‘AGT’ semifinalist carved out her own Hollywood path — from impressions to ‘SNL’ fame
'America's Got Talent' is known for providing contestants with the platform they need. Various performers use 'the world's biggest stage' as a stepping stone to advance their careers. Melissa Villasenor, an impressionist appearing on season 6 of 'AGT,' went on to make quite a name for herself. Melissa lent her voice to various roles in TV shows and animated shows like 'F for Family,' 'Adventure Time,' 'Barry,' 'Star Trek: Prodigy,' and 'American Dad.
Melissa has also been part of quite a few notable films, as reported by Fandom. These include Dog Man, Toy Story 4, and Ralph Breaks the Internet. Melissa even went on to become a cast member of Saturday Night Live!, joining the show for its 42nd season. She, however, left the show after just six seasons owing to mental health issues, as reported by Variety. Needless to say, Melissa has made a name for herself in Hollywood, and it all started with her audition on 'America's Got Talent.'
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Melissa stepped on the stage of 'AGT' in 2011 in front of judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne, and Howie Mandel. She began with her flawless impression of Barbara Walters, a radio and broadcast journalist known for her dedicated interviewing skills. Her act consisted of Barbara talking to Natalie Portman. As she was talking, she then effortlessly switched to Natalie. Every time she changed an impression, you could tell the difference just by looking at her expressions.
Fast forward, and we have Miley Cyrus in our midst. This was still an era of 'AGT' where just doing impressions would make the judges more than happy. Ten years later, the impressionists on 'AGT' were far more polished as they went on to mimic not only Simon Cowell but also legendary rappers like Eminem and Jay-Z. However, this doesn't mean that one should understate the contributions of acts like Melissa to the stage of 'AGT.'
They not only introduced such talents to the show but also paved the way for up-and-coming artists. That said, Melissa did advance to the next round and made her way all the way to the semifinals. However, similar to how most contestants get eliminated from this round, Melissa couldn't make it to the finals as she didn't get enough votes from the audience. After parting ways with 'SNL,' Melissa has fully committed to being a stand-up comedian. She has been touring across America and even has her own podcast by the name of 'Laughing With Myself.'
