Ego Nwodim has announced she will not return to Saturday Night Live, ending a seven-season run with the long-running NBC sketch show. The performer posted a farewell message on Instagram Friday, thanking creator Lorne Michaels, castmates, writers and crew and saying she will “carry those memories, and that laughter, with me always.” (People.com)
Nwodim joined SNL as a featured player in 2018 during the show’s 44th season and was later promoted to the main cast in 2020 — a trajectory that saw her become a reliable presence in the program’s sketches and live moments. Over her tenure she created several recurring characters and standout bits that earned viral attention and helped define the show’s recent era. (People.com)
Her time on the show included both tightly scripted sketches and memorable examples of on-the-spot improv; pieces like the “Lisa from Temecula” sketch and a handful of impromptu live moments showcased her comic instincts and earned significant online views. Fans and colleagues praised Nwodim for her range — from musical and character work to the unpredictable electricity of live television. (EW.com)
The departure comes amid a broader cast reshuffle ahead of SNL’s 51st season. Nwodim joins several other recent exits, and the changeover follows Lorne Michaels’s previously signaled adjustments to the lineup as the show moves into its next season. Reports indicate the decision to leave was Nwodim’s own. (The Independent)
While she did not lay out specific plans in her Instagram message, Nwodim has steadily expanded her career outside the Studio 8H stage, with acting credits and streaming projects that industry observers expect she will continue to pursue. Saturday Night Live’s new season is scheduled to premiere in October, and producers have already announced several new featured players who will join the cast. (People.com)
Colleagues, fans and critics have noted that Nwodim’s mix of improvisational skill and character work made her one of the show’s most versatile performers of the past decade — a legacy that will likely follow her into future projects. As the show prepares for its latest season, SNL will do so without one of the performers who helped shape its recent comic identity. (EW.com)
(Reported from announcements and coverage published September 12, 2025.)
