Sasheer Zamata Leaving SNL

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With this weekend’s finale of season 42 of Saturday Night Live, the show said goodbye to two longtime cast members: Bobby Moynihan and Vanessa Bayer, who were cast members for nine and seven seasons, respectively. Well, as the old saying goes, “When it rains, it pours,” as it’s now being reported that Sasheer Zamata will also be leaving the show after four seasons, per Entertainment Tonight.

Zamata joined the show in 2014, and has delivered impersonations of Michelle Obama, Rihanna, Lupita Nyong’o, Beyonce and Solange Knowles, Diana Ross and more, but was mostly used as an ensemble character in group sketches. She came on board during a tumultuous time for SNL, when the show was receiving criticism from cast members like Jay Pharoah and Kenan Thompson for not having enough diversity among the cast. At the time of her hiring, she was the first black woman on the cast since Maya Rudolph’s departure seven years prior.

Typically, cast members sign seven-year contracts with the show, so it’s unclear if Zamata is leaving by choice or if Lorne Michaels and company are letting her go. In August of last year, both Jay Pharoah and Taran Killam were let go with only one year left on their contracts, so the move isn’t without precedent. But like Killam and Pharoah, Zamata will likely have plenty of projects to keep her busy now that she’s got some extra time on her hands. She’s previously had roles on shows like Inside Amy Schumer, Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell and BoJack Horseman, as well as films like Kevin Smith’s Yoga Hosers and the upcoming romantic comedy The Outdoorsman, and she’s been honing a strong rep touring as a stand up. She also released her first hour special on Seeso in 2016.

 

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Bill Tressler

Bill is a writer and comedy enthusiast from New York. An avid gamer and podcast fan, he strives to always toe the line between charming irreverence and grating honesty.
Bill Tressler

Bill Tressler

Bill is a writer and comedy enthusiast from New York. An avid gamer and podcast fan, he strives to always toe the line between charming irreverence and grating honesty.