Saturday Night Live has been on the air for decades and has done a lot more than simply entertain the nation once a week — it also has pumped out dozens and dozens of quality actors who took their careers to new heights and became household names. Up until now, though, no former SNL cast member has managed to win an Oscar.
Robert Downey Jr.'s turn on SNL was in the mid-'80s during the show's 11th season — if his time on the show doesn't ring a bell, it's possible you forgot because, as the man himself said, it was "... arguably the worst season in its history" (via YouTube). His friendship with Anthony Michael Hall led him to the sketch show in the first place, and while his time on the screen was relatively short-lived, it likely served as a springboard to getting more roles as he matured and led to his eventual superstardom.
Though Downey was the first to win an Academy Award, he was not the first SNL alumnus to garner the honor of nomination. Other alumni who have received at least one nomination include Joan Cusack, Randy Quaid, George Coe, Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Michael McKean, and Kristen Wiig.
