Since Saturday Night Live premiered in 1975, many talented performers have made their mark while appearing on the show's legendary stage. While Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Bill Murray, Chris Rock, and Julia-Louis Dreyfus went on to become superstars after leaving SNL, some of the show's other former stars have disappeared. When Ego Nwodim left the show amidst a cast shakeup, there was no way to know if she would fall into the former or latter category.
Fortunately for Nwodim and her fans, things have looked very promising since she left the sketch comedy series. First off, Nwodim's podcast has been getting a lot of attention, partially because she broke her silence about SNL during one episode of it. Then, Nwodim was nominated for her first Critics Choice Award. After being chosen to be in the running for a trophy of her own, fans have now learned that she will be hosting an upcoming awards show that is widely respected.
Ego Nwodim is hosting a noteworthy upcoming awards show
In December 2025, it was announced that Ego Nwodim will be hosting the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The awards show that is widely respected for celebrating often overlooked achievements in film and television production will take place on Feb. 15, 2026 in the Hollywood Palladium. An article from the official website for the awards show quoted Nwodim expressing how happy she is to play a pivotal role in the upcoming ceremony.
“No stage celebrates the incredible work of these visionary artists and independent creators everywhere quite like the Spirit Awards. I can’t wait to join Film Independent for an afternoon of fun, laughs and a few surprises.”
When Nwodim takes the stage as the host of the 41st annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in 2026, she will be following in the footsteps of some notable names. That is the case because the awards show has been hosted by some very notable people in the past. The list of past hosts includes Robert Townsend, Kevin Pollak, Samuel L. Jackson, Queen Latifah, John Turturro, Jennifer Tilly, John Waters, Sarah Silverman, Rainn Wilson, Kristen Bell, John Mulaney, and more.
Considering who the awards show has been hosted by in the past, it seems very likely that the people behind it could have chosen from an interesting list of people to take control of the ceremony in 2026. From the outside looking in, it certainly seems like they made an extremely wise choice when they asked Nwodim to take the role.
During her Saturday Night Live tenure, Nwodim proved to be hilarious, which means that she has the potential to bring some laughs to the awards show. Just as importantly, Nwodim often carried herself with gravitas on SNL when playing supporting characters, which indicates she also has the potential to be a serious host when the occasion calls for it.
The 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards will take place on Feb. 15, 2026.