TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 06: Actress Leslie Jones attends the “Top Five†premiere during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival at Princess of Wales Theatre on September 6, 2014 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/2014 Getty Images
Deadline reports that SNL staff writer Leslie Jones has been promoted to featured player ahead of this week’s Jim Carrey show. Jones became a writer for the show following the talent search in early 2014 that resulted in the hiring of Sasheer Zamata, but her guest spots on “Weekend Update†— from her relationship-advice segment on this year’s season premiere to her controversial “No. 1 Slave Draft Pickâ€Â bit about slavery last May — proved that she can hold her own in front of the camera as well. Congrats, Leslie!