“Saturday Night Live” is losing another member of its cast.
This time, it is Sasheer Zamata, who has been to the show in the last four season, Screencast said. Zamata is known for her supporting roles and impressions of former First Lady Michelle Obama and several pop singers like Rihanna, Beyonce, Nicki Minaj and Solange Knowles. She also appeared in skits as Janelle – Chris Rock’s daughter and a naive YouTube vlogger, and in the show’s “Black Jeopardy” segment.
Although Zamata did not receive a farewell scene on the show, cast members lifted her on their shoulders to signal her exit from the show, Huffington Post said.
Later, Zamata shared a photo of her being lifted off along with a message that read, “Wow. What a fantastic end to a fantastic season, thanks SNL.”
Zamata’s exit is notable, considering the fact that she is the third actor who has left the comedy series for Season 42. Page Six said Vanessa Bayer and Bobby Moynihan will also not return for Season 43, although they did made the announcement at the show’s season finale, with host Dwayne Johnson. Moreover, Zamata’s hiring signals an answer for the viewers’ clamor for more diverse actors. She is the first black woman comedian to be hired by the show following Maya Rudolph’s exit in 2007.
Currently, the remaining cast members are Beck Bennett, Aidy Bryant, Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Leslie Jones, Colin Jost, Kate McKinnon, Kyle Mooney, Cecily Strong, and Kenan Thompson. Mikey Day, Alex Moffat, and Melissa Villaseñor are also on “Saturday Night Live” as featured players.
