Emil Wakim’s post-SNL trajectory is getting a major industry stamp of approval, with the comedian landing his first hour-long special at Netflix.
The hour is expected to tape in October, with a premiere date still to be announced. Deadline was first to report the news.
The project marks a significant next step for Wakim following his one-season run on Saturday Night Live, where he joined the cast as a featured player during the show’s milestone 50th season.
Wakim was one of five cast departures ahead of the show’s current season. He revealed his exit in a candid Instagram post, calling the news “a gut punch.” Still, he expressed deep gratitude for the experience, writing that SNL was “the most terrifying, thrilling, and rewarding” chapter of his career, and thanking Lorne Michaels “for taking a chance on me and changing my life.”
Wakim is no stranger to the stand-up circuit. He was selected as a New Face of Comedy at Montreal’s Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in 2022, and has opened for the likes of Roy Wood Jr., Nikki Glaser, Hasan Minhaj, and Neal Brennan. Prior to joining SNL in 2024, he made his late-night stand-up debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
He’s set to appear at Netflix’s “Netflix Is a Joke” festival next month, with a showcase scheduled for May 6 in Los Angeles. He’s also recently expanded into film, booking a supporting role in A24’s upcoming comedy Peaked, from Molly Gordon and SNL writer Allie Levitan.
Wakim’s upcoming special will be executive produced by Matthew Vaughan for Rotten Science.
