Picture this: You’re a group of gifted young actors selected to portray the comedy legends behind NBC’s iconic show, “Saturday Night Live.”

You recognize the names: Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, along with the late John Belushi and Gilda Radner.

Naturally, your first instinct might be to reach out to these legends to refine your portrayal for “Saturday Night” (which hits theaters nationwide this Friday), Jason Reitman’s dramatized account of the 90 minutes leading up to the inaugural “SNL” broadcast on October 11, 1975.

However, you would be mistaken: Reitman firmly opposed this approach.

“Jason believed we should avoid interacting with the actual people,” Gabriel LaBelle, who takes on the role of “SNL” co-creator Lorne Michaels, explained.

Cory Michael Smith, portraying Chevy Chase, expressed his desire to meet Chase, if only to hear him deliver a trademark sarcastic comment. Ignoring the instruction, he reached out to Chase’s daughters, though it didn’t lead to a meeting.

On the other hand, Kim Matula’s voice softened to a whisper when asked if she contacted Curtin. “I did,” she admitted. It was a brief phone call, but the insights she gained from the comedienne were priceless.

“She shared stories about her experiences on set during that era, mentioning how hard she had to work to gain recognition,” Matula said. “Jane initially thought that once she landed the role, roles would be written for her. However, that wasn’t the reality; it was a significant boys’ club at the time.”

How did Jason Reitman earn the trust of ‘SNL’ producer Lorne Michaels?

It has been almost fifty years since that groundbreaking episode first aired, which many argue transformed television comedy and continues to shape cultural conversations each week. The show has also launched the careers of numerous stars, including Bill Murray, Dana Carvey, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Chris Farley, and Adam Sandler.

Despite this impressive legacy, Reitman maintained that his goal with “Saturday Night” was straightforward: maintain focus.

“Lorne mentioned he had been approached many times by others wanting to create a film like this, but what stuck with him was that I wasn’t trying to cover the entire history of ‘SNL.’ Instead, I aimed to capture just one moment, specifically the buildup to the first episode,” Reitman stated. His father, Ivan, collaborated with Aykroyd and Murray in creating the original “Ghostbusters.”

The actors’ request to avoid interacting with the real-life personalities was inspired by another point Michaels made. “He was firm in his belief that a long time had passed, and people’s recollections could vary significantly,” Reitman shared. “He even admitted to having conflicting memories of that debut show.”

So instead, the cast primarily relied on archival footage from the early days of “SNL” and books like “Live From New York: The Complete Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers and Guests,” published in 2002 by Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller.

How ‘Saturday Night’ cast members studied the unique traits of ‘SNL’ legends

“I invested an excessive amount of time analyzing Chevy Chase videos,” said Smith. “I felt a sense of paranoia since he’s arguably the most recognizable member of the original ensemble. While he has distinct mannerisms, he’s also just incredibly handsome, so I needed to discover the essence of who he is.”

Smith pinpointed these unique traits in subtle ways. “Of course, there’s the blinking,” he explained regarding Chase’s characteristic. “I examined when he blinked, why he did it. Whether he did it because he was confident about a punchline or signaling something to the audience.”

According to Smith, capturing the essence of Chase’s iconic pratfall, particularly his portrayal of President Gerald Ford, was simpler due to their similar heights. He said, “The greater the distance to fall, the more humorous it becomes. He transformed into something flexible, like Gumby.”

Matula tapped into her own frustrations as an actress in Hollywood to better understand Curtin’s character. Though Curtin eventually became a fan-favorite on SNL, renowned for her dry humor during Weekend Update, she faced personal challenges, partly stemming from her experiences in the improv scene.

“She quickly understood that she had to assert herself because no one else would, and I resonate with that,” she explained, mentioning that her preparation involved closely watching the early episodes that were constantly played in the set’s break areas.

For LaBelle, who portrayed a younger Steven Spielberg in “The Fabelmans” and now a young Michaels in “Saturday Night,” the objective was to exhibit the boldness necessary for the young producer amid doubts from NBC executives who were keen to see him falter and revert to reruns of Johnny Carson’s immensely popular “Tonight Show.”

“Lorne was perceived (by the executives) as a free spirit. They held him in low regard, which was not surprising, considering as the film highlights, this was more than just another TV show; it represented a significant shift from the traditional format to a modern approach,” said LaBelle, noting that like many of his colleagues, he grew up watching “SNL.” “The early seasons have become mythical for many of us, so to engage with it like this was extraordinary.”

And interestingly, LaBelle did have the chance to meet Michaels right before filming for “Saturday Night” began. He, along with Reitman and Smith, observed a live show from Michaels’ office.

Did Michaels share any wisdom with LaBelle?

“He simply said, ‘Listen to Jason,'” LaBelle recalled.

When Smith reminisced about that evening, he chuckled, saying, “If I remember right, we all hopped into a cab afterward and Gabe remarked, ‘Well, that was useless.'”