KYLE MOONEY
BASICS: The San Diego native studied film at USC, where he met the other members of Good Neighbor -- SNL's new answer to The Lonely Island. He’s guest-starred on NBC's Parks and Recreation, and recently wrapped filming on a Good Neighbor pilot for Comedy Central, produced by Will Ferrell and former SNL head writer Adam McKay.
SHTICK: Todd, a sensitive, uber-straight SoCal surfer dude; Chris, a Jesse Pinkman-esque high school ne’er do well
STORY: How 'Saturday Night Live' Found 5 New Castmembers
SNL-GEBRA: The Method commitment of Bill Murray to the power of the surreal sensibility of Will Forte.
JOHN MILHISER
BASICS: The Brooklyn-based comic is a member of sketch group Serious Lunch, featured on The Tonight Show and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. Milhiser was also chosen this year to take part in the Just for Laughs comedy festival's New Faces showcase.
PHOTOS: From Live TV to the Big Screen: 12 'SNL' Sketches Made Into Movies
SHTICK: A guy from the wrong side of the tracks in "Clap It Up," a Step Up parody about competitive patty-cake; the acne-plagued man in "Facialique," a disturbing satire of a Proactiv ad.
SNL-GEBRA: The boyish eagerness of Dana Carvey divided by the dark undercurrent of Chris Parnell.
BECK BENNETT
BASICS: Born in Wilmette, Ill., studied acting at USC where he met Mooney and Nick Rutherford. They later joined with Dave McCary to create Good Neighbor, which counts Louis C.K. and Steven Spielberg among its fans. Bennett currently stars in AT&T's "It's Not Complicated" campaign.
SHTICK: Buttoned-down interviewer of precocious children, as seen in web series “Fresh Perspectives” and the TV ads it inspired. Could make a good fit as Seth Meyers' replacement on Weekend Update.
SNL-GEBRA: The all-American good looks of a young Chevy Chase multiplied by the infectious temperament of Jimmy Fallon.
NOEL WELLS
BASICS: Studied animation and film at U.T. Austin. She’s performed at UCB Los Angeles since 2010, and her videos have racked up mucho views.
VIDEO: Jason Sudeikis' Best 'Saturday Night Live' Sketches
SHTICK: Manic Pixie Nightmare Girl, a psycho spin on the Zooey Deschanel archetype; a send-up of Homeland's Dana Brody, the character the Internet loves to hate.
SNL-GEBRA: The vulnerability of Gilda Radner plus the celebrity mimicry skills of Abby Elliott.
MIKE O’BRIEN
BASICS: Founded a comedy newspaper at the University of Michigan, then moved to Chicago to take classes at Second City, where he was a performer for many years. Flown out to NYC to do a five-minute audition at SNL in both 2005 and 2009; the latter resulted in a writing job. Among his best-loved SNL sketches is his Gathering of the Juggalos parody ad, "Kickspit Underground Rock Festival."
VIDEO: 'Saturday Night Live': Watch Bill Hader's Finest Sketches
SHTICK: O’Brien has lured big names into his closet for his online celebrity talk show, 7 Minutes in Heaven, including Jeff Goldblum, Amy Poehler and even Juggalos' patron saints, Insane Clown Posse.
SNL-GEBRA: The writerly mind of A. Whitney Brown nested inside the timeless elegance of Nora Dunn.
Twitter: @SethAbramovitch
