Bowen Yang Says He Will Leave ‘SNL’ ‘at Some Point’ (Exclusive) – ryan

• Bowen Yang told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that he will leave Saturday Night Live “at some point” in the future
• The actor and comedian noted how the NBC show’s recent 50th anniversary special gave him a glimpse of ‘what life after the show is like and how beautiful it is’ for former cast members
• He also shared “one of the best parts” about working on SNL

Bowen Yang is contemplating a future without Saturday Night Live.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the actor, comedian and podcaster addressed whether he envisions an end to his long run on the late-night sketch comedy show. Yang, 34, has so far appeared in more than 100 episodes since joining the cast in season 45 in 2019 (after previously being hired to work on the writing team in 2018).

“SNLit’s just this moving, living, breathing thing,” he notes, before sharing how the recent 50th anniversary special — which saw the return of numerous former cast members — gave him a glimpse into what his life could look like after stepping away from the show.

“Especially after the 50th, I’m seeing what life after the show is like and how beautiful it is, and how so many people, no matter how long they were at the show, are just with their families and loving their lives and not letting the years take away any of that experience for them,” Yang says.

“And then with SNLlike I said, it’s this growing, living thing where new people come in and you do have to sort of make way for them and to grow and to keep elevating themselves,” he continues. “And that inevitably requires me to sort of hang it up at some point — but I don’t know what the vision is yet.”

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He noted how the production schedule for the show can be demanding, often leaving him with little downtime. “The new season of SNL, I’m just like, ‘Oh, right. My time isn’t my own.’ And I tell my friends, ‘I’m not going to really see you guys until June,’ ” he says.

His packed schedule also impacts his dating life. “And people that I’ve gone a couple solid dates with I’m like, ‘Hey, it’s not for lack of interest. My time is really slipping away from me and I’m so sorry and it’s not a you thing, it’s a me thing,’ ” Yang continues.

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Still, he said he relishes the collaborative spirit of SNL and how the show allows him to jump into any conceivable situation to get a laugh.

“I think one of the best parts about working at SNL is that whenever you’re not working on your own, because you are helping someone else, a cast member, execute on their vision, and so they’re coming up to you being like, ‘You need to dress up as a drone and you need to dress up as a Chinese spy balloon and do blah, blah, blah.’ And you’re like, ‘Okay, sure.’ ‘You need to do up with Lady Gaga,’ ” he tells PEOPLE. “And you can’t think anything of it.”

He adds: “You get shot out of a cannon in so many of these situations that it kind of breaks down all of your hesitancies around doing anything that has only served me. I mean, every now and then, a lot of times it’ll be like egg on your face, you’ll make an ass out of yourself, but I never, ever weigh that against the wonderful things that I’ve gotten to do.”

Outside of the SNL set, Yang’s latest project sees him starring in a remake of Ang Lee’s 1993 filmThe Wedding Banquet. He plays Chris, a commitment-phobic nature guide whose boyfriend, Korean expat Min (Han Gi-chan), remains in the closet to his conservative family. To avoid having to return to Korea, Min offers to pay for additional IVF treatment for Chris’ best friend Angela (Kelly Marie Tran) and her partner Lee (Lily Gladstone) if Angela marries him.

Yang has a nude scene in the movie — and joked to PEOPLE that he hasn’t forewarned his mother about it. She recently asked him when she will be able to see the film, and Yang told her April 18.

“And then it dawned on me, ‘Oh, she’s going to see my ass.’ But it’s going to be great,” he says.