North Shore Native Joins SNL

Beck Bennett, a Wilmette native and New Trier graduate, is officially joining the cast of Saturday Night Live for the coming season, according to the SNL Facebook page. Rumors of the move have been circulating for several weeks. 

Bennett is probably most recognizable as the star of a popular series of AT&T commercials where he talks, straight-faced, to small groups of garrulous kids. Bennett will join the show in its 39th season on NBC. 

The show lost many of its most high-profile stars at the end of last season and is bringing on six new cast members this year. Also of local interest: Oak Park native Cecily Strong is going to be a new Weekend Update co-host.