Saturday Night Live Adds Two New Cast Members Amid Cast Departures

Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter are set to join the cast of Saturday Night Live for its upcoming 52nd season, NBC announced on Wednesday. Their additions come after a period of significant cast changes, including the departures of longtime performers.

Belo-Osagie, a Brooklyn-based comedian, has a background in short film, web series, and online comedy content. She wrote and directed the short film Tinge, created the event series Afrobeats Futura, and has garnered an online following through comedy videos on TikTok and Instagram. Her online presence is a path to SNL that has been trodden by other recent cast members.

Reiter, who hails from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, is known for her extensive presence on TikTok, where she has amassed millions of followers. Her content includes parodies, notably a "Hunger Games (but Better)" trailer. She has also appeared in projects with SNL alumni, such as Tim Robinson’s The Chair Company, and worked as a writer, director, and cast member on the comedy series Minimum Wage.

These new cast members will make their debut in the season premiere on September 26, which will be hosted by Jalen Brunson with musical guest KATSEYE. Subsequent episodes in early October will feature hosts Dakota Johnson and Shane Gillis, with musical guests Rosalia and Gracie Abrams.

The recent additions follow a series of notable exits from the SNL cast. Earlier this month, The Hollywood Reporter indicated that Martin Herlihy, who was primarily a writer but also appeared on camera, would be leaving after five seasons. Herlihy is the son of SNL writer Tim Herlihy.

In July, Chloe Fineman announced her departure after seven seasons, stating it felt like the right time to leave the show, which she called "the greatest privilege of my life." Fineman joined the ensemble in 2019 and was promoted to full-time cast member in 2021.

Bowen Yang's exit from the sketch show occurred in December, with his stated reasons for leaving including a desire to make his Broadway debut and focus on his podcast, Las Culturistas. This follows a larger cast shakeup after the show's landmark 50th season, which saw the departures of Heidi Gardner, Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, and Michael Longfellow.