SNL 1975: Jon Batiste to Play Saturday Night Live’s First Musical Guest

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Oscar-winning composer Jon Batiste (Soul) has officially joined the cast of Sony Pictures’ upcoming SNL 1975 movie, which is currently in production.

Batiste is set to portray legendary singer-songwriter Billy Preston, who was Saturday Night Live’s first-ever musical guest during its premiere episode. In addition to joining the cast, Batiste has also signed on to compose the movie’s score. Prior to his casting, his most recent acting credit was portraying the role of Grady in Warner Bros.’ musical remake of The Color Purple.

Who’s the cast of SNL 1975?

SNL 1975 is being directed by Jason Reitman from a screenplay he co-wrote with Gil Kenan. It is being produced by Reitman, Kenan, Jason Blumenfeld, Erica Mills and Peter Rice. The ensemble cast of SNL 1975 includes Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster, Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Matt Wood as John Belushi, Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson, Tommy Dewey as Michael O’Donoghue, Nicholas Podany as Billy Crystal, Andrew Barth Feldman as Neil Levy, Kaia Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin, J.K. Simmons as comedian Milton Berle and more.

The first episode of Saturday Night Live was broadcast on October 11, 1975, when a group of young comedians and writers, including Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, George Coe, Jane Curtin, Garrett, Morries, Larraine Newman, and Michael O’Donoghue changed television forever. Reitman and Kenan are conducting a series of interviews with all living cast, writers, and crew who were present during the first night.

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