On Wednesday, Sept. 16, Saturday Night Live announced two cast members who have already generated buzz across online fanbases. New addition Grace Reiter is an actress and comedian who rose to fame through comedy skits on TikTok and YouTube. She recently resurfaced with the viral release of the parody “The Hunger Games (but better)” on YouTube, and many fans know her work with the channel American High Shorts. Saidah Belo-Osagie is also an actress and comedian who wrote and directed the short film TINGE and created Afrobeats Futura, a NYC event showcase.
Admittedly, when I heard the news of this cast, my ears only perked up for Reiter as a fan of “The Hunger Games (but better).” Further research into Belo-Osagie’s work, however, has me extremely excited for this new wave of talent to bolster the cast. While well-known for their comedic talents, both actresses are multi-faceted powerhouses, writers, directors, and content creators. Excelling in SNL’s fast-paced, creative space takes more than the ability to crack a few jokes. We’ve seen what these women can do and can only hope the result will live up to the anticipation.
I am happy to see SNL not only increase representation of women on the cast but also take baby steps toward greater diversity. Nigerian-American Belo-Osagie will become the ninth Black woman ever cast on the show since 1975. Clearly, there is still plenty of progress to be made to make up for such a small number. The current cast is unsurprisingly predominantly white, so I hope the addition of Belo-Osagie is just the beginning of a more inclusive future.
These new cast members, along with casting choices from the past few years, make it clear that SNL is looking to reach a Gen Z audience. Reiter’s online presence and recent viral moments have built a huge Gen Z fanbase over the years, many of whom seem to be interested in watching the show just for her. In the same vein, fans who once lost interest in SNL are willing to give it a chance now that Reiter has been cast. One comment under a post thanking SNL for this casting reads, “SNL didn’t save Grace. Grace saved SNL. Not even joking.” Many others said she “saved the show” before the release of her first episode.
While I still need to brush up on Belo-Osagie’s work, her extensive list of notable projects speaks for itself for someone so young. My personal deep dive into her social media presence, with 55k followers on Instagram, easily gave me enough proof that she will fit right in with the SNL cast. The fan response to Belo-Osagie is also widely positive; however, the TikTok crowd seems less familiar with her work than Reiter’s.
That said, the overall response to both women sounds like a sigh of relief across audiences. Comments range from pride in these young stars to outright gratitude for the new casting. And to the SNL fans who are questioning the choice, I say there is no reason for negative speculation before they get the chance to shine on-screen. At the end of the day, these women auditioned in a city filled to the brim with talent and earned their spots amongst the best.
I have so much hope for the current cast and can’t wait to see whether Reiter and Belo-Osagie will blend into the cast chemistry or leave fans disappointed. Either way, I think SNL was ready for a change in direction. Could this be the season of SNL (but better)?