Ego Nwodim departs SNL after seven seasons: 'Time to say goodnight'

Ego Nwodim exits SNL after seven seasons, becoming the latest departure in a major cast reshuffle ahead of season 51.

Ego Nwodim has officially announced her departure from Saturday Night Live after seven seasons with the long-running NBC sketch comedy series. The actress and comedian shared the news in an Instagram Story, writing, “The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight. But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL.”

In her message, Nwodim expressed gratitude to SNL creator Lorne Michaels, the cast, writers, and crew, saying, “Week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will carry those memories (and that laughter) with me always.”

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Nwodim joined the SNL cast in 2018 as a featured player in Season 44 and was promoted to repertory status in 2020 for Season 46. Before her tenure on SNL, she was a regular performer with the Upright Citizens Brigade and gained recognition as one of Just for Laughs’ New Faces in 2016. Her acting credits include appearances in Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, Mr. Throwback on Peacock, and films such as Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile and Good Burger 2. She is next set to appear in the Netflix comedy Little Brother, alongside John Cena, Eric André, and Michelle Monaghan.

Nwodim’s departure marks a significant shift for SNL. Unless new additions are made, Season 51 will be the first season without a Black female cast member since 2014. Nwodim was the seventh Black woman to join the show’s cast, following Maya Rudolph, Sasheer Zamata, Leslie Jones, and others. Punkie Johnson, the eighth, exited in 2024.

Her exit comes amid broader cast changes, including the departures of Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, Michael Longfellow, and Heidi Gardner. Meanwhile, new cast members include Veronika Slowikowska, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson, and Tommy Brennan.