On Monday night, Chloe Fineman walked the carpet for new movie The Dink, following two big pieces of career news in the last week — first, that she was leaving Saturday Night Live, and second, that she would be joining Netflix show Myron Bolitar as a series regular.
Fineman had appeared on SNL for seven seasons and wrote in her announcement post on Instagram that she “decided it’s time for my next chapter.” The new series — an adaptation of Harlan Coben’s thriller novels about an NBA star-turned-sports agent that is being co-showrun by David E. Kelley and Kyle Long — seems to be a big part of that next chapter, as she told The Hollywood Reporter at The Dink premiere.
“Seven years is kind of like the classic way [at SNL], and then like right as my contract was up, this amazing David E. Kelly opportunity came in like completely out of the blue. I did a little chemistry read and it was off to the races; it just felt like a perfect time,” Fineman explained. “I’m really proud of everything, but it’s hard. I’m genuinely really good friends with everybody and I genuinely like couldn’t love that job more. So it’s really bittersweet, but I’m gonna be in New York. I’m down the street. Maybe you’ll see me.”
She noted that Colin Jost had called her earlier that day because it was her birthday (“I fully cried”) and “everyone’s like really reaching out. It’s the sweetest show. It’s a hard show, but the people — it’s because of hours and everything. But like it really is a family, and I’ve been crying like sweet tears.” The comedian also added that she felt lucky to get to adjust to a more regular, non-SNL schedule while also working on something she was excited about, with filming starting on Myron Bolitar this week.
As for larger SNL plans, Fineman said she was looking forward to “just stretching the TV wings and like who better than David E. Kelly. And I’m really excited to like watch SNL as an audience member [in person], which I’ve never done.”
Her summer also includes the release of The Dink, starring alongside Jake Johnson and Ben Stiller in a comedy about a washed-up tennis pro who tries to save a club by reluctantly playing pickleball. The movie premieres Friday on Apple TV.
