As Saturday Night Live marks its milestone 50th season, Will Ferrell is sharing fond memories of his tenure on the NBC sketch comedy show.
The 6x Emmy winner looked back on his “wonderful seven seasons on that show, where I made lifelong friends” as he recently reflected on his time with the cast of Lorne Michaels‘ show from 1995 to 2002.
“I knew in that moment it would be the hardest but most fun job I would ever get to do, and I still look back on it that way,” Ferrell told People.
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He raved about being part of SNL‘s 50-year history as the show prepares to celebrate with a three-hour primetime special on Sunday, Feb. 16.
“It’s really an amazing thing that you have this live television show that still continues to put its finger on the pulse of what we’re all thinking about, and it’s a real credit to Lorne for having thought of it in the first place,” said Ferrell.
“It was the one thing I always dreamed about being a part of,” he added. “It’s kind of enormous to think about in a way, 50 years of what has really defined American comedy.
Although he still fondly looks back at his time on the show, Ferrell is grateful that time is behind him, now that SNL has half a century in its rearview and a new flock of comedians at the helm.
“Thank God I don’t have to put together the show, whatever they’re planning on doing … because I don’t know how you distill 50 years of great moments, spanning from music to comedy to cultural things, into a show,” said Ferrell.