Ego Nwodim, 37, announced Friday that she is leaving Saturday Night Live after seven seasons, and former and current cast members responded with praise and well-wishes. Nwodim said in an Instagram post that she had decided to "leave SNL" after what she called "seven unforgettable seasons," thanking Lorne Michaels, castmates, writers and crew for their support.
Several of Nwodim’s colleagues posted immediate reactions on social media. Cecily Strong, who spent 11 seasons on the show and worked with Nwodim for five years, wrote in comments on Nwodim’s Instagram that it was “an honor and total joy to get to work with you” and called her "one of the best to ever do it." Chloe Fineman, a cast member since 2019 who has confirmed she will return for Season 51, echoed the sentiment, calling Nwodim “one of the best to ever do it" and adding a goat emoji to signify "GOAT." Punkie Johnson, who left the show in 2024, welcomed Nwodim to “the outside” and urged her to enjoy post‑SNL life. Ana Gasteyer, an alum who was on the show from 1996 to 2002 and did not overlap with Nwodim, congratulated her and said she was “excited for what’s next.”
In her Instagram message, Nwodim wrote, "The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight," and expressed gratitude for lessons learned on the show, adding a lighthearted request — "Now invite me to your weddings please!" — alongside emojis. Nwodim joined SNL as a repertory player in Season 44 in 2018 and has been a regular presence in sketches and weekend update segments since.
Nwodim’s departure is the latest ahead of Season 51, which is scheduled to begin Oct. 4. The exits this year have included Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, Michael Longfellow and Heidi Gardner. Walker, who spent three seasons on the program, wrote that his time on the show could be “toxic as hell” at times but that he and his colleagues had made the most of it. Wakim called his tenure “the most terrifying, thrilling and rewarding experience of my life,” and Longfellow confirmed he “will not be returning for a 4th season.” An insider told The Post earlier this month that Gardner’s contract was not renewed; Gardner has not publicly commented on her status.
Bowen Yang, who will return for Season 51, addressed the recent departures on his Las Culturistas podcast Sept. 10, praising Gardner as “one of the greats” and giving shout-outs to Walker, Wakim and Longfellow. Lorne Michaels, the show’s creator and longtime producer, previously hinted at a cast shakeup; Michaels is 80 and SNL has a history of roster turnover as performers move on to other projects.
Nwodim’s castmates praised her range and contributions to the show’s ensemble. Molly Kearney, who left SNL after two seasons in 2024, told Nwodim, “You’re a star and made your mark HUGE,” and welcomed her to life after the series. The responses reflected a common theme among departing and former cast members: that time on SNL can be formative and intense, and that leaving often triggers public tributes from peers.
Producers have reshaped the cast multiple times over SNL’s five-decade run as new performers join and others pursue film, television and stage opportunities. Nwodim’s announcement punctuated a busy offseason of personnel changes and served as a reminder of the continual turnover at the center of the late-night sketch show’s long-running format.
Nwodim did not outline her next steps in the Instagram post beyond expressing gratitude and saying she would "carry those memories (and that laughter) with me always." As SNL prepares for Season 51, the show will return without several recent faces and with a combination of returning performers and new additions, a pattern that has defined its evolution since the program’s debut.