On Sept. 29, Saturday Night Live returns for its 44th season, and a new featured player will be drumming up laughs on the ever-popular NBC sketch series. Per Variety, comedienne Ego Nwodim will be joining the cast.
Not only is the news exciting based on Nwodim’s talent alone, but it’s also significant because she is one of only a handful of women of color to have been hired in SNL’s 43-year history. Preceding women of color who’ve been hired by the long-running series include Yvonne Hudson, Danitra Vance, Ellen Cleghorne, Maya Rudolph, Sasheer Zamata and Leslie Jones (a current cast member).
More:13 Funniest Weekend Update Moments in SNL History
Here are a few other interesting things to know about the latest addition to the season 44 cast.
View this post on Instagram
1. You’re probably saying her name wrong
It’s “eg-go,” like the waffle.
2. You might say she’s a science nerd
According to Variety, Nwodim graduated from the University of Southern California — but not for acting or any other creative-driven field. Rather, she earned a degree in biology.
3. She had her own show prior to SNL
You may not have seen it, though, unless you’ve been spending time at the UCB Theatre in Los Angeles. That’s where Nwodim has been a regular cast member and where she put on her own one-woman show, “Great Black Women… and Then There’s Me.”
4. She’s been on the big screen, too
Nwodim’s acting credits include the feature-length films Singularity, 5th Passenger and the recently completed It’s a Party. She hasn’t starred in any major blockbusters yet, but the sky’s the limit once SNL fans realize how talented Nwodim is.
More: 15 Celebs Who Rose to Fame After Being Fired From SNL
5. She’s in love…
With Postmates, like the rest of us. In September 2017, Nwodim tweeted, “Every time I get a Postmates delivery, I feel like I’m getting a taste of what it’s like to have a boyfriend minus his emotional issues.” Postmates picked up the tweet and ran with it in a Buzzfeed article, proving that good things come to those who wait — for their groceries to be delivered to their door.
Catch Nwodim in action on SNL when the series returns next week.
Leave a Comment