Melissa Villaseñor confirmed she’d be leaving ‘Saturday Night Live’ on Twitter. She was a part of the show for six years and was known for her spot on impersonations.
Rumors began circulating about her exit last week, when it was announced that fellow cast members Alex Moffat and Aristotle Athari were leaving. When these were confirmed, she took to Twitter to share the message herself.
Villaseñor confirmed the rumors on her Twitter, where she explained the reason behind her decision and commiserated with her fans. “Oh my sweetie fans, my Melissa monsters, i know “thas sah” me leaving the show, but! i felt this was my soul telling me its time to spread my wings. lots more for me to dig in and discover. what an honor to experience my kid dream, what an honor. forever grateful,” she wrote. When asked if she’d been let go, Villaseñor wrote that she made the decision to leave on her own.
“People ask me “whats next whats next?!” i’m like “chill man i am gonna be proud for a while, travel, enjoy life, do more volunteer work, spend time with my family, from there art blooms,” she concluded.
As SNL gears up to come back for a new season, it’s reckoning with some significant shake-ups in terms of cast, with Villaseñor joining beloved cast SNL members like Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson, and Kyle Mooney in stepping away.
Villaseñor joined SNL in 2016 and was known for her numerous impressions, including Bjork, Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, and more. She was the first Latina cast member of the show and was known for incorporating her heritage as a part of her skits and the characters she created, breaking new ground for the famed comedy show.
Apart from her work in comedy, Villaseñor is also an actress, having appearances in “Barry,” “Hubie Halloween,” and more. She’s also an artist, musician, and podcast host.
