Bowen Yang, the beloved cast member of Saturday Night Live, will be absent from tonight's live episode, but with a stellar reason. He's off to the 2025 Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles, where he'll be honored alongside renowned artists like Penélope Cruz, Walter Salles, and Bruce Springsteen. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is recognizing Yang with the Vantage Award, which celebrates emerging artists challenging traditional film narratives. Despite his absence, Yang will still contribute to the show, possibly through a pre-recorded segment, as he has in the past. This marks only the second time during his SNL career that he hasn't been in Studio 8H for a live show, with the first being the Paul Rudd Christmas episode in Season 47 due to the Omicron variant. Despite the challenges, Yang's dedication to the show is evident, as he even flew back and forth between London and New York during the filming of Wicked in 2023. SNL airs tonight at 11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock, and you can join the LateNighter team for the live after-show at LateNighter.com, where SNL experts and fans will discuss the night's highlights and lows. Don't forget to sign up for LateNighter's free newsletter to stay updated!
