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Key Points Ego Nwodim and Heidi Gardner discussed their close friendship on Nwodim's new podcast. Both shared emotional reflections on their years at 'SNL' and mutual support. Multiple 'SNL' cast members, including Nwodim and Gardner, exited after Season 50. Ego Nwodim and Heidi Gardner had an emotional reunion after their Saturday Night Live exits following the show’s 50th season. Entertainment Weekly reported that Gardner was a guest on Nwodim’s new podcast, Thanks Dad. During the October 28 episode, Gardner and Nwodim had an earnest conversation about their close friendship. While introducing Gardner on the podcast, Nwodim described her as “an actor, comedian, writer” and “one of [her] best friends on the planet, if not [her] best friend.” Gardner responded by sharing she “already almost cried” despite just starting to record the podcast episode. Gardner and Nwodim also shared how they became such close friends. The pair explained that they initially shared a dressing room area together during their time on SNL. According to IMDb, Gardner started working on SNL in 2017, while Nwodim began starring on the show in 2018. “To have to share such an intimate space together, and for hours on end on Saturdays, and Thursdays and Fridays rehearsing, it made us close quick,” said Nwodim on her podcast episode. She also expressed gratitude for getting “so close that year.” “I’m so glad we got paired together in that dressing room. Getting to spend seven years of my time on SNL with you, one of life’s greatest gifts, it’s not the easiest place to work, but you were such a huge gift. I absolutely adore and love you and I’m so grateful for that time,” said Nwodim to Gardner while recording the podcast episode. Nwodim then said she is “honored” that she and Gardner “worked so hard” on SNL together. In addition, she said that they also “worked on [their] friendship so hard,” despite working in such a competitive environment. Nwodim also described Gardner as a “light” for her SNL castmates. Gardner then emotionally told Nwodim she was so proud of her friend for her viral “Miss Eggy” “Weekend Update” segment during an April 2025 SNL episode, which Jack Black had hosted. “I got to go out there and watch it and to have you have it with my favorite person [Jack Black] in the world and you’re my favorite person in the world, it’s like, what is my life, this is so beautiful, and we wanted it. We knew how special that was, and I knew how important it was to you and the people who, everyone loves you,” said Gardner while tearing up. Several SNL Castmates Left the Show After Season 50 People magazine reported that Gardner and Nwodim weren’t the only SNL castmates who left the NBC sketch comedy show before its current 51st season. According to the publication, Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow, and Emil Wakim departed the show after Season 50. People magazine reported that Nwodim revealed her SNL exit in a September 12 Instagram upload. In the caption of the post, she shared that she was “immensely grateful to” the show’s creator and producer, Lorne Michaels. She also expressed gratitude to her “castmates, the writers, and the crew for their brilliance, support, and friendship.” “Week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will carry those memories (and that laughter) with me always. Now invite me to your weddings please!!!” continued Nwodim in the post’s caption. Michaels commented on the SNL cast shakeup in a September 2024 interview with Entertainment Tonight.
