'The Bear' star Abby Elliot recalls getting fired from SNL

Abby Elliot, best known for her breakout role in The Bear, recently opened up about the emotional toll of being fired from Saturday Night Live, a show with deep personal meaning for her.

It is pertinent to mention that the 38-year-old actress is the daughter of SNL alum Chris Elliott and granddaughter of legendary comedian Bob Elliott, which made her exit from the show more difficult.

In an interview with The Independent, Abby shared, "Every week was a new week, and your happiness would depend on whether you got something on air or not."

"And if three weeks went by without a sketch, you'd think, 'Uh-oh, am I going to be fired?'... There was always that looming threat of getting fired. That was the worst that could happen. And then, I kind of did," the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles actress shared.

Despite the setback, Abby quickly gained recognition during her time on SNL, becoming known for her impressions of celebrities like Rachel Maddow and Angelina Jolie.

However at one point, she even considered leaving on her own terms, asking SNL boss Lorne Michaels if she could leave, but quickly changed her mind..

"I went back to him with my tail between my legs, asking to stay, but after that season, Lorne said, 'No, I'm going to cut you loose,'" the Clara’s Ghost performer explained.

Notably, Abby officially departed from SNL in 2012, alongside Kristen Wiig and Andy Samberg.

"As much as I enjoyed being on that show, sketch comedy wasn't going to be it for me. It's not why I started, and it’s not how I wanted to end. Also, I had learnt the lessons I was going to learn...and so I left and, you know, the water was warm," Abby reflected.

In terms of her acting career, Abby Elliot’s starrer The Bear season 4 premiered on June 25, 2025, on FX on Hulu.