The last Black woman is leaving the Saturday Night Live cast.
Earlier this month, Ego Nwodim revealed she’s leaving the sketch comedy show after seven seasons. Wanda Sykes was asked about Nwodim’s departure on a recent episode of Sherri Shepherd’s show.
“Boy, Kenan's gonna be in a lot of wigs, huh?” Sykes said of Kenan Thompson, SNL’s longest-serving cast member.
“I hope they announce when there is someone ‘cause it's important—representation is important,” Sykes continued. “I know for me to be sitting here is because I saw Moms Mabley and Marsha Warfield, and of course, Whoopi Goldberg. I got to see them, and that made me go, ‘Okay, I can do this.’”
On Sept. 12, Nwodim took to Instagram to announce she will be exiting SNL before its next season.
“The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight,” she wrote. “But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL. I am immensely grateful to [creator and showrunner] Lorne Michaels for the opportunity, to my castmates, the writers, and the crew for their brilliance, support, and friendship.”
In addition to Nwodim, Michael Longfellow, Heidi Gardner, Devon Walker, and Emil Wakim also recently announced they would not return for the show’s 51st season.
