Maya Rudolph Felt Like She Was 'Trained' to be an 'Underdog' on “SNL”, Didn't Know How to 'Navigate' Leaving the Show

Rudolph joined the show in 2000 and left in 2007, but has since returned to host three times

Maya Rudolph will always appreciate Saturday Night Live — but she admits she felt stuck and pigeonholed.

Partaking in The Hollywood Reporter’s Comedy Actress Roundtable alongside Ego Nwodim, Quinta Brunson, Michelle Buteau, Renée Elise Goldsberry and Kristen Wiig, Rudolph, 51, confessed she thought she would remain with the show “forever.”

“I didn’t know how to navigate getting out,” said the comedienne, who joined the show in 2000 and left in 2007.

Still, she recognized that the late-night show gave her a “foundation that’s been transformative.”

Related: Kate McKinnon Jokes About 'Being Back at Her Old Job' in First Return to SNL Since Departing Cast in 2022

"You’re learning comedy combat, and you can take that with you anywhere," the Bridesmaids star explained.

Goldsberry, 53, compared the cohort of women from SNL to a “sorority” in that they shared common experiences during and after their stints on the show. At the same time, she praised how “accepting and affirming” they are to women who weren’t on the show.

“I think it’s because we’re trained to be underdogs,” Rudolph reasoned. “The beautiful movie star comes in and sprinkles us and says, 'Hey!' Then, they leave. It’s the nature of the show, the not-ready-for-primetime players. You have this vibe of, ‘I’m nothing, I’ll make you look good.’”

Related: Natasha Lyonne Reunites with Ex Fred Armisen and Pal Maya Rudolph During 'SNL' Opening Monologue

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

After departing SNL, Rudolph went on to have a successful career in film and television, lending her voice to films like Big Hero 6 and Luca and leading the Apple TV+ show Loot. In addition to her role as divorced billionaire Molly Wells, she serves as an executive producer on the comedy series, which also stars Joel Kim Booster and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez.

However, Rudolph hasn’t been a stranger to the sketch comedy series since her exit, returning to host in 2012, 2021 and most recently earlier this month. Ahead of her third time hosting, a promo video featuring current cast members Chloe Troast and Andrew Dismukes saw the actress camped out in a Studio 8H supply closet.

"I've been in here since 2007. I never left. Why would I leave? I have everything I need here. My books, my porridge. And my dear friend Kenny," she told Troast, 27, and Dismukes, 28, gesturing to an upright mop with googly eyes.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Her episode featured musical guest Vampire Weekend and a campy Mother’s Day rap by Rudolph in her opening monologue. She also reprised her Beyoncé impression for the skit “Hot Ones with Beyoncé 2,” a sequel to her 2021 appearance as the iconic singer on the parody of the web show.

Dressed in Cowboy Carter-themed garb, Rudolph’s Beyoncé explained that she only returned because “this was the only thing I have attempted that I did not slay."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.