AceShowbiz - Bowen Yang is setting the record straight over claims that he played a role in Shane Gillis' firing from "Saturday Night Live" (SNL). Recent accusations were made under an Instagram post promoting Gillis' second hosting stint.

In the comment section, Michelle Best, a background actor on the show, called "Wicked" star Bowen Yang a "whiny queen" who pushed Gillis out. "SNL fired him as a hater. He's not," Best wrote before praising Gillis. "He's very kind and has smart humor and stands up to bullying. Good for him!"

Yang quickly responded, disputing his involvement in Gillis' firing. "Didn't do any of this but I wrote the sketch you were a background actor in," he responded. It's unclear which sketch Yang referred to, but Best did appear in a 2019 sketch, "Fashion Coward," featuring Emma Stone.

Gillis, who joined "SNL" in the same season as Yang, was ousted after his previous racist and homophobic jokes resurfaced. Although he apologized for his remarks, describing himself as a "comedian who pushes boundaries," the damage was done and it led to his exit.

"SNL" creator Lorne Michaels expressed regret over the firing, indicating the decision came from higher-ups. "He [Shane Gillis] said something stupid, but it got blown up into the end of the world. I was angry. I thought, 'You haven't seen what we're going to do, and what I'm going to try to bring out in him,' because I thought he was the real thing."

Bowen Yang, "SNL" first Chinese-American and one of the few queer members, has expressed his desire to move beyond the controversy. He recalled Gillis' personal apology and the subsequent media portrayal which left a negative impact.

"Anytime our names are in the same sentence... it always feels deleterious. It feels like one person is trying to undo the other," Yang told Variety. "I think he and I have done enough things in our careers now to really not have that be the definitive beginning."

Since his "SNL" debut in 2018, Yang's star has continuously risen. He has earned three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, with a fourth for writing.

Shane Gillis will return to the show as a host alongside musical guest Tate McRae, this Saturday at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock.