Melissa Villaseñor left Saturday Night Live on her own terms.
In September, it was announced that the comedian—who joined SNL in as a featured player in 2016 before being upgraded to main cast member in 2018—was leaving the famed sketch show.
At the time, it was not clear if Villaseñor had been fired or if she had made the choice herself. Now, she's setting the record straight.
"It was my decision," she told The Daily Beast Oct. 25. "I gave myself a lot of time in the summer to think on it and kind of play out in my head. At the end of the day, it was about my mental health. Last season, I had a couple of panic attacks."
The actress continued, "I was struggling. I always felt like I was on the edge of a cliff every week. And I was like, 'I don't want to be doing that to myself anymore.'"
Villaseñor, who became best known for her uncanny impressions of celebrities like Dolly Parton and Dua Lipa, was quick to acknowledge that her departure wasn't the fault of anybody involved with SNL.
"It's not like the show was mean towards me or anyone," she explained. "It was just how I handle things. I'm an introvert. When I'm in a big group of a lot of amazing people, and everyone's speaking over everyone else, I tend to get small. I get nervous, like, 'Where do I fit? What am I supposed to do?' That's how I was in high school, too. I think that's what caused it."
Still, Villaseñor admitted the decision "was super hard" and she'll always have love and appreciation for Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels.
"I shared with them that this was my kid dream," the 35-year-old said. "This is all I wanted as a kid. So I'm going to carry that forever in my heart, that I got to experience that in my life."
While Villaseñor feels it'll be "a little tough" watching the new season, which premiered Oct. 1 with a hugely revamped cast, saying, "It is a little tough, I'm not gonna lie, it is a little tough," she's made a point to make the most of her new schedule.
"I almost feel reborn or something, because I have all this free time," she said. "I'm enrolling in classes, almost like a little kid. I'm taking guitar lessons and Spanish lessons. I signed up for a pottery class!"
Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on NBC.
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)