Bill Hader — who is leaving Saturday Night Live after eight years this weekend — on his audition for the show:

I remember getting in the elevator for my audition and there was a guy next to me who had a backpack full of props and wigs and things, and I went, ‘Oh, my God, that guy is so prepared, I have nothing, I have no props.’ And that was Andy Samberg. And Andy Samberg said he was looking at me going, ‘Oh, that guy has no props. He doesn’t need props.’ And that was the first time we met, was in that elevator.

“It’s 10 minutes before we go on to air — and John [Mulaney] said, ‘We need to change that club promoter’s name.’ And I said, ‘I don’t know,’ and he said, ‘I’ll think of something, I’ll think of something.’…and as I was walking out [on set], he said, ‘I changed the club promoter’s name.’ And I said, ‘Oh, great.’ I went out and did it and he changed it to Gay Liotta, and I completely lost it…the camera guys are laughing, the cue cards are shaking because the cue card guys are laughing. Beyond that, I can see some of the writers, I can see Andy Samberg, people against the wall in 8H [the studio where SNL is filmed], they’re all laughing, and then that kind of started it in John’s mind.”

— Bill Hader on how his co-writer started messing with the cue cards for Hader’s SNL character, Stefon

A very clear memory I have is watching The Hunchback of Notre Dame with Charles Laughton. Watching that movie and the scene where he swings down and saves Esmeralda [played by Maureen O’ Sullivan]. … And I just remember the way it’s shot, you see him way in the background and then he comes right into frame and picks her up. It’s an amazing shot and the music kicks in, and I just remember when that happened, my mom gasping behind me and her watching, going, ‘I just love this, I love that moment.’… That moment is one of my favorite moments because it’s a great film moment, but I just think of my mom … getting choked up…so that feeling, you just become a junkie for it. I just want that feeling over and over again.

— Bill Hader on his love of old movies

I remember getting in the elevator for my audition and there was a guy next to me who had a backpack full of props, and wigs and things and I went, ‘Oh my god, that guy is so prepared, I have nothing, I have no props.’ And that was Andy Samberg. And Andy Samberg said he was looking at me going, ‘Oh, that guy has no props. He doesn’t need props.’ And that was the first time we met, was in that elevator.

- Bill Hader on his Audition for Saturday Night Live

Tomorrow: Saturday Night Live’s Bill Hader.