The recent changes in the cast of "Saturday Night Live" (SNL) have stirred quite a bit of conversation, and Maya Rudolph doesn't find them surprising at all. Before the Season 51 premiere on October 4, several cast members made headlines by announcing their departures, some of which caught fans off guard due to how sudden they seemed.
Notable exits included Heidi Gardner, who had been with the show since 2017; Michael Longfellow, a newer member from 2022; Devon Walker, who spent three years on the show; and Emil Wakim, who was a featured player for a single season. Just before the new season kicked off, SNL revealed that comedians Ben Marshall from the Please Don’t Destroy group, along with Veronika Slowikowska, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson, and Tommy Brennan, would be joining the show as featured players.
Then came a surprising announcement: Ego Nwodim, who fans expected to return for Season 51, revealed she would be leaving after seven seasons. She poetically shared on Instagram, “The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight.” Nwodim, who started as a featured player in 2018 and became part of the main cast two years later, was a significant presence and one of only eight Black women in SNL's 50-year history.
Her departure raises a critical and controversial issue—there are now no Black women in the current cast, echoing a troubling gap SNL once experienced after Maya Rudolph herself left in 2007. The show lacked Black women cast members for seven years until Sasheer Zamata joined in 2014. This trend prompts an important question: what does this say about the inclusivity and diversity efforts within SNL today?
When Maya Rudolph, who was on SNL from 2000 to 2007, was asked about the recent cast changes, she described them as "inevitable." She pointed out that every few years, the show naturally evolves and some long-time players move on. She clarified her comments weren’t about Kenan Thompson, the show’s longest-tenured cast member at 22 years, but instead about the usual rotation.
Rudolph admitted she’s somewhat disconnected from the current backstage workings, mostly learning about changes publicly like the audience does. She even joked that she might need to hear from Nwodim herself about her decision to leave, highlighting how much the environment and communication around the show have shifted.
Reflecting on her start in the industry, Rudolph shared that her roots were in improv and sketch comedy at The Groundlings, a theater renowned for nurturing creative talent. This was before social media and online platforms allowed today’s performers to showcase their work widely and instantly. Although the tools and environment have changed, Rudolph emphasized that the dedication to practicing, writing, performing, and collaborating with other comedic talents remains the foundation of success.
When it comes to getting cast on SNL, she explained the selection process is very diverse. Some come from stand-up comedy, others as skilled impersonators, and some as seasoned sketch performers like herself. There isn't a single path—hard work, consistent creativity, and staying visible are key.
As for her own association with the show, Rudolph hasn’t confirmed if she will appear in the new season but left the door open. She won an Emmy in 2020 for her portrayal of Vice President Kamala Harris, a role she embraced fully despite some characters she might prefer to avoid due to their negative reputations.
Currently busy with projects like the third season of her Apple TV+ hit "Loot," Rudolph still harbors affection for SNL. She admits it can feel strange being off the show, imagining how much fun she would have if she were still part of it.
But here’s the part most people miss—while the show continues to reinvent itself, the absence of Black women cast members raises important questions about diversity and ongoing representation on a platform as influential as SNL. What do you think about this? Do you believe SNL is doing enough to foster inclusivity? Feel free to share your thoughts and fuel the conversation in the comments below.
