For Ego Nwodim, Leaving SNL Was Like Getting (Amicably) Divorced

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Ego Nwodim decided to leave Saturday Night Live because she’s eager to explore different acting roles. She described her time on the show as a long-term relationship – her longest one, in fact – and explained she was ready to move on and try new things. She joked that, like a marriage, she felt the need to ‘date other people’ and broaden her horizons.

Ego Nwodim speaks warmly about her seven years on Saturday Night Live. She says she learned a lot and had a great time, but felt it was time to pursue other opportunities. Nwodim joined the show in 2018 as a featured player and became a main cast member in 2020. Her hiring as the seventh Black woman on SNL was both celebrated by Leslie Jones and seen as a sign of the show’s ongoing lack of diversity. Jones pointed out how difficult it was to be one of so few Black women on the cast and asked Nwodim if she felt pressure to represent so much. Nwodim said she was proud to be part of that group, especially with Punkie Johnson joining after her, and hopes the show continues to find and include diverse talent. She also expressed that while she enjoyed playing a wide variety of characters, some viewers didn’t fully appreciate the range of her performances. It’s unclear who Nwodim might be referencing with a subtle comment, but her ability to convincingly portray both Dionne Warwick and a Disney mom proves her incredible versatility.

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2025-11-06 01:54