Kristen Wiig Says She Had a Breakdown During Her Early Years on SNL

Working on Saturday Night Live can be overwhelming, even for comedians who go on to become stars. Actress and comedian Kristen Wiig recently shared that she struggled heavily during her time on the show and experienced a breakdown early in her run.

Speaking on the Jan. 21 episode of the podcast Las Culturistas, Wiig said her third season on the NBC series was especially difficult. That season, season 33, aired during 2007–2008.

Wiig explained that she felt she had completely run out of ideas. “Three seasons in, [I was] having a breakdown being like, ‘I’ve done every voice. I have nothing,’” she said. At the time, she believed she had already used every character idea she had.

The podcast is hosted by Bowen Yang, a former SNL cast member, and comedian Matt Rogers. Yang said he had a similar experience during his second season, when he realized he had already used all the ideas he brought to his audition and had to start over creatively.

Wiig agreed, saying that getting past that moment required help from others. She explained that castmates and writers would suggest ideas for her to try, even when she wasn’t sure they would work. “It doesn’t always work,” she said, “and then you just find new things.”

She also shared that she had to change how she created characters. Earlier in her career, she focused on developing voices first. During her third season, she began working more from physical movement instead. That approach eventually led to one of her most popular characters — a woman at a 1920s party who repeatedly says, “Don’t make me sing,” while clearly wanting to sing.

Despite the pressure, Wiig said her time on SNL was extremely meaningful. She described those years as the best of her career and said working on the show felt like living with her castmates for seven years. She also said the experience taught her that failing is part of the process, even though it can be difficult.

Wiig was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2005 to 2012 and became one of the show’s breakout stars. She received four Emmy nominations during her time on the series. Since leaving the cast, she has returned to host the show five times, most recently in 2024.