SNL Season 52 Launch: Meet the New Stars Saidah Belo-Osagie & Grace Reiter

If you were curious about the impact of the new faces on SNL during its latest season opener, they barely made a splash.

Newcomers Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter were featured early on in a sketch about the search for the new star of the reality show The Debut: Dream Academy.

Belo-Osagie portrayed Neelsa Boyce, a 17-year-old hopeful aiming to transition from her childhood role as Young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway to pop stardom.

Reiter played Margle, a quirky character who opts for flip flops over shoes due to a fainting issue when tying laces.

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Margle’s memorable entrance in a dance rehearsal was in the nude, and it later surfaces that her and another quirky contestant, Duff (played by Jane Wickline), were roped into the competition after they witness an executive commit a hit and run.

Confused about the show’s purpose, Margle initially thought Dream Academy was about learning to control one’s dreams, not performing.

She humorously suggests “Moose Knuckle” as a band name and belts out the phrase “Newton’s Cradle, come and get it” during a songwriting segment.

The episode culminates with a performance from the final group, including Margle, singing the catchy tune “Newton’s Cradle” alongside Katseye, the winner of The Debut’s first season and the musical guest for the SNL premiere.

Reiter also popped up later in the show’s final sketch, set in a locker room with host Jalen Brunson (of the NBA champion New York Knicks). Despite announcing no press post-game, he is visited by a character played by Kenan Thompson, portraying his third-grade coach with a storied past.

Coach Dennis seeks a loan from Brunson and attempts to enlist Reiter’s character, Tonya—an immigrant chasing the American dream—to participate in his dubious film project. The sketch ends with them swiping jerseys and fleeing the scene.

For Belo-Osagie and Reiter, that was their brief showcase. While SNL often uses its Weekend Update to introduce new talent, this episode instead highlighted special guests for the segment.

As the new season kicks off, SNL bids farewell to Chloe Fineman and writer-performer Martin Herlihy. The returning cast features familiar faces such as Michael Che, Colin Jost, and others, with upcoming episodes featuring hosts like Dakota Johnson and musical acts including Turnstile.