What is Melissa Villaseñor's net worth?
Melissa Villaseñor is an American actress and comedian who has a net worth of $1.5 million.
Melissa Villaseñor made history as Saturday Night Live's first Latina cast member when she joined the show in 2016. Born on October 9, 1987, in Whittier, California, Villaseñor began developing her comedic talents early, particularly her gift for impressions which would later become her signature strength.
Her journey to SNL began with stand-up comedy, which she started performing in her teens. Villaseñor gained national attention as a semifinalist on "America's Got Talent" in 2011, where she showcased her remarkable ability to impersonate celebrities like Owen Wilson, Natalie Portman, and Christina Aguilera. These early television appearances helped establish her reputation as a skilled vocal impressionist.
Before SNL, Villaseñor worked extensively in voice acting, lending her talents to animated series including "Adventure Time" and "Family Guy." She also appeared on Comedy Central's "Trip Tank" and was a regular performer at the Groundlings Theatre in Los Angeles, following the path of many future SNL cast members.
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On Saturday Night Live, Villaseñor quickly became known for her spot-on impressions of celebrities including Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Sarah Silverman. Her take on Owen Wilson remained one of her most celebrated impressions, capturing both his distinctive voice and mannerisms with uncanny accuracy. Beyond impressions, she developed original characters and brought a unique energy to the show's sketches.
What sets Villaseñor apart is not just her technical skill with impressions, but her ability to find the humor in subtle character details. Her comedy style often incorporates elements of her personal experiences and observations, including her Mexican-American heritage and her struggles with anxiety, which she has spoken about openly in her stand-up performances.
In addition to her work on SNL, which concluded in 2022, Villaseñor has maintained an active career in voice acting and stand-up comedy. She has released a book titled "Whoops… I'm Awesome," which combines her artwork, personal stories, and comedy. Her post-SNL work has included continuing to tour as a stand-up comedian and pursuing various creative projects that showcase her multiple talents as a performer, artist, and writer.
(Photo by Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Throughout her career, Villaseñor has broken ground not just as a Latina performer in mainstream comedy, but as a multi-talented artist who brings authenticity and vulnerability to her work. Her journey from young stand-up comedian to SNL cast member to independent creative force demonstrates both her versatility as a performer and her commitment to forging her own path in comedy.
Saturday Night Live Salary: There are 21 episodes in a Saturday Night Live season. First-year cast members make $3,000 per episode. That works out to $63,000 for the season. Second-year cast members get a $1,000 per episode raise to $4,000 per episode. That's $84,000 per season. Fourth season cast members make $7,000 per episode/$ 147,000 for the season. If a cast member makes it to their fifth season, they make $15,000 per episode. That's $315,000 per season. The highest salary that can be reached at SNL is for people who've been there the longest or are the most important to the show. They make $25,000 per episode, which is $525,000 per year.
