As a die-hard fan of Saturday Night Live and its rich history, I must say that Dylan O’Brien’s approach to playing Dan Aykroyd for the upcoming film about SNL’s origins has left me utterly bewildered yet strangely amused. While other cast members were meticulously preparing, watching sketches, and even meeting legends like Lorne Michaels and Gilda Radner’s close friends, O’Brien decided to take a different path – the path of doing “no homework by not doing homework.
As a gaming enthusiast diving into the captivating world of Saturday Night Live, I’ve come to appreciate its rich history and the remarkable careers of comedians who’ve graced its stages, even those from the original 1975 cast. Yet, when it came to my role as Dan Aykroyd for the movie tracing SNL’s roots, I followed a rather unconventional approach – I didn’t prepare much at all. However, that was precisely what director Jason Reitman envisioned for our Saturday Night cast, seeking authenticity and spontaneity in our performances.
Getting ready for the much-awaited movie “Saturday Night” in 2024, which coincides with the 50th season premiere of SNL on NBC, I can’t help but reflect on the experience of embodying comedy legends. Yet, when asked by Variety about my approach to portray one of SNL’s iconic cast members, I shared:
I did not do a lot of prep…I was the only one who did the homework by not doing the homework.
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As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve been wondering if Lorne Michaels has caught the latest Saturday Night flick yet. In an exclusive chat, director Jason Reitman dishes on the buzzworthy movie and his incredible collaboration with the comedy genius legend himself!
During the same interview, other cast members discussed instances where they went against director Reitman’s preferences. Rachel Sennott chatted with Rosie Shuster, Ella Hunt spoke with one of Gilda Radner’s close confidantes and colleagues, while Lamorne Morris met Garrett Morris. On the other hand, Gabriel LaBelle had a brief encounter with Lorne Michaels but delved deeply into numerous books and interviews. Cory Michael Smith, whose Chevy Chase impersonation is spot-on, mentioned that he diligently watched the comedian he portrayed to prepare extensively.
As for O’Brien, it appears he didn’t contribute much in the build-up to this shooting. It’s plausible that he might have glanced at some sketches or enjoyed Aykroyd’s iconic ’80s films. Nevertheless, primarily, he arrived prepared to deliver, which was exactly what the director of Saturday Night desired, as Jason Reitman clarified.
Instead of preparing extensively, you’re already familiar with the task at hand. The goal is to encapsulate a single, defining trait of the character, as it’s impossible to perfectly mimic a person. In a large ensemble, this means focusing on a particular aspect of the character and bringing it to life. Moreover, it’s crucial to work well together as a group. Remarkably, this cast managed to make the set feel lively from the very first day.
Among all the prominent Saturday Night Live (SNL) stars they could have chosen for this movie, Dan Aykroyd stood out as a top pick. He has worked with Jason’s father Ivan Reitman on Ghostbusters, and later collaborated with Jason on the Ghostbusters franchise revival, Ghostbusters: Afterlife. During the premiere of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Aykroyd, who is also known for The Blues Brothers, mentioned that he frequently communicates with Jason, indicating a strong bond between them.
Yet, their conversations about Saturday Night were rather limited. As Aykroyd put it:
Yes, his perspective remains unaltered, and I don’t suspect he’s open to external influences trying to sway him with statements like “Actually, it happened this way…I didn’t realize you or he did that.” Instead, he prefers to maintain control over how he interprets the situation.
Regarding the casting of the Teen Wolf actor, Aykroyd expressed his happiness that “the young performer secured a job.
Indeed, it seems that Dan Aykroyd may not have held significant control over the film’s production, but judging by his comments, he appears enthusiastic about it. Moreover, he acknowledges Jason Reitman’s decision to maintain his movie as a standalone project.
I get it as well. “Saturday Night” portrays the 90 minutes preceding the debut of the first episode of SNL. This time period wasn’t captured on camera, and the individuals who were part of the show back then are considerably older now. Consequently, Reitman emphasized that his cast should concentrate on their roles and their individual interpretations of these iconic figures. Indeed, their efforts seem to have paid off, as the cast of “Saturday Night” is receiving rave reviews for their performances.
To watch Dylan O’Brien portray Dan Aykroyd in “Saturday Night,” be sure to catch the movie in theaters, starting from October 11.
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2024-09-15 01:37