Saturday Night Live is adding comedian and filmmaker Saidah Belo-Osagie to its Season 52 cast, making her the first Black woman to join the show since actress and comedian Ego Nwodim left ahead of Season 51.
Entertainment Weekly (EW) reported that Belo-Osagie will join the NBC sketch series as a featured player. Her addition brings a new Black female voice to the long-running comedy series following Nwodim’s departure.
Belo-Osagie is a Queens, New York native whose work spans comedy, film, and live performance.
According to EW, she created the live event series Afrobeats Futura and the solo show Saidah Gets Closure. She also wrote and directed the 2020 short film Tinge.
Her creative work has also centered Black culture and identity. Afrobeats Futura explores Afrobeats' global influence through live performance, while Saidah Gets Closure draws on Belo-Osagie’s experiences and perspective as a performer.
Variety reported that the new season will premiere Saturday (September 26), with New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson hosting and KATSEYE serving as the musical guest.
Belo-Osagie’s casting comes after Nwodim’s seven-season run on SNL. Nwodim joined the show in 2018 and left after Season 50, according to EW.
Belo-Osagie will join returning cast members, including Kenan Thompson, who has been with SNL since 2003, and other longtime performers as the show begins its latest season.
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