In addition, the Emmy-winning comedy has added Bowen Yang, Alison Gates, Alan Linic and Eli Mandel to its staff as they will join the show for its 44th season premiere.
- September 22, 2018
AceShowbiz - "Saturday Night Live" welcomes a new addition for the upcoming season 44. Ego Nwodim has been tapped to join the cast of the long-running series which will return for the new season on September 29.
Nwodim is a USC graduate with a degree in biology. Her credit includes UCB Theatre in Los Angeles, in which she was a regular cast member. She performed her one-woman show "Great Black Women…" and "Then There's Me". Additionally, Nwodim guest-starred on "Law & Order: True Crime" and "2 Broke Girls".
Nwodim is one of the few black women who have joined the comedy. Until 2014, the only black women cast members in the show's history are Danitra Vance, Yvonne Hudson, Ellen Cleghorne, and Maya Rudolph. That drew criticism for the show for its lack diversity. With that, producer Lorne Michaels announced auditions before adding Sasheer Zamata as a feature player and Leslie Jones as a writer alongside LaKendra Tookes.
In addition, "SNL" has added four new writers. Bowen Yang, Alison Gates, Alan Linic and Eli Mandel will join the Emmy-winning show for its 44th season premiere. The addition arrives following the move of longtime writer Bryan Tucker, who has been promoted as a new senior writer. Meanwhile, Michael Che, Colin Jost, and Kent Sublette remain as co-head writers.
The new season will also see Alec Baldwin reprising his impression of President Donald Trump. "The Boss Baby" actor revealed the news on the "Origins".
"Trump is insane. I think most people know, the guy -- he is insane. We have a man who is president who is insane," Baldwin said. "You can't go far enough with this idiot. You can't go far enough. You can't go far enough."
"Saturday Night Live" will kick off season 44 with host Adam Driver. Meanwhile, Kanye West will serve as musical guest.
