Tom Hanks Walked out of the 'SNL' 50th Anniversary Special Unexpectedly — Why?

The Feb. 16, 2025, episode of Saturday Night Live was anything but ordinary. Titled SNL50: The Anniversary Special, the three-hour live broadcast from New York celebrated the show’s 50th anniversary in grand style. It brought back familiar faces like Steve Martin, Nathan Lane, and Pete Davidson, along with other legendary cast members who helped shape SNL into the comedy powerhouse it is today.

The special also delivered a much-needed dose of nostalgia with fan-favorite sketches like "Chad," "Debbie Downer," and "The Lawrence Welk Show." Needless to say, the show delivered plenty of laughs, as always.

But during the 50th-anniversary show, viewers couldn’t help but notice Tom Hanks abruptly storming out — leaving everyone wondering what happened. Here’s the reason behind his unexpected exit.

Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, walking out of SNL’s 50th anniversary concert wasn’t a dramatic exit — it was all part of a planned skit. In other words, they were in on the joke.

Just before the concert began, Jimmy Fallon playfully addressed the audience to clear up any supposed confusion. "Apparently, there’s been some confusion," he said. "This is just a concert. We’re not giving out any awards tonight. So, I just want to make sure that everyone knows that."

Right on cue, Tom and Rita stood up, grabbed hands, and walked out. Rita even wagged her finger at Fallon as if to say, "Nope, this isn’t right." The crowd erupted in laughter, fully appreciating the bit. As the couple made their way out of Radio City Music Hall, Jimmy called after them, "Tom? Rita?" pretending to be confused. He then turned back to the crowd and joked, "We lost Tom Hanks and Rita. Sorry. It wasn’t their fault."

In addition to taking part in Jimmy's skit before the 50th-anniversary concert, Tom also appeared in the "Black Jeopardy" sketch with Eddie Murphy. Kenan Thompson hosted the segment, with contestants Tracy Morgan, Leslie Jones, and Eddie Murphy — who humorously played Tracy Morgan, a fun twist since the real Tracy was standing right next to him as a contestant.

As the skit continued, Chris Rock made a surprise appearance, and Hanks joined in at the end, stepping in for one of the contestants while wearing a MAGA hat. Though it was all done in humor, Hanks is facing backlash from MAGA supporters, aka Donald Trump fans, for his MAGA impersonation.

Tom and SNL have a long-standing relationship. He first hosted the sketch comedy series in 1985 during Season 11 at the age of 29. On Dec. 8, 1990, he joined the prestigious Five-Timers Club, earning the coveted navy blue jacket.

He later returned for the SNL Season 49 finale in 2024 to help induct Martin Short into the club, alongside talent like Scarlett Johansson, Jimmy Fallon, and Alec Baldwin.

Needless to say, there’s no bad blood between Tom and SNL.