Ego Nwodim has surprised Saturday Night Live fans with the news of her leaving the series.
Known for her characters “Lisa from Temecula” and “Miss Eggy,” Nwodim announced her departure from SNL on social media. She wrote in part, “The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight.”
“After seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL,” she wrote in part, also thanking producer Lorne Michaels, SNL writers and crew, and her castmates.
“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.”
Her former castmates, including Cecily Strong and Punkie Johnson (who had also previously left the series), wrote in her Instagram comments about how proud they are of Nwodim.
Strong said in part, “[I]t was an honor and total joy to get to work with you. One of the best to ever do it.”
Johnson wrote (in all caps in the comments), “You did your duty EZ…Welcome back to outside … We havin a time. Lets play.”
This Is Us star Chrissy Metz also congratulated her on embarking on a new chapter, writing, “So happy the world got to see you shine in that medium!”
Why did Ego Nwodim leave ‘SNL’?
According to Variety and Deadline, Nwodim started on SNL in 2018 as a featured player in Season 44. By Season 46, she became a main cast member until her departure in Season 50. Both trade publications noted that Nwodim’s exit came after the cast plans for the new season were set.
Variety reported, “News of Nwodim’s departure comes after thorough shake-up at the late-night sketch show that was previously believed to have concluded, though Variety has learned that circumstances changed for Nwodim after the final announcements were made, causing her to choose to pursue other opportunities.”
Nwodim is the latest departure in what fans have called an exodus of popular SNL cast members leaving the series. Before Nwodim’s announcement, Emil Wakim, Heidi Gardner, Devon Walker and Michael Longfellow had all posted about their departures.