Believe it or not, Saturday Night Live has never had a Latina cast member in its 41-year run...
...until now! Meet Melissa Villaseñor, a Mexican-American performer from Whittier, California.
Prior to joining SNL, she was a part of Más Mejor, the Latinx comedy studio and network started by Fred Armisen and Horatio Sanz.
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A stand-up comedian of 10 years, Villaseñor was a finalist on America's Got Talent Season 6, where she did hilarious impressions of celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Britney Spears.
Although SNL's cast has included two Latino men in years past — Sanz and Armisen — people have criticized the NBC show for its overall lack of Latinx representation, particularly after it was announced that Donald Trump would host an episode of SNL last year.
Saturday Night Live has cast zero Latinas and only two Latinos over 41 years. No wonder the show seems so out of touch with America. #SNL
Had to share! GRACIAS Lalo Alcaraz...SNL (Still NO Latinos) #AquiEstamosYNoNosVamos
Then, in November 2015, Tanzina Vega penned an article for CNN Money that slammed the show for its lack of Latinas in particular, birthing the hashtag #StillNoLatinas.
The addition of Villaseñor is a step in the right direction for the show, which often employs its non-Latina actors to play Latinas.
SNL hired a Latina cast member. Hope this means Cecily Strong will stop doing brownface now.
Needless to say, some people are thrilled!
THERE IS A GOD @melissavcomedy joins #SNL 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Yay girl!!!!
1st #Latina cast member in #SNL's 41-year history, Melissa Villaseñor. Super talented. Congrats @melissavcomedy! https://t.co/bm6j2Cqhxr
It's rare that the entire LA stand-up community can unite behind news, but I think @melissavcomedy getting SNL is one of those times!
She'll make her debut on Oct. 1, when SNL Season 42 premieres. ABOUT 👏 DAMN 👏 TIME 👏
