it, but he has made his mark with digital shorts in the past. Perhaps being one of the "digital shorts" people in the wake of the Lonely Island was a tricky spot to be in.

Forte is known for his weirdo characters and commitment to a bit, both on and off “SNL.” He is the man behind “MacGruber,” after all. Forte actually worked as a writer for shows like “3rd Rock from the Sun” before getting his chance in front of the screen. The offbeat comedian was on “Saturday Night Live” for eight seasons, leaving the show after 2010.

Hader quickly made his mark on “SNL,” and to many, he is considered an all-time great cast member. His impressions like Al Pacino and Vincent Price were a delight, but of course, to many, he’s simply the giggling Stefon. Since leaving “SNL” in 2013, Hader has gone on to big things, including starring in “Barry,” for which he won an Emmy.

Hartman was a truly impressive cast member. He was a glue guy, capable of playing the straight character or keeping a scene moving. However, he could do that while also being funny. Hartman was so incredibly talented, be it during his run on “SNL” from 1986 through 1994 and beyond. If only we hadn’t lost him to a tragic death while he was still in his prime of making us laugh.

Kattan and Will Ferrell are often grouped together because they debuted at about the same time and also because they did the “Night at the Roxbury” sketches together. However, Ferrell has gone on to be a true superstar, while Kattan’s career peak remains his time on “SNL” playing Mr. Peepers and folks like that for eight seasons. Ferrell has Ron Burgundy. Kattan has Corky Romano.

If you want deadpan absurdity, Parnell is your guy. Just watch Dr. Spaceman in action on “30 Rock.” Or watch clips of him on “Saturday Night Live.” Parnell’s wry performance style debuted in 1998, and he was with the show through the 2006 season.

Poehler is a comedy superstar these days, owing mainly to her turn as Leslie Knope on “Parks and Recreation.” Her breakout, though, came on “Saturday Night Live.” Sure, the old-school Poehler heads remember the “Upright Citizen Brigade” years, but for many, her eight seasons on “SNL” were when they first saw her in action.

Sanz and Parnell were on “Saturday Night Live” for the exact same run. Both debuted in 1998, and both left in 2006. Sanz didn’t really have any breakout characters, but he was always funny. He’s a good supporting player who can pop in on your sitcom or in your movie, deliver a few good lines, and then dip out.

As a current cast member, Day has a chance to move up the list. The nine-season club is a hefty one in terms of those who stick around "Saturday Night Live." If Day, who joined the show in 2016, keeps going, he'll join more rarefied air.

Mooney, like Bennett, got his start with the sketch comedy group Good Neighbor. They both got hired by “Saturday Night Live” at the same time in 2013, in part to try and bolster the digital shorts after the Lonely Island guys moved on. Mooney stuck around one season longer, giving him nine seasons to Bennett's eight.

Moynihan spent nine seasons getting laughs on “SNL,” joining the show in 2008 and leaving in 2017. Since then, he’s had roles in a few sitcoms, though none of them have taken off yet. He was in the cast of Tina Fey’s new show “Mr. Mayor,” which starred Ted Danson, but the show was canceled after two seasons.

Nealon is another cast member probably best remembered for his stint at the “Weekend Update” desk, though he was one of the best to ever do it. The man’s delivery is so dry his mouth might as well be a desert. That was perfect for “Weekend Update,” though. Nealon has popped up here and there since leaving the show in 1995, often in Adam Sandler movies. His appearances on Conan O’Brien’s talk shows are also often quite funny.

Rudolph is a real tour de force. A former professional musician and the daughter of Minnie Ripperton, Rudolph can belt a tune and get laughs in equal measure. If variety shows were still a thing, Rudolph would be a perfect host. In fact, she and Martin Short tried that, but it failed, because it isn’t the 1970s anymore. Ah well, she’s done just fine since leaving “SNL” after the 2007 season.

Sudeikis and Forte worked together on the sitcom “Last Man on Earth,” and the two make a fine pair. Forte is really out there, while Sudeikis is a fine straight man. Sudeikis received a lot of love for his show “Ted Lasso,” a surprise hit from 2020-2023. He and Forte overlapped at “SNL” for some time, as Sudeikis’ run was from 2005 through 2013.

We move on from the cast members with double-digit tenures under their belts. That includes Bryant, who was part of an exodus after the 2022 season. It’s been 10 seasons for Bryant, who has occasionally showed up outside of “Saturday Night Live,” but has not quite had her breakthrough performance yet. She does have one Emmy nomination for performing on “Saturday Night Live,” though.

When Meadows left the show in 2000, he had the record for the most consecutive seasons as a cast member with 10. There were even jokes about how long he had been around. While Meadows didn’t have much in the way of hit characters, though he did get his own movie “The Ladies’ Man,” he did get a “Best Of” special, which is not something just any cast member gets.

Che joined the show in 2014 and is still there. His primary role on the show has been co-hosting "Weekend Update" alongside a guy who is a little further up this list. Sure, Che has done some characters and sketch work, but he is by and large known for being himself, specifically at the "Weekend Update" desk.

In 2020, Strong received her first Emmy nomination for “Saturday Night Live.” Maybe it’s a good thing she’s stuck around the show. Strong recently left the show midway through her 11th season, having tied the next person on this list as the longest-tenured woman on the show.

Even once McKinnon, a comedy genius, started having success in film she stuck around on the show for a while. McKinnon has won Emmys for her work on “Saturday Night Live.” If you are putting together your pantheon of cast members, McKinnon is probably in there. She left after the 2022 season, her 11th, and got a big send off in the process.

Armisen is a chameleon as a performer, which may make it surprising that he was on the show for 13 seasons. It’s true, though. Armisen started with the show in 2002, and would stick around for 13 seasons before moving on. After leaving “SNL,” Armisen was able to create a more idiosyncratic, but still popular, sketch show in “Portlandia” alongside Carrie Brownstein.

There may be an asterisk here, but it counts. Franken was never been a repertory member of the cast, only ever being a feature player and a writer. However, when you piece it all together Franken was on “Saturday Night Live” for 11 seasons. Those weren’t consecutive seasons, though. He was around from 1977 through 1980, popped back in for 1986, and then was with the show again from 1988 through 1995. Franken then became a senator from Minnesota before resigning ingloriously due to a scandal.

Hey, people who are primarily “Weekend Update” hosts still count. Jost, also a former head writer on “Saturday Night Live,” has been manning the “Weekend Update” desk alongside Michael Che for several years. Jost has one more season on Che, though - 12 to 11 - and maybe Jost will stick around to make sure Che can never quite catch him.

We’re up in rarified air now. Meyers has had as much impact on “Saturday Night Live” as anybody outside of Lorne Michaels. He was a cast member for 13 seasons, including hosting “Weekend Update.” Not only that, he was head writer for a chunk of that time. These days, you can catch Meyers as the host of his own late-night show on NBC, which has been quite successful as well. Seth Meyers? Ya not burnt!

Hammond was an impressions master for “Saturday Night Live.” He didn’t do a lot of original characters, but if you needed somebody to play a real person, be it Bill Clinton, Al Gore, or many other folks of that ilk, Hammond was your guy. He did many quintessential impressions, and he did them for a very long time. He was on the show for 14 seasons, joining in 1995 and not leaving until 2009. Recently, he became the announcer for “SNL,” though that doesn’t count here.

That being said, Thompson is in a league of his own. The man must love sketch comedy. As a kid, he was one of the stars on “All That.” Then, in 2003, he joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live.” And he’s still there. Seriously. While Thompson briefly had a titular sitcom, it didn't quite work out. Hey, maybe that kept Kenan with "SNL" long enough to become the first 20-season performer.