Why Aidy Bryant Was Scared To Talk To Lorne Michaels About Leaving SNL

In an interview with Variety, Aidy Bryant spoke about what the process was like to talk to Lorne Michaels about her departure. In particular, Bryant had a fear of how her departure would be perceived. She wanted to be clear that there was no malice, towards Michaels or the show, behind her intent to leave. "I was scared because I feel close to him and so grateful to him. I didn't want it to come off like I was leaving angrily. I am leaving with so much love," Bryant said.

Luckily for Bryant, Michaels saw the departure for what it was — the right decision for her at that stage of her career. She also highlighted that Michaels was the one who encouraged her to work on the Hulu series "Shrill," (in which she co-starred with her husband Conner O'Malley) while she was still on "Saturday Night Live." The working hours, however, ended up prompting her departure from the latter show.

"When I started 'Shrill,' I wasn't feeling I wanted to leave 'SNL.' I was like, 'This is a story I want to tell, and it flexes a different muscle,”" Bryant said. "It was Lorne's idea that I do both," Bryant expanded, "How could I say no? And then I didn't sleep for, like, three years."