Why Bowen Yang missed latest episode of ‘SNL’

Where’s Bowen?

Bowen Yang missed the latest episode of “Saturday Night Live” Season 51, a rarity for stars of the sketch comedy show.

“Missing the show tonight but it will be sooooo fun,” Yang, 34, wrote on his Instagram Stories earlier on Saturday.

“Sab is amazing,” the comedian added, referring to the episode’s host and musical guest, Sabrina Carpenter.

Yang skipped the live show at Studio 8H in New York to attend the 2025 Academy Museum Gala at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.

The “Wicked” star accepted the Academy Museum’s Vantage Award, which honors an emerging artist who challenges traditional narratives in film and television.

“A trailblazer bringing laughter, heart, and representation to the screen. Congratulations to Bowen Yang, recipient of the Vantage Award, which he’ll receive at the fifth annual Academy Museum Gala on October 18,” the Academy Museum wrote on Instagram ahead of the gala.

Other stars who were honored at the event included Bruce Springsteen, who received the Legacy Award, and Penélope Cruz, who received the Icon Award.

Despite missing the live show, Yang was still involved in the latest “SNL” Season 51 episode.

A source told Entertainment Weekly that Yang helped write for the episode and appeared in a pre-taped sketch called “Grind Song” with Carpenter, 26.

Yang joined “SNL” as a writer in 2019 before being promoted to a main cast member later that year.

He survived the dramatic Season 51 cast shakeup that saw four stars — Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow, Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim — exit the show.

Last month, Yang told People that “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels convinced him to stay on the show.

“I’ve always gone by the instinct of, do I have more to do? And I feel like I do,” said Yang. “Even Lorne and I talked about it, and Lorne was like, ‘You have more to do,’ and that means a lot, because I even confessed to him. I was like, ‘I feel the audience is maybe getting sick of me.’ And he was like, ‘That’s not true. There’s more for you to do. I need you.’”

“I have to honor that,” Yang added. “That man has changed my life, and I owe a lot of my life to that show. And I love working there, the people are the best. I really love each of them so much.” 

Yang also said he wasn’t going into the new season “with a game plan” anymore.

“I let that go, and I think it served me well,” he shared. “I like having no road map. If there’s any place to do that, it’s ‘SNL,’ where it’s week to week. Sometimes you’re up for the challenge. Sometimes you show up even if you aren’t, and that’s kind of what makes interesting things happen.”