John Mulaney Remembers “SNL” Boss Lorne Michaels Helping Him Get Through Rehab, Andy Samberg Says He's Like a Parent

Desiree AnelloSat, April 18, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC

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From left: John Mulaney, Lorne Michaels and Andy Samberg.Credit: Dana Edelson/NBC via Getty; Theo Wargo/Getty; Dana Edelson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty -

Morgan Neville pulls back the curtain on the elusive life of SNL creator Lorne Michaels in his latest documentary, Lorne

In the film, John Mulaney says Michaels called and helped him during his 2020 stint in rehab

Andy Samberg also compares his relationship with Michaels to that of a father and son

Lorne Michaels is more than just a boss.

The creator of Saturday Night Live, 81, has long been one of the most elusive and mysterious individuals in show business. Now, Morgan Neville’s latest documentary, Lorne, sheds some light on who Michaels really is and the relationship he shares with friends and SNL alums who have gotten to know him over the years.

Through interviews and roundtables with both old and new cast members — including Tina Fey, John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock and more — the “man behind the curtain” is revealed to be a caring and family-oriented individual who will always show up for those who need him.

Mulaney, 43, who was an SNL writer from 2008 to 2013, discusses how Michaels supported him during his 2020 stint in a rehab facility following a relapse with drugs and alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic. The comedian recalls that Michaels called him and assured him that he would “stay on the phone for as long as you like.”

John Mulaney (left) and Seth Meyers on 'SNL'Credit: Dana Edelson/NBC via Getty

He previously said during an April 2024 episode of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman that, during one of their two-hour-long phone conversations, Michaels told him the tragic story of John Belushi’s death to remind him of how his loved ones would be affected if he were to succumb to his addiction.

"He goes, 'I knew John Belushi for seven years. I've been talking about him for 48 years, because that's the shrapnel that happens when someone goes down like that,' " he recalled at the time. "And he goes, 'You know, John didn't want to die. You know, he didn't plan to. Just because it's a story, just because it's sort of set in stone like history, people don't want to die from this.’ ”

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From left: Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in 'Lorne'Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features

In the documentary, Mulaney goes on to say that just the thought of Michaels dying one day already makes him sad, noting, “I like hanging out with this guy so much.”

Beyond being there for his cast during their darkest moments, Michaels has enthusiastically supported them during their big milestones as well.

“When they got married, when they had a child, when a parent died, I heard this from so many people — that’s when Lorne would show up,” Neville says. “I feel like that’s Lorne at his best and something I had heard the least about him before the film.”

“When Maya Rudolph and Amy Poehler got pregnant at the same time, Maya told me, ‘Well, Lorne said we’ll build a nursery here in the office,’ ” he adds.

Andy Samberg (left) and Seth Meyers on 'SNL'Credit: Dana Edelson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

The SNL creator’s relationship with cast members runs so deep that Samberg, 47, goes as far as comparing their relationship to that of a father and son, claiming that he remembers every single nice thing that Michaels has ever said about him.

As Michaels himself says about the time he’s spent shaping both the icon show and huge careers, “Watching people come into their own… that moment is huge.”

Lorne is currently playing in theaters. Ticket information is available on the Focus Features website.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”