Movies - TV
Melissa Villaseñor Reveals Why She Left Saturday Night Live
By BJ COLANGELO
Melissa Villaseñor was in the midst of a successful six-season run on “Saturday Night Live” when she shocked viewers by announcing her departure from the show. With so many other major cast members like Kate McKinnon and Pete Davidson choosing to leave at the same time, “SNL” fans assumed Villaseñor would be staying to take on a bigger role.
Rumors of behind-the-scenes chaos began spreading, but Villaseñor set the record straight by confirming the decision to leave was her own, in order to prioritize her mental health. Villaseñor told the Daily Beast podcast “The Last Laugh,” “I was struggling, and I always felt like I was on the edge of a cliff every week,” and the pressure of working on a live show became too much.
Being part of “SNL” was a dream come true for Villaseñor, and she said, "It was super hard, because I love Lorne [Michaels], and I'm so grateful to all of them for having me." Both Villaseñor and her fans are sad to see her go, but she’s grateful for the experience and will “carry that forever in [her] heart.”