Bill Hader Declined to Be in the 50th Anniversary 'SNL' Special — Why Would He Sit This One Out?

As a legendary SNL cast member, it was pretty noticeable when Bill Hader was nowhere to be found during the 50th anniversary episode, which aired on Feb. 15, 2025. Bill is widely known for his time on the show between 2005 and 2012, but let’s be real — he’s best remembered for his iconic role as Stefon Zolesky on Weekend Update, the quirky character he created with John Mulaney.

Stefon is a fan favorite, to say the least, and an undeniable staple of the show.

Given that the 50th anniversary special featured a star-studded lineup of both old and newer SNL alumni and guest stars — including Adam Sandler, Leslie Jones, and Adam Driver — it was surprising not to see Bill in attendance. Rumor has it that Bill declined to participate in the SNL 50th anniversary episode, but why would he choose to sit this one out?

Bill "politely" declined to attend the SNL 50th anniversary episode, according to Puck News's Matthew Belloni, per People. Some sources speculate that the reason for his absence could be a scheduling conflict, which seems more likely than Bill not wanting to be part of one of the most monumental episodes in the show’s history.

Variety published in September 2024 that Bill and Duffy Boudreau had teamed up to work on a comedy pilot script for HBO, with the official logline stating, "A woman in a small town has a big secret revealed." Perhaps that’s what kept Bill busy and ultimately led to his decision to skip the SNL 50th anniversary episode. Given that Bill isn’t very active on social media, he hasn’t offered any public comments about his absence from the special.

Despite him missing in action, viewers still got a glimpse of Bill in a Volkswagen commercial, where he starred alongside Kristen Wiig and Fred Armisen.

Aside from Bill’s obvious absence from the star-packed SNL 50th anniversary episode, there were a few other big names missing, including legendary cast members who helped shape the show. Here's a look at who else didn’t show up (or possibly declined their invite).

Alongside Bill, Dan Aykroyd and Dana Carvey also didn’t show up for the SNL 50th anniversary special on Feb.15. Dana had already made an appearance as his infamous character, Church Lady, during the "Church Chat" cold open on the Dec. 7, 2024 episode, so maybe that’s why he couldn’t make it. Dan also commented on SNL and its history in a Feb. 14 post on X (formerly Twitter), so it’s unclear why he didn’t attend either.

Other notable absences included Joan Cusack, Colin Quinn, Chris Redd, Robert Downey Jr., and Mary Gross — leaving fans curious about why these iconic names weren’t there for the milestone celebration.

But hey, at least the SNL 50th anniversary special did manage to pull some actors out of their caves that we haven't seen in a while — or whose appearances have been sparse — like Jack Nicholson, Jim Belushi, and Chevy Chase. It was a pleasant surprise to see these legendary names back in the SNL spotlight!