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SNL Alum Bill Hader's Shocking Backstage Struggles Revealed
6 Aug
Summary
- Bill Hader suffered from anxiety, migraines, and vision loss during his time on SNL
- Hader had to rely on co-star Jason Sudeikis to guide him through a sketch when he suddenly lost his vision
- Hader's health issues were so severe that Seth Meyers joked they were the "top 10 weirdest things" to happen to any SNL cast member
In a recent interview, former Saturday Night Live cast member Bill Hader revealed the shocking health struggles he faced during his time on the iconic sketch comedy show. Hader, who starred on SNL for eight seasons from 2005 to 2013, has been open about his battles with anxiety, which led to a host of physical ailments.
According to Hader, his anxiety manifested in the form of shingles, panic attacks, migraines, and in one particularly harrowing incident, sudden vision loss. This occurred during Hader's very first season on SNL, in the middle of the show's annual Christmas episode. As Hader was about to take the stage for a sketch, his vision suddenly went dark, leaving him unable to see. Hader had to rely on his co-star Jason Sudeikis to guide him through the performance, with Sudeikis even taking over some of Hader's lines.
Hader's health issues were so severe that fellow SNL alum Seth Meyers joked that the "top 10 weirdest things" to happen to any cast member he worked with were all related to Hader. Despite these challenges, Hader went on to earn two Emmy nominations during his time on the show, and has continued to thrive in the years since, starring in the acclaimed HBO series Barry.
