New York, United States (Running Africa) — Nigerian-American comedian and filmmaker Saidah Belo-Osagie has joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (SNL) ahead of the long-running comedy show’s 52nd season.
NBC announced Belo-Osagie and comedian Grace Reiter as the two newest featured players on Wednesday, September 16. The new season premieres on September 26.
Belo-Osagie, who was raised in Queens, New York, described joining the iconic sketch comedy series as “a dream come true.”
Belo-Osagie is a writer, comedian, and filmmaker whose work spans short films, live performance, and digital comedy.
She wrote and directed the short film Tinge and created Afrobeats Futura, a live event series exploring Afrobeats and culture. She is also behind the solo show Saidah Gets Closure and has built an audience through comedy sketches on social media.
Her Nigerian heritage has also featured prominently in her creative work, giving her addition to SNL particular significance for African audiences.
SNL Season 52 Begins September 26
Belo-Osagie joins an SNL cast that includes longtime performers Kenan Thompson, Michael Che, Colin Jost, and Mikey Day, among others.
Season 52 premieres September 26, with New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson hosting and global girl group KATSEYE appearing as the musical guest.
For Belo-Osagie, the move marks a major step from independent filmmaking, live performance, and online comedy to one of American television’s most established comedy stages.
