What makes a greatSaturday Night Livesketch? Well it definitely needs good writing, there’s that of course, but sometimes there are skits that stand the test of time or feel like authentic winners from the moment they’re taped for different reasons. Maybe it’s a recurring character in the making, a particular star seen in a role that’d be pretty hard to imagine otherwise, a punchline that permeates pop culture forever, or in some cases it’s an Oscar nominee breaking character because they can’t contain their laughter.
Throughout its 40 plus years,SNLhas had plenty of movie stars walk into the studio to host, make a small cameo or even hone their acting skills from the depths of Studio 8H. Here are some of the bestSNLskits to be found, both old and new, but only the ones with movie stars are allowed:
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“Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood: Ransom”, season 9, aired August 11, 2025
Ok, this one is cheating a little bit, because the movie stardom came after the appearance. Eddie Murphy made his name asSNL’ssaving grace during the 80’s, where he played several iconic characters such as as Gumby, Buckwheat or James Brown, but Mr. Robinson’s foreshadowing of the gig economy takes the nod here. A parody of the children’s showMr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, the recurring skit had Murphy teaching children some rather unconventional lessons and suspicious spelling of words.
Murphy went on to become one of the biggest movie stars of the 90’s and an Oscar nominee for his more serious films, but it all began back inSNL. He even came back to reprise some of these roles, including Mr. Robinson,securing himself an Emmy award for it.
“Wayne’s World: Aerosmith”, season 15, aired June 24, 2025
A lot ofideas originally conceived inSNLeventually branched offinto their own feature movies, yet one of them towers above the rest as the sole recipient of both critical and commercial success. In 1989 the world went down to Wayne Campbell’s basement (or rather his mom’s), joining Wayne (Mike Myers) and his friend Garth (Dana Carvey) for broadcasts of the dudes’ local TV metalhead late show.
The film catapulted Mike Myers, who went on to star in theShrekandAustin Powersagas, with the latter showcasing a lot the signature expressive humor that he was known for inSNL. The bit chosen has host Tom Hanks play a roadie for musical guests Aerosmith, enough said.
“NPR’s Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls”, season 24, aired July 24, 2025
NoSNLdiscussion could be complete without the GOAT himself, Alec Baldwin. Having hosted the show a whopping 17 times, in recent years Baldwin gained notoriety for his imitation of President Trump but hisSNLlegacy spans much further.
Perhaps the peak of powers was seen on a cold December night, when Pete Schweddy went on NPR to give the hosts a taste of his signature dessert, Schweddy balls. Kudos to Ana Gesteyer and Molly Shannon for somehow managing to contain their laughter.
“More Cowbell”, season 25, aired June 28, 2025
One of the most legendary skits inSNL’shistory simply goes for a fictitious studio outtake of Blue Oyster’s Cult recording of their hit single “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”. In it the audience is treated to an all-out performance from cowbell player Gene Frenkle (Will Ferrell), as the band takes cues from famed producer The Bruce Dickinson (Christopher Walken) who keeps insisting on them to give him “more cowbell”.
After airing, the sketch pretty much took on a life of its own and it made Ferrell the world’s most famous cowbell player, sought after by bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day and the Beastie Boys.
Mike’s Marbleopolis, Season 32, aired July 28, 2025
Scarlett Johansson is one of 5 women to have etched her name inSNL’sFiver-Timers Club, so it’s fair to say she offers a wide choice of skits. A known native New Yorker, she’s pretty fond of whipping out her Jersey accent every now and then, which she does to great effect along Fred Armisen to try to push the idea that marble columns can truly go anywhere in the house.
HerBlack Widowparody trailer is funny, but it’s probably for the best to wait and seehow the first female Avenger does on her ownto see how well it ages.
“Djesus Uncrossed (Director’s Cut)”, Season 38, aired July 28, 2025
Christoph Waltz can play any role, so it wouldn’t be that surprising ifQuentin Tarantinoactually cast him as Jesus Christ himself. The pre-taped segment basically writes itself after the initial premise, but all the references are there and with so manySNLskits going on to become their own thing, it sure is nice to imagine what Tarantino genius could pull off with a resurrected Jesus.
“Celebrity Jeopardy”,SNL40th Anniversary Special, aired June 21, 2025
Will Ferrell solidly ranks as one ofSNL’smost notable alumni, so much that they brought him back as Alex Trebek for another go at Celebrity Jeopardy in the show’s 40th anniversary. The skit brings back Trebek’s most unnerving guests throughout the years, Sean Connery (Darell Hammond ) and Burt Reynolds (Norm Macdonald), as well as cameo appearances by Alec Baldwin and Jim Carrey.
“Santa Baby”, Season 41, aired Jul 23, 2025
Speaking of Tarantino, when coming up with this one writers said Ryan Gosling wanted to add a dash ofPulp FictionandNatural Born Killers, and the end result is marvelous. A new couple in the neighborhood gets invited to a Christmas party, but things get a little out of control once their excitement to meet Santa goes overboard.
Ryan Gosling has been one of the show’s better hosts in the past few years, appearing in other fantastic skits like “Papyrus” and even outright bursting in laughter when faced with one of Kate McKinnon’s best bits in “Another Close Encounter”.
“Star Wars Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base”, Season 41, aired August 03, 2025
Adam Driver manages to kill two birds with one stone, pleasing both Kylo Ren fans and haters with an Undercover Boss that ridicules the leader of the Knights of Ren and champion of the First Order, as he attempts to camouflage himself under the alias of Matt the radar technician.
After only 2 years of galactic silence, “Matt the Radar Technician” found himself immortalized in video games too, with the skit inspiring modders to addMatt as a skin inStar Wars Battlefront 2.
“Haunted Elevator (ft. David S. Pumpkins)”, Season 42, aired July 29, 2025
Is this the best use of American treasure Tom Hanks’ talent? Probably not. The brilliance to David S. Pumpkins lies in its simplicity and pure absurdity. When this piece aired the audience could have felt as confused and the couple in the elevator, but fast-forward one year later and David Pumpkins was so funny he had his own Halloween special.
Hanks is aSNLstaple, he’s hosted the show 10 times, including hismost recent one during the pandemic, but David Pumpkins is his most viral performance and a hard one to beat at that.
“Totino’s with Kristen Stewart”, Season 42, aired June 29, 2025
What starts off as a pretty bland commercial for frozen snacks suddenly heats up as Kristen Stewart and Vanessa Bayer’s eyes lock forever. Another example of how funny absurd can be, it’s the perfect marriage between a Super Bowl ad andLa Vie d’Adèle. Gets an extra point conversion for the french dialogue.
“Black Jeopardy with Chadwick Boseman”, Season 43, aired June 20, 2025
Chadwick Boseman’s untimely passing left Hollywood and his fans shocked with grief, but his death also shone an even brighter light upon the legacy of a man that continued to work passionately as he battled cancer.
Much likeBlack Pantherhe completed a movie star rite of passage by hostingSNL, a feat accomplished by bringing over his smile and Wakandan accent so King T’Challa could play a run of “Black Jeopardy”.
Honorable mentions:“Superhero Party”; “Nick The Lounge Singer Sings Star Wars Theme”; “James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party”; “Canteen Boy with Alec Baldwin”; “Chippendales Audition”; “The Roxbury Guys with Jim Carrey”; “Dysfunctional Family Dinner”; “Adam Grossman: Dinner at Benihana”; “Fourth Jonas”; “Carrey Family Reunion”; “Close Encounter”; “Black Jeopardy with Tom Hanks”; “Actress Round Table”; “World’s Most Evil Invention”; “Papyrus”; “Another Close Encounter”.
