Ego Nwodim Says ‘Goodnight’ — She's Out at ‘Saturday Night Live’
Just when the dust appeared to settle at 30 Rock, with the Season 51 cast seemingly locked and loaded, Ego Nwodim revealed on her Instagram this morning that she was joining four other cast members in exiting Saturday Night Live.
“The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight,” she wrote in her post. “But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL. I am immensely grateful to Lorne (Michaels) for the opportunity, to my castmates, the writers, and the crew for their brilliance, support and friendship. Week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will always carry those memories (and that laughter) with me always. Now invite me to your weddings please!!!”
Nwodim’s departure, along with Punkie Johnson’s exit last year, leaves SNL with no Black female cast members, despite a reported focus on finding women of color during this year’s hiring hunt. While Michaels hired five new comics for Season 51, no Black women made the cut.
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It puts the show right back where it was in 2014, when SNL was widely criticized for its complete lack of Black female performers. In the nearly 40 years leading up to that point, only five Black female comics were featured on the show. The bad press led to the mid-season hire of Sasheer Zamata, followed by the additions of Leslie Jones, Johnson and Nwodim.
There’s no official word on why Nwodim chose to leave the show at this relatively late date, but at least she’s going out on a high note. After a relatively quiet but effective first few seasons on the show, Nwodim broke out in Season 48 with her Lisa from Temecula sketch:
Followed by her viral Miss Eggy triumph in Season 50:
No immediate word from Nwodim on what’s next, although she offered a sneak peek during her May interview with Glamour. “I want to do it all. That’s the truth,” she said. “I want to do more comedies. I want to do physical comedies in the stuff that I do.”
