【】-囫圇吞棗網

Actress and Comedian Sasheer Zamata is having a magical year. Not only is her hilarious stand-up special The First Womanheaded to YouTube, but Zamata has officially joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as sorcerer Jennifer Kale in Agatha: Coven of Chaos.

Well-recognized for her performances in shows like Hulu's Woke, ABC's Home Economics, and Moongirl and Devil Dinosaur, Zamata also co-hosts the podcast Best Friendswith comedic partner Nicole Byer. She is also on the short list of Black women to grace the Saturday Night Livestage as a regular cast member. Beyond her acting pursuits, Zamata champions women's rights as an Artist Ambassador for the American Civil Liberties Union, striving to demystify intricate women's rights topics for audiences.

If Zamata seems busy, you’re not wrong. However, the actress and comedian took a moment to chat with Mashable before the SAG/AFTRA strikecommenced to discuss how she produced and wrote The First Womanand the importance of witchcraft on set.

The First Womanbrings female empowerment to the forefront of comedy

Credit: Miles Bitton

Drawing from personal experiences and the deluge of major events — from the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown to the overturning of Roe v. Wadeand Brown v. Board of Education— Zamata found herself with an abundance of material from which to choose. "Narrowing things down, it became clear that there was a theme that was happening," said Zamata. "The First Woman became more about health and womanhood and my personal being."

Throughout The First Woman,Zamata shares a wide array of seemingly unrelated experiences: being scammed on a date, a brunch-related masturbation incident, and even the vehicular necessity of truck nuts. Yet, these situations all humorously connect to women's freedom of expression.

Zamata also highlights multiple women's issues, including the implicit racial medical bias in healthcare. Specifically, she tackles the tendency of medical professionals to disbelieve women, particularly women of color, when they describe their pain. The comedian even shares her own experience of being asked to stand for a test following a near-fatal car crash. "I've been hanging onto that car accident story for so long and didn't know what to do with it…because it was quite an ordeal," Zamata revealed. "But as I was forming this special, I [realized] I have an obvious example of medical racial bias."

Witchcraft and feminism intersect in Zamata's new stand-up special

Credit: Miles Bitton

Zamata's fascination with witches and their historical significance heavily inspired The First Woman,leading the comedian to explore themes of female autonomy, empowerment, and body positivity. Zamata says she was influenced by Kristen J. Sollee’s best-selling book Witches, Sluts and Feminists: conjuring the Sex Positive.

"[The book] talks about female sexuality and the history around it. Women's bodies have been demonized for so long, and it's still happening," Zamata explained. "Ultimately a witch is an independent woman. It's a woman who is a free thinker, in control of her womanhood, body, and life. I don't think that's a bad thing."

The First Womanhighlights those who practiced witchcraft (you will never look at a broomstick the same way again) and those who were labeled "witches" simply because they did not conform to society’s patriarchy-created standards. Zamata even facilitates a judgment-free call-and-response discussion with women in the audience about the best household objects with which to pleasure themselves. She is undaunted by making the audience feel uncomfortable. "Part of a comedian's job is to go places that people may feel are taboo or touchy," said Zamata. "I'm in a place where I am very comfortable talking about my womanhood and womanhood in general."

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Sasheer Zamata joins an all-star cast as sorceress Jennifer Kale in Agatha: Coven of Chaos

Credit: Miles Bitton

Speaking of witches, Zamata is more than a little excited about her role as sorceress Jennifer Kale on the upcoming Disney+ series Agatha: Coven of Chaos. She feels this witchy storyline is very much on brand for her. "I had already written material for [The First Woman] before I went through the audition process," Zamata said. "It felt magical that I got to be in a show about witches. I talk about it so much in my special."

Agatha: Coven of Chaos is a spinoff of WandaVision — both were created by Jac Schaeffer — which launched a new era of the MCU on Disney+ in 2021. Agatha: Coven of Chaos is centered around Kathryn Hahn’s wicked witch Agatha Harkness, who was left trapped in the small town of Westview, New Jersey, by the Scarlet Witch a.k.a. Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) in the season finale of WandaVision.

Zamata’s character, sorceress Jennifer Kale, has an extensive history with Marvel comics, linking her to everyone from Man-Thing to Howard the Duck. But as Zamata points out, "I definitely did do as much [comic book] research as I could," she said. "but the way we formed this character is very different from what I think people expect."

In Agatha: Coven of Chaos,Zamata stars alongside an impressive array of talent, including Patti LuPone, Joe Locke, Aubrey Plaza, and Miles Gutierrez-Riley.

Marvel is giving Agatha: Coven of Chaosan extended season of nine episodes on Disney+

Credit: Miles Bitton

When discussing her experience on set, Zamata couldn't contain her enthusiasm. "[Shooting the show] was so magical and ethereal. It brought that out of everyone on set," she said. "There were crystals and candles everywhere. We saged and cleansed the stage all the time. It was the perfect environment for me."