Lorne Michaels Was at World Cup When Chloe Fineman Called About ‘SNL’ Exit

When Chloe Fineman informed “Saturday Night Live” chief Lorne Michaels about her departure from the show, he was occupied with watching the England vs. Argentina match.

“True to form, he was engrossed in the game,” Fineman shared with Variety during the premiere of Apple TV’s “The Dink” in Los Angeles. “He said, ‘I’ll call you back. I’m at the game.’ I asked, ‘The soccer game?’ and joked, ‘I assume you’re cheering for England because you seem very British in spirit.’ He later returned my call, and we had a delightful conversation.”

Fineman revealed that her exit from “SNL” was emotionally charged.

“I was teary when it was made public,” she admitted. “The cast truly becomes a family… I shed tears when Colin Jost called me today. They are really like family to me. I’m leaving after seven years on a high note.”

On July 16, Fineman announced her decision to leave the show. “After 7 wonderful seasons at ‘SNL,’ I’ve decided it’s time for the next chapter,” she wrote in an Instagram post. She concluded, “It’s hard to leave ‘SNL,’ but it feels like the right time. I will miss it deeply. The people there are my family, and that place is my home, and I know I’ll never be too far away.”

Joining “SNL” in 2019, the actor-comedian quickly gained recognition for her diverse impressions, including those of Jennifer Coolidge, Timothée Chalamet, Drew Barrymore, Britney Spears, and JoJo Siwa.

Fineman’s first role after “SNL” will be as a series regular in the upcoming “Myron Bolitar” series on Netflix. The series will also feature Jabari Banks (“Bel Air”) and Jamie McShane (“Task,” “Wednesday”), with Ben McKenzie (“Everyone is Lying to You for Money,” “Gotham”) in a recurring guest role.

Lead roles in the series will be played by Colin Woodell, KJ Apa, and Diane Guerrero. Netflix announced the series pickup in May during their upfront presentation to advertisers. Inspired by Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar books, which have seen 12 publications, the show’s logline reads: “After an injury ends his NBA dreams, Myron Bolitar (Woodell) reinvents himself as a sports agent — using charm, smarts, and a ruthless partner to navigate the high-stakes and dirty world of sports, where saving his clients often means risking himself.”

In addition to Fineman, “The Dink,” a sports comedy focusing on pickleball, features a cast including Jake Johnson, Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Patton Oswalt, Martin Kove, Mary Steenburgen, and Ed Harris, along with tennis legends Andy Roddick and John McEnroe.

“The Dink” is set to debut on Apple TV on July 24.