Leslie Jones Upgraded to 'Saturday Night Live' Main Cast

Saturday Night Live is further diversifying.

SNL writer Leslie Jones has been upgraded to the main cast as a featured player, ahead of this weekend's show with host Jim Carrey and musical guest Iggy Azalea. Jones initially joined the show as a writer in 2014, but first came to the attention of Lorne Michaels as one of the 12 finalists in the search last fall for a black female cast member. That spot eventually went to castmate Sasheer Zamata, but Jones has now won a spot too. She joins a cast of newcomers that include 20-year-old stand-up comic Pete Davidson, and fellow SNL writer Michael Che, who became the first black Weekend Update anchor with the show's 40th season premiere.

This is wonderful news for the show, in my opinion, since Jones has earned some of the biggest laughs of the seasoon so far in her handful of cameo appearances (particularly her appearance in the Ray Rice sketch: "I hit his ass BACK!"). She's a great addition to the cast lineup, and should help freshen up the overall feel of Saturday Night Live, which has lost a bit of steam with the recent departures of such stars as Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig and Jason Sudeikis. I'm all for this.

Via: Deadline

Credit: NBC