SNL alums Cecily Strong, Chloe Fineman, and more react to Ego Nwodim's surprise exit: 'One of the...

Ana Gasteyer, Punkie Johnson, Bobby Moynihan, and Molly Kearney also voiced their support for Nwodim as she announced the end of her sevenseason run on the show

Ana Gasteyer, Punkie Johnson, Bobby Moynihan, and Molly Kearney also voiced their support for Nwodim as she announced the end of her seven-season run on the show.

SNL alums Cecily Strong, Chloe Fineman, and more react to Ego Nwodim's surprise exit: 'One of the best to ever do it'

Ana Gasteyer, Punkie Johnson, Bobby Moynihan, and Molly Kearney also voiced their support for Nwodim as she announced the end of her seven-season run on the show.

By Wesley Stenzel

September 12, 2025 2:50 p.m. ET

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Chloe Fineman, Ego Nwodim, and Cecily Strong on 'Saturday Night Live' on April 9, 2022. Credit:

Will Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

- Cecily Strong and Chloe Fineman called Ego Nwodim "one of the best to ever do it" after she announced she was leaving *Saturday Night Live*.

- Punkie Johnson and Molly Kearney, who both performed alongside Nwodim on the show, also voiced their support.

- Previous *SNL* cast members Ana Gasteyer and Bobby Moynihan also congratulated Nwodim.

*Saturday Night Live *alums are weighing in on Ego Nwodim's surprise departure ahead of season 51.

After the comedian, who performed on the NBC show for seven seasons beginning in 2018, announced her exit from the series on Friday, numerous members of the *SNL* family flocked to her Instagram post to voice their support and appreciation for her.

Cecily Strong, who worked on the show for 11 seasons from 2012 to 2022 (alongside Nwodim for five of them), commended her former castmate's talents. "I just texted you but I also want to say it loud and proud here: it was an honor and total joy to get to work with you," she wrote. "One of the best to ever do it."

Chloe Fineman, who performed with Nwodim on all six of her seasons at *SNL *since she joined in 2019, shared similar sentiments. "One of the best to ever do it my friend. GOAT," she wrote alongside a goat emoji and two hearts.

Cecily Strong, Chloe Fineman, and Ego Nwodim on 'Saturday Night Live' on Dec. 17, 2022.

Will Heath/NBC via Getty

Punkie Johnson, who overlapped with Nwodim for the entirety of her four-year tenure on the show from 2020 to 2024, voiced her support for the comedian exiting Studio 8H. "YOU DID YOUR DUTY EZ…. WELCOME BACK TO OUTSIDE…. WE HAVIN A TIME," she wrote alongside three eye emojis. "LETS PLAY."

Molly Kearney, whose two-season *SNL* run from 2022 to 2024 coincided with Nwodim's fifth and sixth seasons, wrote, "Baby baby baby!!! You're a star and made your mark HUGE. And it is very fun out here!!! Welcome!"

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Ana Gasteyer, who worked on the show for six seasons between 1996 and 2002, also left a celebratory message on the post. "Congratulations on a fantastic run!!" she wrote. "Excited for what's next."

Bobby Moynihan, who performed on *SNL* for nine seasons from 2008 to 2017 and did not overlap with Nwodim, simply left a heart emoji on her post.

Nwodim announced that she was leaving *SNL* on Instagram on Friday. "The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight. But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave *SNL*," the comedian wrote.

Colin Jost, Ego Nwodim, and Michael Che on 'Saturday Night Live' on April 5, 2025.

She continued, "I am immensely grateful to Lorne [Michaels] for the opportunity, to my castmates, the writers, and the crew for their brilliance, support, and friendship. week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will carry those memories (and that laughter) with me always."

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Nwodim is one of five season 50 performers who will not return for season 51. Heidi Gardner, Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow, and featured player Emil Wakim were previously confirmed as departures ahead of the upcoming season.

The show also announced that five new featured players are joining the fold for season 51: Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson, Veronika Slowikowska, and Ben Marshall (who is a member of comedy trio Please Don't Destroy, which has been contributing pre-recorded video sketches to the show since season 47).

*Saturday Night Live* season 51 premieres Saturday, Oct. 4 at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT, on NBC and Peacock.

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