Impressionist, actress and comedian Melissa Villaseñor will make history by joining NBC’s Saturday Night Live as the first Latina on the long-running show.
She comes on board SNL for its new season, which premieres October 1.
The California native, who was a top 16 finalist on Season 6 of America’s Got Talent, participated in this year’s NALIP comedy showcase hosted by fellow comedian Al Madrigal.
During that comedy jam, Melissa demonstrated her incredible talent, delivering a performance that wowed the audience.
Her hiring comes after a lot of criticism over the lack of talent diversity on SNL.
Only two Latinos have ever been cast in the history of SNL: Chilean-born American actor Horacio Sanz, whose stage name is Horatio Sanz, from 1998 to 2006 and Fred Armisen, whose mother is Venezuelan, from 2002 to 2013.
In January of this year, Broadway Video Enterprises, founded by SNL creator Lorne Michaels, launched Más Mejor, a digital content comedy studio, created to promote Latino comedians. Melissa, along with Fred Armisen and Horatio Sanz, are part of the studio’s initial talent lineup.
You can check out Melissa’s amazing talent in the videos below:
That a score for us, SNL in the past 3 years has made a lot of talent changes especially in diversity with blacks and now Latino’s. To the first black and Latino host in a long time, to first black cast mates (with the exception of Keenan Thompson) these were black women, and now Latino congratulations. And futhermore also Luarie Hernandez is on DWTS (Dancing With a the Stars) as first hispanic in a while dancing. Good luck to them all.
Wow it only took michaels 40 years even though he did manage to stereotype and slur Latinos with racist sketches of Latino imagery. Screw him and hi irrelevant stale show
I would rather have/watch a funny cast than a “diverse” one. It is a kind of reverse racism to exclude whites or Asians (or blacks for that matter) that can be funnier than Miss Villaseñor just so NBC can be politically correct and inclusive.
When I want diversity I go to Denny’s, they have a pretty diverse menu.
Turns out she is a documented racist.