Jim Belushi is no stranger to life’s challenges, 

and he recently reflected on how Saturday Night Live ranks among the most difficult experiences he’s faced—right alongside his divorces. 

The 70-year-old actor and comedian attended SNL 50: The Anniversary Special at 30 Rockefeller Plaza,

where he opened up about his time on the legendary sketch show and the impact it had on his career.

SNL Shaped His Career—But It Wasn’t Easy

Speaking on the red carpet, Belushi expressed gratitude for his time on SNL, where he was a cast member from 1983 to 1985. He credited both SNL and Chicago’s famous improv group, Second City, for shaping him as a performer.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of the Second City in Chicago, which has gone 50 years, and Saturday Night Live, which has gone for years,” Belushi told PEOPLE. “Both of these institutions have trained me and given me a career.”

However, the experience was far from easy. Belushi admitted that working on SNL was one of the hardest things he has ever done, adding, “They were both the toughest things I’ve ever done, including divorce. They molded me into the comic actor, and the good career that I had today. I’m just grateful.”

A Rocky Personal Life

Belushi’s mention of divorce was no small statement, considering his tumultuous personal history. His third wife, Jennifer Sloan, initially filed for divorce in 2018—on March 5, the anniversary of his older brother John Belushi’s death. The SNL legend passed away from a drug overdose on that date in 1982, making the timing particularly painful for Jim.

Despite the divorce filing, Belushi and Sloan attempted to reconcile, with Jim requesting that the case be dismissed in May 2019, just before their 21st wedding anniversary. However, their efforts to save the marriage ultimately failed. In August 2021, Belushi officially filed for divorce again, citing “irreconcilable differences” and listing their date of separation as December 1, 2020.

Belushi was previously married twice before Sloan—first to Sandra Davenport, with whom he shares a son, and later to actress Marjorie Bransfield.

Fired, Rehired, and Learning Hard Lessons at SNL

Belushi’s time at SNL was marked by both professional success and personal struggles. He became the first cast member in the show’s history to be fired and later rehired.

In a 2021 interview with Vulture, Belushi candidly admitted that his firing was well-deserved. “Very simple: I was out of control,” he said. “It was the best thing to ever happen to me. I was out of my mind. I was throwing a fire extinguisher at Dick Ebersol, a hissy fit.”

He later acknowledged that working on SNL was even harder than going through a divorce. “I survived it, barely. I went back to [Ebersol] with my tail between my legs. I dropped the ego, I got humble. I stopped drinking the rest of that season.”

His struggles with SNL weren’t just personal—he also felt the weight of his brother John Belushi’s legacy. John was one of SNL’s most iconic cast members from 1975 to 1979, but after four years, he made the decision to leave.

“John did four years and he quit. I said, ‘What the f—, man? What are you quitting for?’ He said, ‘Jim, it’s like high school: Senior year, you’ve got to move on,’” Belushi recalled.

Jim, however, was still learning the ropes and felt he had unfinished business on the show. Unfortunately, he didn’t return after his second season because SNL creator Lorne Michaels took back control of the show.

Finding His Path—With Boundaries

Belushi credited SNL producer Dick Ebersol for helping him gain discipline by firing him and later allowing him to return under strict conditions.

“But that was because Dick put me in my place, rightfully, and had the courage to do it. I came back; I begged [him] for forgiveness, and he put me on probation,” Belushi said.

His wife at the time pointed out that he seemed to thrive under strict guidelines. “She said, ‘You thrive on probation. You were on probation from freshman to senior year of high school. You operate better with boundaries.’”

A Career Beyond SNL

Despite his rocky tenure at SNL, Belushi went on to have a successful career in television and film. He starred in According to Jim, a long-running sitcom that cemented his status as a household name. He has also appeared in movies like K-9, Red Heat, and The Principal.

Today, Belushi continues to work in Hollywood while also pursuing new passions, including running a cannabis farm in Oregon.

Though he describes SNL as one of the most difficult experiences of his life, he remains deeply appreciative of the opportunities it gave him. “They molded me into the comic actor, and the good career that I had today. I’m just grateful,” he reiterated at the SNL 50 event.

For Belushi, the journey through comedy, personal hardships, and self-discovery has been anything but easy—but he’s taken it all in stride, proving that even the toughest challenges can lead to growth.

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