In a new interview, Saturday Night Live veteran Eddie Bryant She opens up about her decision to walk away after a 10-season tour — and what kept her from leaving the venerable NBC graphic series even earlier.

“If it wasn’t for COVID, I might have left a few years ago,” Bryant told our sister pub. diverse. “But it was such a massive change. When COVID . hit [during Season 45], it was so annoying that we were all like, “I’m definitely going back next year.” And after we missed half of Season 46 to film the third and final season of Hulu IntenseBryant decided to return for season 47.

“I kept trying to find a normal last year,” she explains. “This year has not been normal [COVID-free] The year I was hoping for, but it was closer to that…. And I felt like 10 was a great, powerful round number.”

A note on her final sketch, recurring weekend update segment”fashionIn front of Bowen Yang, Bryant admits: “I was worried that I would… open wide and just cry. I was overjoyed, and I felt incredibly immune by the presence of Bowen and [Michael] Chee next to me because they know me and they know what it was like for me. “

Bryant, Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon, and Kyle Money were all rumor to go out SNL In the lead up to the May 21 final. Davidson confirmed His departure in a statement before the air, writing in part: “I owe Lorne Michaels and everyone at SNL my life. I’m so grateful I wouldn’t be here without them.” Went to reappear for the last time in the update officewhile McKinnon and Mooney were fired via “Final meetingA commercial forGray pigtails for adults. “

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