Aidy Bryant recalls 'scary' audition for 'SNL': 'It's really stressful'

March 13 (UPI) -- Aidy Bryant says her audition for Saturday Night Live was a "scary" and "stressful" experience.

The 31-year-old actress and comedian discussed the long-running NBC sketch comedy series and her new Hulu series, Shrill, during Wednesday's episode of Today.

Bryant joined SNL in 2012 and was made a regular cast member the next year. She recalled her audition for series creator Lorne Michaels for Today hosts Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie.

"So bad. So scary. Yeah, it's really stressful," the star said.

"But, I mean, I also felt like I had done many, many shows in front of very bad audiences who didn't want to see me and they were, like, eating chicken tenders, so I was like, if I can make it through that then I can make it through this," she qualified.

Bryant was told people wouldn't laugh during her audition, but said she managed to get a couple anyway. She said she won't be leaving SNL because of her new series.

"No, never. I love it there. It's truly my home, so, you know, I'm not ready to go," the actress said.

Bryant will also star in Shrill, a new comedy based on the Lindy West book of the same name. Bryant said she relates to her character, Annie, a journalist who comes to reject society's expectations of her body and personality.

"She's someone who, her entire life, the entire world has told her, like, literally make yourself smaller, both in your body but also kind of in your personality," the star said. "She gets to kind of a breaking point and stops putting all of her time and money and energy into trying to make her thighs smaller and to start going after her dreams."

"I identify so much with Lindy's story ... I certainly hit a breaking point where I was like, 'How much longer can I give all of my time to hating myself?' Once I kind of put that aside, my life really changed," she shared.

Shrill premieres Friday on Hulu. The show released a first trailer featuring Bryant in January.