AceShowbiz - Bowen Yang's initial journey to "Saturday Night Live" is a testament to perseverance and growth. Yang, who recently chatted on "Hot Ones" in anticipation of his role in Universal's "Wicked," recounted his disastrous first screen test for "SNL" in 2017.

"The final step in that process is you have a one-on-one meeting with Lorne," Yang shared. "It was him and another producer, Erik Kenward," he continued, explaining how his attempt to connect with "SNL" boss Lorne Michaels flopped immediately.

Yang humorously recalled, "The first thing out of my mouth was, 'I'm Canadian, too. I grew up in Montreal. I grew up in Quebec' - and immediately it was done, it was a vibe killer. I didn't get the job because I had pandered to his Canadianness, and it was a disaster."

Despite this rocky start, Yang was not deterred. He was hired as a staff writer for "SNL" in 2018 and, just a year later, was promoted to an on-air featured player. This marked the beginning of a successful run that saw him making history in 2021 as the first "SNL" featured player to receive an Emmy nomination in an acting category.

Yang attributes part of his successful acclimation at "SNL" to the guidance received from then-cast member Aidy Bryant. "Aidy Bryant was the one who told me, 'You can be, like, friends with him now,' " Yang recalled. Bryant's advice helped Yang see Michaels in a new light.

"I think Lorne at one point was hanging out with Aidy and kind of chuckling about it like, 'I think Bowen sees me as a mountain to climb, and I don't want him to think that anymore.' That kind of gave me the encouragement I needed to go up to him and be like, 'Oh, we can relate to each other on a human-to-human level,' which I never thought would happen with him."

Reflecting on his "SNL" experience, Yang described his first screen test as a moment of vulnerability where he felt entirely exposed. "I knew nobody was going to laugh - that's the legend of the SNL screen test, no one laughs," he shared. Yet, he drew strength from this vulnerability, stating, "I remember walking away from that first audition and going, 'Well, I'm not nervous. I will never be nervous ever again.' "

Years later, Yang remains deeply appreciative of his position on "SNL". As the co-host of the "Las Culturistas" podcast, he frequently reflects on the unique opportunities the show provides. "We have all these opportunities to bring a comedic idea to its full creative fulfillment, and we're so lucky. It's kind of the only live show left where people tune in as it happens."

Catch Bowen Yang in his new venture as Pfannee in "Wicked," now in theaters, and see the continued evolution of a comedian who turned a rocky start into unshakeable success.