The contributions of Black cast members on “Saturday Night Live” has been a polarizing topic. It’s either too much screen time, or too little. There’s no in between. However, for those of us who’ve been paying attention during the long-running series’ 50 years, it’s clear “SNL” wouldn’t be where it is today without the unforgettable work of stars like Garrett Morris, Eddie Murphy, Maya Rudolph, Leslie Jones and Kenan Thompson. As “SNL” begins Season 50, we’re celebrating all the amazing Black cast members who’ve helped guide the sketch comedy show to this history-making moment.
Garrett Morris
The comedy legend was part of the original cast in 1975. His characters always felt like the audience’s hilarious voice of reason, which made him feel more authentic than his colleagues’ over the top craziness.
Kenan Thompson
At this point, what can we say about Kenan’s SNL run that hasn’t already been said? He’s the longest tenured cast member because he’s its all star. He can do anything and he’s the anchor in the storm that is the show’s unpredictable live format.
Eddie Murphy
It’s easy to see why Eddie Murphy became a superstar. His characters and sketches felt original and unique. Only he could’ve brought those characters to life in his unforgettable way.
Chris Rock
A lot of Chris Rock’s best bits came from his “Weekend Update” appearances, because his strength has always been his connection with the audience. He was essentially giving mini stand up sets every week, and they almost never missed.
Leslie Jones
Leslie Jones shined, because she always seemed to know who she was and didn’t apologize for it. Viewers could always see her personality engrained on her sketches.
Maya Rudolph
Maya Rudolph is a versatile performer who can be the straight woman, she can impressions and she can go as over the top ridiculous as you need her to be. It’s not just that she can do it all, she excels at whatever comedy the sketch calls for.
Tim Meadows
Tim Meadows is brilliant at making comedy look effortless. Whether he’s the normal guy in an office, or “The Ladies Man,” he always seems completely at ease, and is never trying to hard.
Ego Nwodim
Even when she’s playing a completely off the wall character, Ego Nwodim has a twinkle in her eye that lets you know she knows exactly how absurd this all is, and she loves it. She feels like the audience’s voice amidst the chaos.
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan doesn’t know the meaning of too much. It doesn’t matter what character he’s playing, or what sketch he’s in, Tracy is going all out at 100 percent to make sure he gets the loudest laughs possible. No joke is off limits, which is one of the reasons we’ve loved him all these years.
Yvonne Hudson
Yvonne Hudson was the series’ first Black woman cast member, so she didn’t always get the best roles, but there was a fearlessness in her comedy that let viewers know she could handle whatever nonsense character she was given.
Chris Redd
Chris Redd always felt like he wasn’t playing a character, just an overexaggerated version of himself. That personal touch is what makes his characters so memorable and relatable.
Ellen Cleghorne
Ellen Cleghorne had to play a lot of stereotypes, but her delivery was so clever, you knew she was actually playing against whatever trope she was expected to be. Without her cutting performances, there would be no Maya Rudolph or Ego Nwodim.
Sasheer Zamata
Sasheer Zamata was great with impressions, but she also knew how to make a character feel fresh. Nothing she did ever felt like a rehash.
Michael Che
We can’t say we agree with a lot of Michael Che’s jokes, but we can’t discount the impact of having a Black “Weekend Update” anchor for all these years. His cemistry with Colin Jost feels like a classic comedy duo.
Danitra Vance
Simply put, Danitra Vance walked so the other women on this list could run. She never let small, stereotypical parts keep her from being a scene stealer.
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