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After months of debate and special casting sessions, Saturday Night Live has added its first African-American female player in more than six years.

According to Variety, Sasheer Zamata will start when new episodes return on Jan. 18, with host and musical guest Drake.

As we previously reported, executive producer Lorne Michaels back in December coordinated a special round of casting to find a black actress, the show's first since Maya Rudolph left in November 2007. The issue, which arose at the start of the season when the show hired primarily white males, peaked following guest host Kerry Washington's performance, when she lampooned the show by pretending to have to play all the black female roles.

Zamata is a graduated of the University of Virginia who has performed with the famed Upright Citizen’s Brigade, in addition to endless comedy festivals and even opening for former SNL writer John Mulaney.