The creator of Saturday Night Live<\/a>, 81, has long been one of the most elusive and mysterious individuals in show business. Now, Morgan Neville\u2019s latest documentary, Lorne<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n Through interviews and roundtables with both old and new cast members \u2014 including Tina Fey<\/a>, John Mulaney<\/a>, Andy Samberg<\/a>, Conan O\u2019Brien<\/a>, Chris Rock<\/a> and more \u2014 the \u201cman behind the curtain\u201d is revealed to be a caring and family-oriented individual who will always show up for those who need him.<\/p>\n Mulaney, 43, who was an SNL writer from 2008 to 2013, discusses how Michaels supported him during his 2020 stint in a rehab facility<\/a> 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 \u201cstay on the phone for as long as you like.\u201d<\/p>\n John Mulaney (left) and Seth Meyers on ‘SNL’ He previously said during an April 2024 episode of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman<\/a> that, during one of their two-hour-long phone conversations, Michaels told him the tragic story of John Belushi<\/a>\u2019s death to remind him of how his loved ones would be affected<\/a> if he were to succumb to his addiction.<\/p>\n “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.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter<\/a> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer\u200b\u200b, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/p>\n From left: Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in ‘Lorne’ In the documentary, Mulaney goes on to say that just the thought of Michaels dying one day already makes him sad, noting, \u201cI like hanging out with this guy so much.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond being there for his cast during their darkest moments, Michaels has enthusiastically supported them during their big milestones as well.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they got married, when they had a child, when a parent died, I heard this from so many people \u2014 that\u2019s when Lorne would show up,\u201d Neville says. \u201cI feel like that\u2019s Lorne at his best and something I had heard the least about him before the film.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Maya Rudolph<\/a> and Amy Poehler<\/a> got pregnant at the same time, Maya told me, \u2018Well, Lorne said we\u2019ll build a nursery here in the office,\u2019 \u201d he adds.<\/p>\n Andy Samberg (left) and Seth Meyers on ‘SNL’ The SNL creator\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n As Michaels himself says about the time he\u2019s spent shaping both the icon show and huge careers, \u201cWatching people come into their own\u2026 that moment is huge.\u201d<\/p>\n Lorne is currently playing in theaters. Ticket information is available on the Focus Features<\/a> website.<\/p>\n![\"John](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/94f31f6ef738ef30de183d8838444102.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Credit: Dana Edelson\/NBC via Getty<\/p>\n![\"From](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/6462e6cb18a4ffa5e37692a84f8bbd16.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features<\/p>\n![\"Andy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ec8ee056129be3063c056e56824bd027.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Credit: Dana Edelson\/NBC\/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty<\/p>\n