Mona’s Naomi Macpherson will appear in a Jason Reitman film

Naomi Macpherson (left) and Janice Ian

Sam Mueller; Michael Oakes Archives/Getty Images

Musician Naomi Macpherson joins the star-studded cast Snell 1975Jason Reitman’s highly anticipated film about the first night of NBC’s long-running sketch series Saturday Night Live.

McPherson, who uses she/them pronouns, will make his debut as singer-songwriter Janis Ian, a musical guest on the show’s first episode. SNL It aired on October 11, 1975. Reitman directs the Sony Pictures project that focuses on the behind-the-scenes moments leading up to this initial broadcast. The cast includes Gabrielle LaBelle as series creator Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as former NBC executive Dick Ebersol, and Rachel Sinnott as Michaels’ former and ex-wife. SNL Writer Rosie Schuster.

McPherson is a member of the Los Angeles-based band Mona and handles production duties for most of the group’s music. Mona has spent the past two years touring in support of her 2022 self-titled album, which includes the song “Silk Chiffon” featuring Phoebe Bridgers. The band, including members Katie Gavin and Josette Maskin, served as an opening act on Taylor Swift’s record-setting Eras Tour and previously opened for Harry Styles, The 1975 and Kacey Musgraves.

Ian is a two-time Grammy Award winner for his 1975 album Between the lines It reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Ian was the second musical guest on the first episode of the series SNL Following Billy Preston, she performed her songs “At Seventeen” and “In the Winter.” Jon Batiste, who is composing the film’s music, will play Preston.

Reitman and Gil Keenan wrote the screenplay for the film Snell 1975 (which is the working title) based on interviews they conducted with the live cast, writers, and crew about the debut of the series, now airing its 49th season. Reitman, Keenan, Jason Blumenfeld, and Peter Rice are the film’s producers, while Erica Mills and Joan Beritano serve as executive producers.

filming ‘SNL’The opening players are Dylan O’Brien (as Dan Aykroyd), Lamorne Morris (Garrett Morris), Corey Michael Smith (Chevy Chase), Matt Wood (John Belushi), Ella Hunt (Gilda Radner), Emily Fern (Laren Newman) and Kim Matula ( Jane Curtin).

Nicholas Braun (Jim Henson), Kaia Gerber (Jacqueline Carlin), J.K. Simmons (Milton Berle), and Finn Wolfhard also appear in the film as an NBC page.