According to The Hollywood Reporter, Naomi McPherson is the newest addition to the star-studded cast of SNL 1975, a film set to follow the behind-the-scenes story of the legendary sketch show’s original airing.
McPherson is no stranger to the entertainment world. They are a part of MUNA, an up-and-coming queer pop group from Los Angeles. The band, which released its third, self-titled album in 2022, has opened for many of today’s biggest stars including Phoebe Bridgers (who released a single, “Silk Chiffon” with the group), Harry Styles, Kacey Musgraves, and Lorde. Most recently, the trio opened for Taylor Swift’s blockbuster Eras Tour. McPherson handles most of MUNA’s production.
McPherson will be playing Janis Ian, who was a musical guest on the first Saturday Night Live episode in October 1975. Two-time Grammy winner Ian’s album Between the Lines was a number 1 hit in 1975. Unlike today’s broadcasts, which feature one musical guest per-week, the original airing of SNL had two. Ian, who performed “At Seventeen,” and Billy Preston who will be portrayed by fellow musician Jon Batiste. Batiste will also score the film.
The Jason Reitman film has a colossal cast, including Gabriel LaBelle as SNL creator Lorne Michaels. Other cast members include Cooper Hoffman, Rachel Sennott, Nicholas Braun, Kaia Gerber, J.K. Simmons, and Finn Wolfhard. The first SNL episode’s original cast will be made up of Dylan O’Brien (as Dan Aykroyd), Lamorne Morris (as Garrett Morris), Cory Michael Smith (as Chevy Chase), Matt Wood (as John Belushi), Ella Hunt (as Gilda Radner), Emily Fairn (as Laraine Newman), and Kim Matula (as Jane Curtin).