'SNL' May Add Aidy Bryant & Tim Robinson, Chicago Comedians, As Featured Players

'SNL' Eyes Two New Cast Members

Looks like "SNL" may be planning on bringing Chicago comedians Aidy Bryant and Tim Robinson on board for next week's season premiere.

Ever since Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg and Abby Elliott officially left "Saturday Night Live" at the end of last season, rumors have swirled that the NBC sketch show would add a few new supporting players to fill out the cast. On Friday afternoon, comedy insider blog The Comic's Comic cited multiple sources claiming that two of those additions will be Bryant and Robinson, who both hail from Chicago's sketch and improv scene.

The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline have also verified that "SNL" is nearing a deal with the two performers.

While NBC did not return calls about the news, the timing of the rumor points to its likely accuracy. "SNL" producers have been scouting for talent throughout the country this summer in preparation of next week's season premiere, and no news about casting decisions has yet been formally announced.

If Bryant and Robinson do indeed join the show, they would be featured players alongside Kate McKinnon, a late-season addition to "SNL" last spring. Vanessa Bayer, Taran Killam and Jay Pharaoh, who joined two years ago as featured players, are expected to be promoted to full-fledged cast members.

Bryant would join Bayer, McKinnon and Nasim Pedrad as the female members of the cast, barring any additional casting announcements. In Chicago, she was a prominent member of the the city's famed sketch and improv comedy community, where numerous "SNL" cast members cut their teeth as comedians. She was regularly seen performing comedy at Second City, the Annoyance Theater and ImprovOlympic.

Robinson also was a star at Second City in Chicago before filming a pilot for Comedy Central and later being cast in a supporting role on the Groupon-inspired CBS sitcom "Friend Me," which is scheduled to premiere next year in the midseason.

Other new "SNL" hires include Neil Casey and Josh Patten, known for their work at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City, as additions to the show's writing staff.

One casting question still remains unanswered: Will Jason Sudeikis return to play Mitt Romney and Joe Biden in the upcoming election? Only time will tell. As of the beginning of August, the comedian indicated that he was undecided as to whether he would return to the show, and has made no public statement about the subject since then.

The 38th season premiere of "SNL" will air on NBC on Saturday, September 15, with host Seth MacFarlane and musical guest Frank Ocean. The following two Thursdays will feature primetime election specials of the show. Check out our predictions on what we expect to see in the next season here.

WATCH: Tim Robinson's "My Mans"

WATCH:
Aidy Bryant in the web series "Shrink"

Before You Go

Kristen Wiig's Best 'SNL' Sketches

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