Saturday Night Live turned 50 last year with an incredible special anniversary docket celebrating some of SNL’s most famous sketches and characters. Even so, it would have been impossible to pay tribute to every iconic SNL moment, which is why I love SNL’s new miniseries, The Rundown. During it, current and former cast members build a dream episode, like a fantasy draft, and I absolutely love Bowen Yang’s pick for the GOAT of Weekend Update characters.

So far on The Rundown, Colin Jost has discussed what makes or breaks a cold open, crowning Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s Katie Couric, Sarah Palin interview as his winner, and Dana Carvey selected "Wayne’s World" featuring Aerosmith as his favorite live sketch, slotting it right after the monologue. This week, SNL brought Bowen Yang in to choose the most iconic Weekend Update guest, and this is the right pick:

It’s official, Stefon is Weekend Update’s most iconic guest, and there’s no argument here. He’s always been my personal favorite, and a key introduction into SNL growing up. My favorite part of Bill Hader's recurring city correspondent was his signature hand teepee to hide his laugh and his “secrets.”

In a softer voice than Hader’s real cadence, Stefon would say his iconic line and poke fun at the absurdity of NYC nightlife, hilariously detailing wild features such as Hobocops, Jewish Dracula, and, of course, MTV’s Dan Cortese. This may seem like a niche bit that might not be relatable to all audiences, but Yang explains why the sketch, framed in the context of a patient Seth Meyers asking for tourism recs, worked so well:

Hader’s popular gay alter-ego made his first appearance on SNL in 2008, in a sketch called “Movie Pitch” with Ben Affleck. The eccentric character wasn’t seen again until he made his Update desk debut in 2010, solidifying the blueprint for his wild recs, and has made nearly 20 appearances.

However, there are lots of successful Weekend Update guests to choose from, and before landing on Stefon, Yang goes through some of the most memorable guests to grace the desk: Cecily Strong as Jeanine Pirro, Don Novello as Father Guido Sarducci, Gilda Radner as Roseanne Roseannadanna, and really any character by Kristen Wiig.

Update guests have coined some of SNL’s most iconic catchphrases, providing fans with familiarity week to week. Not only that, but the guest spot allowed comedic flexibility within the show, allowing cast members to share and test comedic songs, stand-up, impressions, and character bits with very little risk, and potentially high reward, like Ego Nwodim’s Miss Eggy, and the recent viral hit of “Red Heart and Aerial Tramway.”

It’s given a lot of silly, random skit ideas the opportunity to grow and flourish into something unexpected, and The Wedding Banquet actor explains Stefon is the perfect storm of all things that make the Weekend Update guest spot great:

The Las Culturistas host definitely earned his place among the Weekend Update greats, most notably with his Titanic Iceberg bit and his portrayal as MooDang. Yang quickly became a fan-favorite, becoming a Saturday Night regular as a featured player, much like current cast member Ashley Padilla. Fans were shocked and saddened when The Wedding Banquet actor announced his exit after Season 50, and I already miss his presence on the show.

However, I’m quite excited for his upcoming movie with frequent collaborator Matt Rogers, with the premise of the two main characters trying to get into Berghain, the most exclusive nightclub in the world. Now that sounds like the place a certain Weekend Update city correspondent would frequent, and it sounds like Rogers and Yang could use Stefon's help with this project. One can hope for an SNL cameo, but until then, I’ll be re-watching Stefon sketches on YouTube in preparation for my next visit to New York.

Meanwhile, you can catch new episodes of SNL to see what Update characters roll up to the desk by tuning in every Saturday at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC or with a Peacock subscription.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will come to an end in May on the 2026 TV schedule. Meaning, after eleven seasons, the long-time host will be done with his show, and he’ll be moving on to other projects. One of those projects is a Lord of the Rings movie he’s writing. Now, you might be wondering: How did he decide to do that? Well, it would seem that a choice one Saturday Night Live vet made when they left the NBC show may have inspired him.

While going from late-night to writing a fantasy film seems kind of random, Colbert’s LOTR fandom makes it obvious that he’s made a passionate and clever career move. His conversation on Smartless (which was released on April 6, but was recorded in March, a week before the Lord of the Rings announcement, per The Wrap) about what he’s doing next also seemingly helps explain his choice, too. Speaking about his plans and how he was inspired by Bill Hader when it came to them, the host said:

When Hader’s second child was born, he left SNL. While he’s considered a legend of the show, Hader had a hard time performing on it. So, after eight seasons, he said goodbye. His final show was in 2013, and after that, he went on to work as a full-time writer on South Park, per Vulture. He did continue to act; however, this pivot is very notable, seeing as it’s not what we typically see from long-time Saturday Night Live performers right when they exit the show.

Thinking about that, Colbert realized a pivot like this was what he wanted to do, explaining on the podcast:

Now, while Colbert didn’t specifically name his Lord of the Rings project, his thinking here 100% aligns with his next career choice. During the podcast, he wouldn’t say what he was doing next, but he did note, “I got some things I do want to do.” When this was recorded, his writing project wasn’t publicly announced. However, now that it is, it’s easy to connect the dots here.

Much like Bill Hader going to write for South Park after performing on SNL, Colbert’s next career move is a hard pivot. However, it’s also a logical one, and it’s one that’s driven by what he loves. Hader had a history with the animated series, and he adores it. The same is true for the late-night host and Lord of the Rings. So, the inspiration seems pretty clear to me.

However, Colbert has a show to finish first. The Late Show will end on May 21. However, until then, you can catch new episodes on weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on CBS (or you can stream them with a Paramount+ subscription). Then, it’ll be time for the host to get writing his Lord of the Rings movie, and try out something different that lives in a realm he loves.

The SNL writers played a prank on host Ryan Gosling this week. In between dress rehearsal and the live broadcast, they switched the contents of multiple notes he had to read out loud. They did the same thing to cast member Ashley Padilla and assumedly, her co-star Mikey Day. The last minute switcheroo led to a lot of mid-sketch laughing and a fun viral moment. It also provided roughly the one thousandth piece of evidence that something fans think they know about SNL is wrong.

There are few shows in the history of television that have been chronicled more extensively than Saturday Night Live. Numerous books and documentaries come out about the show every single year, and when you add that to the hundreds of interviews current and former cast members give, fans have a pretty good sense of what goes on behind the scenes at Studio 8H. They know how the production schedule works (at least when there aren’t last minute changes). They know what role the host plays in getting pitches approved, and they know what longtime showrunner Lorne Michaels tolerates and does not tolerate. Or at least they think they do.

I’m not saying fans haven’t gotten a sense of his taste over the years, but there’s this perception of him that he hates when cast members or hosts break character. He supposedly can’t stand when people laugh in the middle of sketches. I’m certainly not saying he’s encouraging people to belly laugh during every sketch, but there is a lot of evidence, especially in recent years, that he’s open, on occasion, to intentionally creating the conditions that make it more likely people will break character.

Let’s watch the sketch from last night and then talk about it as an example…

I’m not saying there’s not some humor to pull from a principal and a teacher reading embarrassing notes, but the entire goal of the sketch here was clearly to surprise Gosling and Padilla with some absolute nonsense they were not expecting. The whole point of this sketch was to make them laugh and perhaps to make Mikey Day laugh who also read a note, though he kept his composure a lot better than the other two.

The last time Gosling hosted, he, of course, went mega-viral alongside Day and Heidi Gardner for their Beavis And Butt-Head sketch, which led to the normally stone-faced Gardner losing any ability to control herself. The sketch was one of the most popular SNL has done in years, and there was a lot of talk afterwards about how Gosling has a habit of giggling during his SNL appearances. Clearly, the show decided to lean into that and try to create a similar moment.

That’s not the only example in recent years either. Perhaps the buzziest recurring sketches right now on SNL are the semi-annual joke swaps between Michael Che and Colin Jost. The entire premise of those sketches is that they haven’t seen the jokes they need to read ahead of time. That was also a huge part of what made the Stefan sketches work so well. It’s well known that John Mulaney, who conceived the character, would sometimes change the lines in between dress and the show to try and trip star Bill Hader up.

Saturday Night Live is a very organized and rehearsed show, at least for being recorded live. Michaels and company are very intentional about camera angles and line delivery. It is not a free-for-all out there. Cast members and the host are expected to hit their marks and deliver the lines as written, but this perception that the show doesn’t occasionally break those rules is wrong.

Beloved sketches like Debbie Downer and More Cowbell featured some element of cast members laughing or breaking character, and they’re spoken by everyone involved with great reverence. More than that, there are quite a few obvious examples of the show occasionally pushing people to break character by changing lines or conditions between dress rehearsal and the live show. Producers definitely push people to stay in character and stick to the script most of the time, but the perception that laughing mid-sketch is an unpardonable offense is wrong. The occasional break is not only tolerated, it’s clearly leaned into.

Horror and comedy are fascinating sibling. At face value, they feel like opposite ends of a spectrum (the great distance between the emotions of fear and joy), but both artforms are about eliciting a particular reaction from audiences, and timing is a crucial part of both. If one needs evidence of this special genre relationship, one need only look at the tremendous career transformations of filmmakers Jordan Peele and Zach Cregger in recent years – and after seeing all of their success, I am elated that Bill Hader is now ready to make a scary splash of his own.

According to Deadline, Hader is now attached to make his directorial debut writing and helming an original horror film titled They Know – and he is also set to star. Hader previously helmed 18 episodes of the critically acclaimed HBO show Barry, but this will be his first time making a feature and it sounds like he'll be heading to much darker places than the black comedy series.

Set up at MRC and looking to start rolling cameras in the next few months, They Know will star Hader as a divorced dad who becomes evermore suspicious of his ex-wife's new boyfriend and his "strange influence" on their kids. On the surface, this seems like a pretty relatable circumstance, but I'm very excited to see it unfold with escalating horror.

While They Know will be Bill Hader's first effort as a writer/director, fans know that this is certainly not his first time playing around in the genre: he will not be soon forgotten for his scene-stealing role as adult Richie Tozier in 2019's IT: Chapter Two. That blockbuster sequel played up the actor's comic skills (literally featuring him as a stand-up comic), but it also exposed him to plenty of big screen gnarly-ness.

That being said, I'm curious what this movie's approach to tone will be – particularly because Hader is playing the lead role: will it ultimately be looked at as a horror comedy, or is there going to be a more pure focus on scares? Jordan Peele and Zach Cregger have both opted for the latter in their respective films, but they also don't star in their own movies (excluding Cregger's one scene in Barbarian). When more of the cast is announced, it may provide us with a better hint at what to expect.

Should everything go according to plan and They Know completes production by mid-year, the next step would be securing distribution, and if that goes well, I wonder if we could possibly see They Know at some point on the 2027 movie release calendar. Given Hader's proven talent, I'm clearly very optimistic, and I hope there's nothing but smooth sailing from this point forward, as I am super hungry to see his vision.

Spoilers below for the latest episode of IT: Welcome to Derry, so be warned if you haven't yet watched on HBO or via HBO Max subscription.

When the seventh installment of IT: Welcome to Derry wasn’t busy dropping fun easter eggs or introducing audiences to the “real” Bob Gray, it was breaking my tar-black heart. In the first place, the penultimate episode tackled one of the most controversial mass murders in all of Stephen King’s bibliography: the Black Spot massacre, which resulted in the deaths of multiple soldiers and civilians. But with no disrespect to any of the Black characters who suffered the fatal whims of Clint Bowers, the most heartbreaking death was that of young Rich Santos.

One of the most suave child characters in the history of TV, Rich was a fibbing sweetheart with a fixed crush on Matilda Lawler’s Marge. Unfortunately, once the Black Spot started to burn up, neither was able to find a proper exit, and Rich then came up with the idea for Marge to hide inside a toppled refrigerator to get away from the smoke and the direct heat. A great and honorable idea, but one that ultimately also led to li’l dude’s death by fire. (Or smoke inhalation, most likely.)

It was already going to be sad, just from his obvious moves to sacrifice himself for her survival. But then they went and had that heart-to-heart conversation, where they could hear each other’s every word despite all of the chaotic noise in the background. That part didn’t make much sense, but whenever the words are as sweet as everything Rich told Marge, it’s allowed!

How That Fan Theory About Marge Makes Rich's Death Even More Heartbreaking

For those unaware, quite a few IT: Welcome to Derry fans are holding onto the belief that Marge grows up to take on a different nickname, Maggie, and later becomes the mother of one Richie Tozier. Beyond the first name, this theory ties into the importance of Marge's coke-bottle glasses, which are reminiscent of Richie's.

But where oh where could Marge have come up with such a name? Oh yeah, probably from the li'il dude who kept her safe by lying down atop the fridge's door, making her escape impossible. (While also making his own escape impossible.) What better way to pay tribute to her martyr than by naming her son after him? If that is indeed the case, then it adds a whole new layer on top of Richie's storyline, tying back to his mother's first love.

The HBO series also tied into the two IT films by identifying Madeleine Stowe's character as the mysteryious Mrs. Kersh, whose persona was entirely an IT construct in the second movie.

Of course, this could all be hogwash and just some extremely coincidetal circumstances where Marge is concerned. Until the show sets up that reveal specifically, we'll just have to keep guessing.

IT: Welcome to Derry is set to wrap its Season 1 run on Sunday, December 14, at 9:00 p.m.

It's a great time to be a horror fan, with the genre thriving for years now. Some of the best horror movies to hit theaters in recent years come from wholly original concepts, including Zach Cregger's Barbarian and Weapons. And the acclaimed filmmaker recently shared how his buddy Bill Hader helped him make a key change to Alex's story.

One of Bill Hader's best movies is IT Chapter Two (streaming with a HBO Max subscription), so he knows his way around the horror genre. In an interview with THR, Cregger spoke about a key part of Weapons that the SNL alum helped inspire. As he told it:

Weapons is one of 2025's biggest success stories, making a ton of money at the box office while also being a critical darling. CinemaBlend's Weapons review praised its non-linear storytelling, including Alex's chapter in the horror flick, and his guilt that's so palpable throughout the movie's runtime.

This bit of feedback from Hader is what inspired the storyline where Alex is coerced into stealing the name plates on his classmate's cubbies, therefore allowing Amy Madigan's Gladys to use her blood magic on the kids. As Zach Cregger continued in the same interview:

This definitely helped to make Alex more of a tragic figure, as well as an unlikely hero. He was tasked with keeping his classmates alive in the basement, and was ultimately the one who freed them from Gladys' spell in the epic finale of the movie.

The hype surrounding this movie it so high that there's talks about Weapons getting a prequel about Aunt Gladys. Cregger admitted he's got the story worked out, while actress Amy Madigan seems down to return as that new horror villain. We'll just have to see if/when that actually happens.

In just two movies, Cregger has established himself as an accomplished director within the horror genre. Whether or not Weapons becomes a full-fledged franchise remains to be seen, but audiences are likely going to paying attention to what else he's got up his sleeve. That includes his forthcoming adaptation of Resident Evil, which is already highly anticipated.

Weapons is is still in theaters now, but can also be rented and purchased at home as part of the 2025 movie release list.

'If most of us were to meet our favorite celebrities, we would probably have a hard time keeping our cool. It turns out that this is still the case even when it comes to other celebrities. You’d think that with so many A-listers making cameos on Saturday Night Live over the years, the cast members there would get jaded over it, but Bill Hader recently revealed the time he went all fanboy over Martin Scorsese, to the point the producer had to ask him to stop.

In a recent episode of the A24 Podcast, Hader welcomed esteemed filmmaker Ari Aster as his guest, and the two discussed some of their creative heroes, many of whom they have both met and even become friends with. Hader mentioned a point when 2025 Emmy nominee Martin Scorsese made an appearance on SNL. It seems Hader was so invested in talking cinema with Scorsese that he continued to bug the award winner until somebody made him stop. Hader said:

In Hader’s defense, Ari Aster says he’s met Martin Scorsese before, and he felt equally obligated to try and get the director to like him. Hader says that he only realized after the fact that his impulsive actions might have made him look like an ass in the eyes of Scorsese, accomplishing the exact opposite of what he was trying.

All this being said, this may not have been the most awkward celebrity experience of Bill Hader's life. His own daughter once conned him into meeting Chris Pratt. He's not always this awkward, however. A lot of people would probably get a little starstruck when meeting Lebron James, but it was no big deal for Hader.

Have no fear, however. the two celebs are on apparently on decent terms now. Hader continued:

It reminds me of the old Chris Farley Show sketch that the Tommy Boy star did in his SNL days. It was a talk show set that saw Farley ”interview” the host or musical artist of that week’s show. It was usually little more than Farley fawning over the guest and talking about how cool he thought they were, which was reportedly based on the way Farley would sometimes actually act around guests.

Honestly, there are probably a lot of people who would get this way if they met Bill Hader. And Hader isn’t the first to go a little nuts meeting Scorsese. If I ever had the chance to interview, I would almost certainly do the same thing. And I’d be just as embarrassed afterward.

One of the funniest recurring characters in SNL history to this day is Bill Hader’s Stefon, thanks to all his off-the-wall recommendations for the hottest clubs, events and destinations in New York City. To this day, Seth Meyers still gets asked about working alongside Hader when he was playing this character, because he was the one sitting next to him at the Weekend Update Desk. Now, the Late Night host has revealed his favorite moment with Stefon and why it made them both emotional.

When the SNL alum answered audience questions on his show Late Night With Seth Meyers, the host was asked to break down his favorite memory with Stefon. He started to recall a sweet moment with Hader while explaining which episode sticks out to him the most. In his words:

Meyers went on to recall a sketch called “Stefon’s Farewell,” which aired on NBC on May 18, 2013. This particular edition of Stefon, happened during Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, Jason Sudeikis and more's final episode. Meyers also noted that he knew he’d be soon transitioning to late night, and he had just half of a season left of being on the sketch show. As he continued:

This was an all-time great Stefon moment. In the hilarious bit, Seth Meyers runs off to stop a wedding between Stefon and Anderson Cooper, which was a pre-taped part of the show. So, while that was playing for the audience, here’s what was happening behind the scenes for the two SNL cast members, as Meyers recalled:

How sweet! Bill Hader was saying goodbye to a job he’d had since 2005 at that moment, and Meyers knew it was in the cards for him soon after joining back in 2001. He also said this:

One might have thought Meyers’ favorite moment would have to do with some funny instance where they broke up laughing (did you know the reason why Hader actually covered his face as Stefon was because Meyers would make him laugh?) But his favorite memory is actually super emotional. Check out the sketch below:

Ultimately, Bill Hader did return to play Stefon again, even though he has expressed some regrets about the character. And recently fans were super bummed Stefon didn’t return for SNL50. Of course, we can only hope he’ll become one of the upcoming SNL hosts, so we can see him and maybe even Stefon again.

Overall, it’s so lovely to hear Meyers recall the good old days working with Hader on the show, and it’s such a good answer to add to the Best Of Stefon collection. Now, you can go back and watch these iconic SNL moments with a Peacock subscription.

While I’m a staunch defender of Jim Carrey’s 2000 remake of How The Grinch Stole Christmas, I’m still nervous about returning to its spiritual successor - Mike Myers’ The Cat in the Hat. I know we’re currently running through the 2025 movie schedule, but learning about another crack at the bat with Dr. Seuss’ classic book was enough to make me worry.

At least, that was until today - the day that the new Bill Hader-starring reboot dropped its first trailer. Now that I’ve watched it myself, out of what started as morbid curiosity, I’m surprised to say I’m now very hopeful about what could be on the horizon. Better still, I think even jaded adults will be getting some serious laughs out of this.

The New Cat In The Hat Is Visually Stunning

Bathed in the sort of color and imaginative vision you’d expect from a Seussian masterpiece, this new 2026 take looks absolutely pure of heart. That’s something that was definitely missing from the 2003 live-action adventure. While some of my favorite moments that suggest maybe The Cat in the Hat is "good, actually," they weren't indicative of The Cat I grew up with.

Directors/co-writers Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja appear to have assembled a vision that’s awash in that sunlight and innocence. Both are animation veterans who’ve worked on franchises, thanks to Carloni’s credits through How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Kung Fu Panda 3, and Rivinoja’s work on South Park and Trolls.

Visually, that melting pot tracks; though when it comes to the humor, that subject is also a very promising prospect to discuss.

I’m Sensing A Strong Looney Tunes Influence In The Cat In The Hat’s Humor

I think the scene that best won me over to The Cat in the Hat’s side is the one where The Cat is about to do what he does best: ignore the rules. Pulling from the well of pure Looney Tunes insanity, we get a beautifully brief moment that mixes the innocence mentioned above with pure lunacy. It's an old gag, but it's playful and it works.

That same mindset is also rewarded when you realize that The Cat works at The Institute for the Institution of Imagination and Inspiration, LLC. Once again, we've got a modern skewing joke mixed with classic absurdity. Which leads to a rather interesting confrontation via a co-worker voiced by SNL star Bowen Yang.

Playing a more serious green character, Yang warns this feline funster not to open a box that literally says “Do Not Open.” Cue a short gag, where several other warning signs are ignored, and we’re left to gleefully wonder what’s going to leap out. While I can’t make any educated guesses, I’ll let a moment from one of the best Bill Hader TV appearences guess for me!

Perhaps whatever, or whomever, is in the box will reveal the true nature of The Cat in the Hat’s Matt Berry performance. If that’s the case, then this scene just might be my favorite from this upcoming picture. Of course it’s way too early to tell, but the point is that this teaser has actually gotten me invested in seeing how Bill Hader and company reinvent the mascot of Dr. Seuss’ legacy.

With that, I must remind you all that The Cat in the Hat will once again leap from our imaginations and onto the big screen, on February 27th, 2026. So let's not get too hyped up, as there's bound to be plenty more tricks in that titular hat. Although you can check out what other 2026 movies we should be paying attention to. Maybe there's more of this sort of magic awaiting in the next year, and we wouldn't want to miss out, would we?

LeBron James is a legend on the court. He is still playing the sport at 40 years old, and he has put up an average of 24.4 points per game this season with over 10 triple-doubles. After 22 seasons in the game, he does not seem to be in any hurry to exit. But have all those field goals, free throws, and rebounds helped prepare him for a different kind of career? Intriguingly, somebody finally asked the NBA player about what’s next.

To date, LeBron has been in several movies acting opposite some of the arguably best contemporary comedic actors today. For example, if you have a Netflix subscription, you can catch him alongside Amy Schumer and Bill Hader in Trainwreck. For those with an HBO MAX subscription, see him opposite Don Cheadle in Space Jam: A New Legacy. LeBron has even hosted Saturday Night Live, so he’s not wholly inexperienced in Hollywood.

However, this basketball legend has only ever played himself, and I’ve wondered if he could take on the acting challenge of becoming another character. Recently, LeBron sat down with the THR and gave his thoughts on the matter.

In my opinion, LeBron has some on-screen chops. In Trainwreck, in particular, he shows flashes of his comedic abilities. He plays well opposite Bill Hader, especially during the ‘advice’ scene. I rewatched it and it had me laughing out loud again when he asked to ‘split the bill', which is 'better for [their] friendship.’

I agree with the NBA star that this character is already a heightened version of himself, and he seems to grasp what’s funny about the script and doesn’t take himself too seriously, and he might be just one of those athletes who is just (unintentionally) funny. However, I feel that LeBron will need the right kind of roles to step into someone else’s size 15 shoes. The athlete does seem open to it, though:

It seems like an acting career might be in the All-Stars' future, but who knows how far off that is, as I am sure he is going to want to stay in the league for a few more years. Especially now that he and Bronny are on the same team as a dynamic father-son duo. My guess is that a sports movie about them is going to happen in the not-too-distant future. Whether or not it will be one of the best sports movies made is yet to be seen.

We all know that Michael Jordon may be considered the GOAT of the NBA game, but LeBron is certainly a contemporary on that list. Still, he may be in the conversation as being one of the greatest basketball players of all time, but I think he has a really long way to go as an actor. If I’m being honest, he will likely never be one of the greats on screen, but I’d still like to see if he could be good.

First, there was a plot point on The Studio about the Jonestown Massacre -- which you can watch with an Apple TV+ subscription, by the way. Then, an announcement that SNL vet Bill Hader is developing a TV show based on the cult. At first, my lizard brain got excited. I’ve been interested in cults and the Peoples Temple, in particular, for years. Then, something I heard in one of the more recent documentaries about Jonestown started creeping into my brain. Now, I’m really torn on how I feel about this possible TV show.

It’s Easy To Get Caught Up In Cult Watching

There are tons of documentaries, podcasts, and books about cults. It’s really easy to get sucked into some of the incredible stories of religion, drugs, sex, violence, and death that so often go with the largest and most notorious cults in the last couple of centuries. The Peoples Temple, the church started by Jim Jones in San Francisco in 1954, that eventually led to the mass suicide of Jones and his followers at Jonestown, Guyana in 1978, is the most notorious and the most terrifying of them all.

I’ve read books and watched countless documentaries about Jones and his followers, some better than others, of course. For a long time, I had a morbid fascination with the cult and often used gallows humor with friends when talking about it. I even had a coffee cup with a picture of Jones on it with the words “Drink Up” underneath it. I would laugh when I used it, and my friends, when they would see it, would also laugh.

The tragedy didn’t directly impact me, it happened decades ago when I was just a baby, so for me, it was more or less a cultural news event, no different than Watergate or the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Jokes were fair game. Late-night TV hosts joked about it, so could I. Hell, “drink the Kool-Aid” has become part of the American lexicon. Here’s the part where I have to point out they didn’t actually use Kool-Aid for the poison-laced drinks at Jonestown; it was actually a brand called “Flavor Aid.”

A Documentary About Jonestown From Last Year Changed My Mind

As I said, there are countless documentaries about Jonestown, and last year, one of the best hit streaming. Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown, which you can watch on Hulu, is one of the most in-depth looks at the tragedy ever produced, and in particular, it has a number of interviews with survivors of the massacre and the family members of some of the people who died.

In the film, they talk about how hard it is to deal with the cultural zeitgeist surrounding the church and the suicide of its members and of cult leaders in general, especially Jones, of course. It got me thinking about how I would feel if a family member of mine had been one of the victims of Jones’ insanity. How would I feel every time I heard that phrase, “drank the Kool-Aid,” knowing that my loved one had died from doing that? In short, it made me completely re-evaluate how I thought of the event. I threw the coffee mug away, and now I bristle when I hear someone joke about the events in Guyana in 1978.

So that leaves me where I am today. It’s not that I’m still not fascinated by cults and why people are drawn into them. I’ve always understood that people end up in them for many reasons, and it doesn’t mean they are stupid, or gullible, or anything like that. People are people, and we can all get enamored and attached to things that aren’t good for us and fall victim to cult thinking.

So, do I want to see a TV show based on the events of Jonestown? Well, yeah, I do. Should I want to see it? That’s a question I’m not ready to answer.

The Studio is one of the most critically acclaimed shows to be released onto the 2025 TV schedule so far, with co-creator Seth Rogen starring as Continental Studios head Matt Remick. The series’ first episode saw Matt being tasked with putting together a Kool-Aid movie, and he went so far as to court Martin Scorsese to direct it after learning the filmmaker was interested in making a Jonestown movie. Needless to say this didn’t go well, and you can break out your Apple TV+ subscription to learn what happened, but now we have life initiating art… almost. There’s a Jonestown TV series in the works, and Saturday Night Live vet Bill Hader is attached.

Hader is partnering up with Daniel Zelman to write an HBO series about cult leader Jim Jones and the horrific events that took place at the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, a.k.a. Jonestown. Both men are also serving as co-showrunners and executive producers, and if the project moves forward, Hader would also direct the project if it gets greenlighted. Additionally, Variety reports that the man behind SNL characters like Stefon and Vinny Vedecci could end up starring in the series as well.

Jim Jones started the Peoples Temple in Guayana in the 1950s, and by the 1970s, it became known as Jonestown. The settlement gained global attention in 1978 when over 900 people, including Jones, died in a mass murder-suicide. This came just hours after US Congressman Leo Ryan was shot at an airstrip in Guyana as he and others were attempting to leave, having come to the country to investigate the claims that people at Jonestown were being held against their will.

The majority of the deaths came from ingesting a cocktail of drugs and poisons, including cyanide, mixed into Flavor Aid. However, this was misidentified as Kool-Aid, resulting in the phrase, “Drinking the Kool-Aid.” The Jonestown deaths were previously explored on TV in the 1980 miniseries Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones, which starred Powers Boothe as Jones. Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan was also working on his own Jonestown series for HBO in 2016, but it never moved forward.

Although Bill Hader is primarily known for his comedy work, he’s also delved in dramatic territory various times, most notably with his HBO series Barry. So he presumably knows that adapting what happened at Jonestown for television needs to be handle with care and not used for comedic fodder. It’s also probably a safe bet that if the acting side of Hader’s arrangement is worked out, he’d be playing Jim Jones, though we’ll obviously let you know if that’s not the case.

Assuming this Jonestown TV series gets off the ground, I can only hope that its creative process goes ok and doesn’t crash and burn like what Martin Scorsese wanted to craft as his final movie in The Studio. Meanwhile, feel free to revisit Bill Hader’s work on Barry with a Max subscription, and remember that he’ll be heard as The Cat in the Hat’s title character in the animated film adaptation hitting theaters next year.

When thinking of the iconic filmTitanic, Bill Hader doesn’t immediately rank in association with the James Cameron masterpiece. Funnily enough, though, the Saturday Night Live alum has a pretty hilarious connection to it because it's the reason he got canned from his ticket-taking duties at his local cinema. And recently, he recalled the full story behind why the Titanic's (and Jack's) fate led to his firing.

Now, this story was told on the latest episode of Everybody's Live with John Mulaney (which you can stream with a Netflix subscription). If you’ve seen the show that's airing on Netflix's 2025 schedule, you know there’s a nice surprise of layers of personal touches throughout, including the conversations had. The specific topic for Episode 5 had to do with getting fired from a job, and while Hader admitted he’d been canned from a few, the one he elaborated on involved him working at his local cinema.

His story began with a group of sorority girls showing up to see Titanic at said cinema, as he explained:

Now, since Titanic has been out for well over 25 years and it's available with a Prime subscription, it's hard to imagine spoiling it. However, when it first came out, giving up the ending must have been an absolutely massive deal, because while we all know the ship sinks, Jack and Rose's fates were unknown.

OK, keep that in mind, that information will be important later.

Hader continued his story, and noted that the members of the sorority weren’t being cooperative and even started poking fun at his appearance, likening him to a cult leader (which he agreed with, a little). The funnyman shared:

The whole scene is so ‘90s, and weirdly, Bill Hader to me. It’s an incredibly niche happening, fit for an SNL skit, and I can only imagine young him processing it all in real time (and in a cummerbund, no less).

As he continued the saga, he shared that spoiling Titanic, in his mind, would be how he got them back. When it was time for their showing, he tore their tickets, like normal, and told them to have a good time. But he also shared some major spoilers, saying:

Now, don’t get me wrong, him ruining the ending for the girls isn’t anything I usually advocate for. The fact that the Skeleton Twins actor slickly stymied their viewing experience after the whole interaction is what I’m mostly here for. Although, the thought of someone spoiling any 2025 movie schedule title like that would make me pretty upset.

But, don’t worry, if you’re on the fence about the whole morality of it, that’s when the firing happened. Hader said it happened almost immediately after the group left his area, and while the manager was amused by it all, he still kicked him to the curb all the same:

Again, the story of Hader revealing one of the most heartbreaking movie deaths to a group of bully-esque sorority sisters is comedy gold. My mind goes to a few places. First, it makes me even sadder that Hader didn't appear at SNL 50 (understandably, though). Second, I wonder if any of those women turned into viewers who only watch the first half of Titanic because of their run-in while seeing it for the first time.

Either way, the Titanic and Bill Hader may now be synonymous in my head, and I can't say I'm mad about that.

Saturday Night Live has been pulling out all the stops for its 50^th anniversary celebration, culminating in the SNL50: The Anniversary Special bringing five decades of sketch comedy legacy to the 2025 TV schedule. The three-hour event brought back many familiar faces, from SNL alums to Steven Spielberg, but there were definitely some notable absences. For instance, many fans were upset and confused about Bill Hader’s absence, but there was apparently a good reason that both he and Dana Carvey were unavailable.

Why Bill Hader Didn’t Come Back

Hader was a notable cast member from 2005 to 2013 and has frequently returned to Studio 8H both as host and in brief cameos since then. He’s certainly a fan-favorite, especially when it comes to his beloved character Stefon. Although Hader participated in a Volkswagen commercial with fellow alumni Kristen Wiig and Fred Armisen to recreate “The Californians,” Hader did not appear on the anniversary special. A representative told Variety that he had a “longstanding scheduling conflict,” hence his absence.

Even though it was disappointmenting that Hader wasn’t able to appear on the anniversary special, it makes sense. You can’t really help scheduling conflicts, especially since it sounds like whatever else he was doing was on the calendar long before NBC nailed down its airdate for the anniversary special.

At the very least, the Volkswagen commercial was pretty funny and gave fans a few seconds of Hader comedy to laugh at. "The Californians” remains one of the funniest sketches from SNL's long history, and any return from . That being said, Hader wasn’t the only former cast member to not make it to the special.

Why Dana Carvey Didn’t Come Back

Dana Carvey was another surprise. The comedian was a cast member from 1986 to 1993 and hosted four times since then, making numerous cameos over the years. He made frequent returns to SNL at the beginning of Season 50, portraying President Joe Biden, which is why his absence for the anniversary special was so shocking. But he, too, had a good reason, and it wasn’t because of scheduling issues.

Carvey reportedly had a “bad flu” and was simply too sick to attend SNL50: The Anniversary Special. Just like with scheduling, you can’t help when you get sick, especially in the winter. Of course, it’s still disappointing, but at least fans were able to see Carvey plenty of times at the beginning of the season. It wouldn’t be surprising if he were to make another appearance at some point again before Season 50 ends, whether as Biden or a different fan-favorite character of his.

However, just because the anniversary special wasn’t able to get everyone back, it was still pretty stacked and as memorable as ever. Streaming with a Peacock subscription, SNL50: The Anniversary Special brought back memorable characters, paid tribute to former cast members, had great musical guests, and Weekend Update even brought back former anchors Seth Meyers and Bill Murray.

Since SNL is continuing to bring back alums aside from the special, whether as host or for a cameo, hopefully, Hader and Carvey, as well as any other alum that wasn’t able to appear, will get their redemption.

SNL50: The Anniversary Special is in the books and it proved to be one of the biggest events of the 2025 TV schedule thus far. The live reunion show featured various comedic titans, thanks to Lorne Michaels wildly large budget, minus a handful, including Bill Hader. As the evening went on, with Hader nowhere in sight, fans started taking to social media to express how much the star's presence was missed.

Plenty of users took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their thoughts and feelings about the Barry star being MIA for Saturday Night Live's biggest evening yet. X user @ohheyp stated that the Weekend Update segment was missing one of the most popular regular guest spots, and one of the actor’s most notable characters, Stefon:

The tweet paired the classic GIF with the declarative sentiment perfectly while making a great case for those who feel the show missed out on a huge moment. And, while I missed the Superbad actor during the show (and segment), I was much happier to see Drunk Uncle (Bobby Moynihan) and Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started A Conversation With At A Party (Cecily Strong). Nevertheless, I can't deny that it would've been a treat to see Stefon pop up.

Speaking of The Skelton Twins alum’s best characters, Devin of The Californians tops my list. Other fans, like myself, were lost metaphorically and maybe even physically (you should’ve taken the 101 to the 5) without Hader. @theycallmeT_04 used the comedian’s Californians’ character, Devin, to drive home that the funnyman was missed big-time:

That signature overly soapy face GIF is an apt and comedic compliment. The Inside Out 2 star was one of the more notable missing alums from the late night sketch comedy show and, with a substantial tenure there (2005-2013), it’s no wonder that there’s this much discourse over his absence.

Other fans claimed the evening felt incomplete without Bill Hader in the mix. @BrunoCendon used a Dateline GIF of Hader as Keith Morisson to drive home the feeling, and they name-dropped another SNL icon as well:

They aren’t wrong to tweet that both ex-cast members were missed over the weekend. The large pockets of missing alums were seemingly felt across SNL fandoms, if social media is any indication. I particularly loved to see Jane Curtain and Laraine Newman holding up Gilda Radner’s picture during the goodbyes to commemorate their late peer.

With so much material going into one weekend, another user, @JoshNason, shared a wish that would theoretically explain why Bill Hader wasn't present at the show:

A recap in a limited series or movie format would be a great way to encapsulate the historic weekend. I know I'd surely love to know why the Noelle actor wasn’t there (along with other big names) @kbeninato said it best with their X post, which also featured a dash of Stefon:

I'm curious as to what might come of this this popular conversation as time goes on and whether or not Bill Hader himself will respond directly to the fans. It’s very possible there was a scheduling conflict or he's still dealing with an eye health issue, (which prevented him from attending the Globes with his alleged girlfriend Ali Wong). Whatever the reason was, fans are sure to remember Bill Hader's absence for years to come and may continue to wonder what could've been.

Saturday Night Live Season 50 has plenty left in store. As of now, no new upcoming hosts or musical acts have been announced, but it's likely that announcements will come soon. Catch the sketch show on its titular night on NBC at 11:30 p.m. EST or the following day with a Peacock subscription, which will also allow you to stream SNL50: The Anniversary Special.

The best Saturday Night Live stars made an impact on the classic sketch comedy series, not just because of their ability to be funny but, more importantly, their ability to act. These comedy icons would go on to prove their versatility by challenging themselves in more serious roles on both the big and small screen, going on to earn widespread praise for their craft. Here, we show our appreciation for these dramatic performances by very funny people, including some that earned these SNL stars Oscar nominations.

Kristen Wiig (The Skeleton Twins)

This one technically counts as a twofer because the eponymous siblings in the 2014 twin movie, The Skeleton Twins, are played by SNL veterans Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. Wiig has never given a more absorbing performance than in this movie that gets honest about mental illness as Maggie Dean, who is forced to put her own mental health struggles at bay to care for her gay, suicidal brother, Milo.

Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer)

Robert Downey Jr. is already better known for his dramatic roles (and playing Iron Man in the Marvel movies) than his brief SNL stint. However, many agree that his career best so far is his portrayal of Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan's Best Picture Oscar winner, 2023's Oppenheimer, which was his third Academy Award-nominated performance and the first to earn him the gold.

Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)

Laurie Metcalf is one of the better examples of an actor with a largely forgotten SNL stint, considering she only made a couple of appearances on the show during Season 6. She is far better known for playing Jackie on Roseanne and The Conners and for her heartbreaking, Oscar-nominated performance in Greta Gerwig's acclaimed 2017 dramedy, Lady Bird, as the mother of the angsty titular role.

Will Ferrell (Stranger Than Fiction)

Director Marc Forster’s 2006 film, Stranger Than Fiction, is still, essentially, a comedy but an undeniably dark one, as it follows an IRS agent named Harold Crick, who can hear the author of his life story foretelling his impending death. The role was one of the first to prove that a goofy actor like Will Ferrell had dramatic chops and his tender performance, one of the strongest of his career, would earn him a Golden Globe nomination.

Will Forte (Nebraska)

Perhaps the best thing outside of SNL to star Will Forte (in addition to the MacGruber movie and his prematurely canceled TV show The Last Man on Earth) is director Alexander Payne's Nebraska. The comedian shows a new rare side of himself in the Oscar-nominated 2013 as a David Grant, who agrees to travel cross-country with his estranged father, Woody (Bruce Dern), to claim a potentially non-existent prize of $1 million.

Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls)

While Eddie Murphy scored a radio hit in 1985 with "Party All the Time," the moment that truly convinced the world that he was a musically talented SNL star was his performance in Dreamgirls. He received an Academy Award nomination for playing troubled R&B singer, James “Thunder” Early in the acclaimed 2006 musical.

Abby Elliott (The Bear)

Creator Christopher Storer's acclaimed FX original, The Bear, is often billed as a comedy, especially around awards season. However, real fans of the culinary series know that it is truly one of the most emotionally grasping shows of its time and Abby Elliott (daughter of fellow SNL vet Chris Elliott) has contributed to some of its strongest moments as Natalie "Sugar" Berzatto.

Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems)

While he is still beloved for comedies like Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison, both critics and audiences agree that one of Adam Sandler's best movies is the intense 2019 thriller Uncut Gems. Many believed he deserved an Oscar nomination for his performance in the acclaimed A24 movie from Josh and Benny Safdie as self-destructive Manhattan jeweler Howard Rattner.

Sarah Silverman (I Smile Back)

It was not until years after her one-season stint on SNL that Sarah Silverman became one of the biggest names in comedy with her sharp stand-up and roles in popular funny movies. However, she had never received wider and stronger critical acclaim before playing vastly against type in the 2015 drama I Smile Back as a troubled woman struggling to hide her depression and self-destructive tendencies from her husband and young children.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

Many would call Bill Murray (who was part of SNL's Not Ready for Primetime Players) losing Best Actor for one of the best movies of the 2000s, Lost in Translation, at the 2004 Academy Awards one of the biggest Oscar blunders in history. His performance in writer and director Sofia Coppola’s sophomore effort as a lonely veteran actor striking up an unlikely bond with a young woman (played by Scarlett Johansson) in Tokyo is a masterclass in raw honesty and charm.

Chris Rock (Fargo)

No one was more surprised to see Noah Hawley offer Chris Rock one of the lead roles in the fourth season of his hit anthology TV show, Fargo, than the former SNL star himself. Rock – who went on to play a cop in a Saw movie called Spiral and starred in the Oscar-nominated biopic, Rustin – really turned heads with his commanding performance as Loy Cannon, who leads his 1950s-ear, Kansas City crime family with an iron fist.

Bill Hader (Barry)

When he created Barry with Alec Berg, Bill Hader knew people would think the idea of him playing a contract killer who falls in love with acting is pretty funny. That must have motivated the former SNL favorite to prove that he could bring himself to some disturbingly bleak places with his two-time Emmy-winning performance in the title role of the hit HBO series.

Kate McKinnon (Bombshell)

We genuinely believe that one of the most essential reasons why Bombshell is one of Kate McKinnon's best movies is the dynamic SNL star's performance. Her role as Fox News employee Jess Carr – a composite character based on real people involved with the real-life events that inspired the 2019 docudrama – could be written off as comic relief but she does show some real gravitas in its more somber moments.

Dan Aykroyd (Driving Miss Daisy)

Some of Dan Aykroyd's most notable cinematic efforts are actually movies based on SNL characters, namely The Blues Brothers and Coneheads. However, he would earn praise and an Academy Award nomination for his moving turn as Boolie Werthan in 1989’s beloved period drama, Driving Miss Daisy.

Andy Samberg (Lee)

When appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Andy Samberg acknowledged that a movie like Lee – the 2024 biopic about World War II photographer Lee Miller, played by Kate Winslet – is unlike anything the Lonely Island member has done before. However, not only is the SNL vet a dead ringer for Miller's colleague, David Scherman, but he excels in his emotionally heavy portrayal of the man.

Maya Rudolph (Away We Go)

Director Sam Mendes' Away We Go is a sweet, tender-hearted dramedy about a couple (played by John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph) traveling the country in search of a worthy home for their soon-to-be-born child. Carrying most of the emotional weight in the film is Rudolph, resulting in one of her most wonderfully down-to-earth performances from one of SNL's goofiest female performers.

Molly Shannon (A Good Person)

Writer and director Zach Braff's A Good Person – following a young woman (played by Florence Pugh) and her post-accident road to recovery with help from her would-be father-in-law (played by Morgan Freeman) – is led to by heavy-hitting Oscar darlings. Yet, some say the heart and soul of the 2023 dramedy is Molly Shannon's performance as the mother of Pugh's character, for which she gives her most acclaimed, heartfelt dramatic performance yet.

Jay Pharoah (Unsane)

Jay Pharoah only departed from SNL a couple of years breaking into dramatic acting with director Steven Soderbergh's Unsane. The comedian and talented impressionist is electrifying in the mind-bending psychological thriller as a mental hospital patient who befriends Sawyer (Claire Foy), who claims she has been admitted against her will.

Jenny Slate (Obvious Child)

Arguably the most memorable moment from Jenny Slate's one-season SNL stint is when she accidentally dropped the F-bomb during her first show (which she confirmed had nothing to do with her exit, by the way). Years after her time at Studio 8H, the comedian amazed critics with her beautiful and heartbreaking performance in the 2014 romantic dramedy Obvious Child, in which she plays a stand-up comic dealing with an unplanned pregnancy.

Casey Wilson (Gone Girl)

Some might say that a sign of a great actor is the ability to convey all that an audience needs to know just in one's silent expressions. For proof, see Casey Wilson's performance as Amy Dunne's "friend" Noelle Hawthorne in David Fincher's Gone Girl, in which you rarely, if ever, hear her speak but are thoroughly captivated by her body language.

Anthony Michael Hall (The Dead Zone)

In 1984, the same year that Anthony Michael Hall became a teen idol with roles in hilarious, high school movies The Breakfast Club and Weird Science, he became the youngest SNL cast member, coming on at just 17 years old. Years later, he fully reinvented himself as a serious actor as the star of USA's series adaptation of Stephen King's The Dead Zone, in which he plays a man who wakes from a coma with the ability to see the future.

Christopher Guest (The Long Riders)

Christopher Guest joined the SNL cast in 1984, around the same time his career as the most trusted mockumentarian began as one of the writers and stars of This is Spinal Tap. He had shown Hollywood his more serious side years earlier by starring in The Long Riders – a fact-based Western noted for casting real-life siblings as real-life outlaw siblings, such as Guest and his brother, Nicholas, as Charley and Robert Ford.

Jane Curtin (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

After SNL, Jane Curtin went on to play many great comedic roles – such as her two-time Emmy-winning role on Kate & Allie and an acclaimed stint on 3rd Rock from the Sun – but did not have quite many opportunities to show her more serious side. That would change in 2018 when the one-time "Weekend Update" anchor starred in the biopic Can You Ever Forgive Me? as Marjorie, who works as the agent for author Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy).

Michael McKean (Better Call Saul)

Interestingly, Michael McKean was already an established comedy actor and had even hosted SNL before he joined as a cast member in the early 1990s. However, his reputation as a dramatic actor was never fully realized before his Emmy-nominated turn on Vince Gilligan's Breaking Bad prequel series Better Call Saul as Chuck, the delusional older brother of Jimmy McGill (former SNL writer Bob Odenkirk).

Joan Cusack (Arlington Road)

Joan Cusack became the first SNL star to earn two Academy Award nominations but both were for comedic roles, namely from 1988's Working Girl and In & Out from 1997. One might argue she deserved similar recognition for her work in 1999's Arlington Road as Cheryl Lang, who, along with her husband (played by Tim Robbins), is suspected of domestic terrorism by their neighbor, a professor (played by Jeff Bridges).

Billy Crystal (Before)

With the exception of, perhaps, the tearjerker ending of When Harry Met Sally..., it is hard to imagine Billy Crystal in a role that doesn't require him to be his signature goofy self. Thus, the comedic genius shocked audiences when he served as the star and showrunner of Apple TV+'s dark thriller Before, in which he plays a widowed child psychiatrist whose newest patient exhibits signs of psychopathy.

Janeane Garofalo (Cop Land)

Janeane Garofalo's time at SNL is largely forgotten but, luckily, did not affect her reputation as one of the smartest and most dynamic comedic actors in the 1990s. She further proved her versatility in 1997 as Deputy Sheriff Cindy Betts in James Mangold's acclaimed crime thriller, Cop Land.

Chevy Chase (Law & Order)

Chevy Chase's bread and butter on and off SNL was playing smarmy jerks. However, he really upped the ante in 2006 for his guest star appearance on Law & Order as an anti-Semitic murder suspect.

Tina Fey (A Haunting In Venice)

In addition to being the Agatha Christie surrogate in Kenneth Branagh's third Agatha Christie adaptation, you could call Tina Fey's clever writer Ariadne Oliver the comic relief of A Haunting in Venice. However, the former SNL star and one-time head writer plays the role in the 2023 mystery thriller with an earnestness that is perfectly suitable for its story and tone.

Jim Belushi (The Principal)

Jim Belushi's stint at SNL was unavoidably a constant source of comparison to his older brother, John Belushi. Luckily, he went on to have a relatively successful run with more dramatic roles, such as a man who takes a job at an anarchic high school in 1987's The Principal.

Rob Riggle (12 Strong)

Rob Riggle's brief time at SNL led to a stint on The Daily Show and scene-stealing turns in comedies like Stepbrothers and 21 Jump Street but his best role might be from 2018's 12 Strong. As he told Stephen Colbert on Late Show, he was uniquely qualified to star in the fact-based military drama, not only because he is a former U.S. Marine but because the person he is portraying, Lt. Colonel Bowers, is his actual former boss.

Randy Quaid (The Last Detail)

One of the few people to become an Academy Award nominee before becoming an SNL cast member is Randy Quaid. He earned the honor from his performance in 1973's The Last Detail as a dishonorable discharged Naval officer who is shown one last good time by his superiors (played by Jack Nicholson and Otis Young) before facing jail time.

It’s been eleven years since Seth Meyers married Alexi Ashe. The gorgeous wedding was widely covered by the press at the time, but more than a decade later, it’s one of the speeches that people are still talking about. Comedian Will Forte stood up during the rehearsal dinner and fired off a six minute toast as Hamilton Whiteman, an obscure SNL character that’s “a neo-Nazi basically.” By all accounts, it went over well with some in the audience and not so well with others.

Among those it went over very well with were Ted Danson and Bill Hader. The two could not stop laughing as they reminisced about the speech on the Cheers star’s podcast Where Everybody Knows Your Name. Danson said the bride’s family was “not amused” and Hader said he was laughing so hard you can hear him in the background of the wedding video losing his mind. Here’s a portion of Hader’s thoughts below…

A video clip of Danson and Hader talking about the speech has been widely shared on social media recently, but it’s not the only time the speech has been talked about in public. Meyers once had Forte on Late Night With Seth Meyers to talk about it, and they even showed a clip from the speech, which Meyers said was the only thirty seconds appropriate to air on network television.

Fortunately, Meyers was clearly amused by the whole thing, as there’s probably some expectation you’re gonna get weirdness if you invite Will Forte to your wedding. You can watch a clip of the two of them talking about it, as well as those thirty seconds from the actual wedding below…

The speech came up on the podcast because Danson and Hader were initially having a more general conversation about Forte. More specifically, they were talking about how he always wanted to do work that he liked and was more concerned about doing things that he considered good versus things the audience liked. Hader said it was a great lesson to see someone not be worried about outcome and instead focus on the process and what they were trying to say.

That really tracks with Forte, whose outrageous personal life stories and work tend to cover unusual ground. Something like MacGruber, especially the movie and TV show, were never going to hit with a wide audience (which is probably why Pepsi was hesitant to partner). The humor is really specific and creatively daring, and there’s nothing about it designed for broad appeal. You could say the same about a lot of Forte’s sketches on SNL too like say, Jeff Montgomery, a local man dressed as a sex offender on Halloween who may or may not actually be a sex offender or Tim Calhoun, a political candidate who gives speeches in an awkward tone of voice and with over the top political mannerisms.

Fortunately, there are plenty of fans out there who really get what Forte is trying to do and appreciate his humor, and there are also plenty of his fellow comedians who are on the same wavelength. After Forte’s big speech at the wedding, he was approached by his SNL co-star Andy Samberg who asked him to give a toast in character at his wedding too. Fingers crossed we get more info on what happened there someday.

Ali Wong was one of the big winners at the 2025 Golden Globes last Sunday night. She took home a statue for her Netflix stand-up special, Single Lady, and she was radiant in doing so. However, many eagle-eyed fans noticed that she did not seem to be accompanied by her partner, Bill Hader. The actor attended the Globes ceremony with the comedian last year when she accepted the award for her work in Beef. However, this year, he was nowhere to be seen. Now fans want a status update about the first couple of comedy and if they are still going strong despite the SNL alum's absence.

Thankfully, any concerns about this couple can seemingly be put to rest. Despite break-up rumors, the two are reportedly still together, even though the Barry star was unable to make an appearance at the awards ceremony. A representative for Hader put all speculation to rest when they told People that he wasn’t feeling well, and he had been advised to stay home. They told the publication:

The two began dating after Hader’s alleged split with Anna Kendrick and Ali Wong and her husband Justin Hakuta divorced.

They initially met through mutual friends, and Wong revealed during her stand-up special that Hader actively pursued her, sending her flowers while she embarked on her comedy tour. Last year at the Globes, they attended the event together, sharing a kiss when Wong won. He also accompanied her to the Emmys last year.

While the Trainwreck actor opting out of one public awards event isn’t exactly a calling card for relationship trouble, fans seem to be invested in this couple and rooting for these two.

Both are absolutely hilarious, and they have ventured out into more dramatic work as well, showcasing their multifaceted talents. They seem to be a match made in heaven, and I hope this romance leads to projects they can work on together. Both comedians are so talented, and it feels like an opportunity to make off-screen magic become on-screen magic.

In all, this Golden Globes absence is seemingly nothing more than unfortunate timing, and rest assured, these two are still an item. They have both been incredibly supportive of each other during their relationship, and it's possible that Hader was bummed to have missed the moment. Hopefully, the Skeleton Twins actor feels better soon and we can get more adorable couple moments as Wong continues to receive acclaim for her Single Lady special.

You can check out Ali Wong’s Single Lady stand-up special for yourself with a Netflix subscription. Fans of Bill Hader can also check out his critically acclaimed series, Barry, with a Max subscription. For more information on other exciting titles coming to streaming and networks in the near future, make sure to consult our 2025 TV schedule.

Get ready to revisit your childhood because The Cat in the Hat is getting another movie adaptation. While the upcoming kids movie won’t be on the 2025 movie release schedule, we at least know a few things about this upcoming film. 

I’m sure everyone knows The Cat in the Hat well, either from childhood or from reading it to children. The children’s book, authored by Dr. Seuss has been around for decades and has received a few adaptations, either in television specials or in the 2003 live-action film starring Mike Myers—but now, it’s finally getting the animated film treatment it deserves. 

However, when will this film be released? And who will star in it? Here is what we know so far about The Cat in the Hat. 

What Is The Cat In The Hat Release Date?

According to Deadline, The Cat in the Hat will be released on March 6, 2026. Yeah, you read that right. We have to wait more than a year for this movie to come out, so it’s not going to be on the 2024 movie schedule either. It was supposed to come out in 2025 but was pushed back. 

However, this is a blessing in disguise. March 2025 already has a decent amount of movies coming out, from the new live-action Snow White to the untitled Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan vampire flick. It’ll be nice to see it appear later on and have its own time to shine. 

The Cat In The Hat Cast

Get ready because the voice cast for this film is pretty stellar, as confirmed by the Deadline article above:

Bill Hader as the Cat in the Hat

Bill Hader is set to star in The Cat in the Hat, voicing the titular role in the film. Bill Hader became widely known for his time on Saturday Night Live as a cast member and writer, but he has since broken out into other big film and TV roles. 

He was the star of the Barry cast, which earned him several Primetime Emmy awards and nominations. He also starred in films like Trainwreck, If, Noelle,  IT Chapter Two, Toy Story 4, and more. 

Quinta Brunson

Quinta Brunson was also confirmed for The Cat in the Hat. Brunson is primarily known as the lead of the Abbott Elementary cast but has held recurring roles in shows like Single Parents, iZombie, and more. She was part of the main cast of A Black Lady Sketch Show and also had a recurring role in Miracle Workers, an underrated series. 

Bowen Yang

Bowen Yang will voice a role in The Cat in the Hat. The actor is known for being a current cast member on Saturday Night Live (and honestly, one of the funniest, if I do say so myself). He’s also appeared in movies like Fire Island and Bros, as well as TV shows like Girls5Eva, The Other Two and more. 

Xochitl Gomez

Xochitl Gomez is confirmed for a role in The Cat in the Hat. The actress had a breakout year with her part in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as America Chavez, but she has also appeared in shows such as Raven’s Home and The Baby-Sitters Club. She also happened to win the thirty-second season of Dancing with the Stars. 

Matt Berry

Matt Berry will also have a voice role in The Cat in the Hat. The actor is also a comedian and has appeared in several comedy shows, like The IT Crowd, What We Do in the Shadows, Toast of London and more. He has also appeared in movies like Christopher Robin, The Inventor, Snow White, and The Huntsman. 

Paula Pell

Last on the cast list (so far) is Paula Pell, who is confirmed for a voice role in The Cat in the Hat. The actress was a writer on Saturday Night Live for several years and has also appeared in many TV shows, including 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Funny or Die Presents, The Mindy Project, Big Mouth, Love, and more. 

Talk about a stacked cast – and now it just makes me more excited for the film. 

What Is The Cat In The Hat About?

I mean, it’s The Cat in the Hat, so the film is going to be an adaptation of the famous character of the same name from the book by Dr. Seuss, which was published in 1957. However, Deadline did give us a little bit of a premise – the film will follow the Cat’s biggest challenge yet: to help two siblings and cheer them up when they “move to a new town.”

For those who need a refresher, the children’s book follows the Cat when he shows up at a house with siblings (named Sally and an unnamed boy) and shows a bunch of tricks to the children. Then two characters—known as Thing 1 and Thing 2—are released into the home, and they make a mess of everything. Cat comes back with a machine to clean everything up.

The story is pretty basic, so I’m not surprised that the animated film will be a bit different from the book, but I’m down for anything. 

The Movie Will Be Animated

As mentioned above, The Cat in the Hat will be animated. Believe it or not, this will be the first time this particular novel has been animated in a full-length feature film, so I’m excited to see how they do. Warner Bros. Pictures Animation is handling it, and they’ve animated several big films like The Lego Movie and DC League of Super-Pets, so I'm feeling confident for this adaptation. 

Alessandro Carloni And Erica Rivinoja Directed And Wrote The Film

The last thing we know from that Deadline article is that Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja will co-direct The Cat in the Hat. Carloni has worked on several DreamWorks Animation films before, including the Kung Fu Panda films, The Croods, and the How to Train Your Dragon films. 

Rivinoja has worked on movies like Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Girls Trip, The Addams Family, Clouds with a Chance of Meatballs 2, and more. She’s also worked on TV shows like South Park and Clone High, so I have a strong feeling this movie is going to be funny. 

What are you excited about when it comes to The Cat in the Hat? All I know is that I’m going to have to wear my Thing 1 shirt to the theatre – and force my boyfriend to wear Thing 2. 

Many of comedy’s most esteemed legends were once part of the Saturday Night Live cast, but that does not necessarily mean that NBC’s long-running series marked the beginning of their career. Some Studio 8H veterans first cut their teeth as part of The Second City — a Chicago-based improv troupe that also served as a jumping-off point for the likes of John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, and more. As for the many SNL stars who performed with Second City, we have them listed for you below.

Dan Aykroyd

Famous for co-creating the Blues Brothers and the Festrunk Brothers (arguably his single best SNL sketch), Not-Ready-For-Primetime Player Dan Aykroyd is also a veteran of Second City. In fact, the future Ghostbusters star and writer performed with the troupe in both his native Canada and Chicago.

Amy Poehler

Second City was actually just one of a few places where Amy Poehler studied improvisational comedy in the early 1990s before becoming an SNL all-star. The future Parks and Recreation cast member also trained at iO (then called ImprovOlympic) and was a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade.

Martin Short

Some of Martin Short’s funniest characters from his one-season stint on SNL actually originated from his time at Second City and on the troupe’s own sketch comedy series, SCTV. The most notable example would have to be childish pop culture obsessive, Ed Grimley.

Tina Fey

The dynamic power duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler first came to be when they performed at Second City together. Before becoming SNL’s first female head-writer, Fey also made history as a member of Second City’s first gender-equal cast.

Bill Murray

Before Bill Murray became Chevy Chase’s replacement Not-Ready-For-Primetime Player, he practiced improv at Second City. He recalled to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show that he started at the same time as John Candy and described his first-day performance as “pretty bad.”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Despite her subsequent success in the Seinfeld cast, leading Veep, and other accomplishments, there are still many people who are not aware or have forgotten that Julia Louis-Dreyfus was on SNL. Even fewer people probably know about her early days studying improv at the Second City.

Rachel Dratch

During an interview with Today, Rachel Dratch — known best for playing Debbie Downer on SNL — discussed her days as part of Second City. She said — while noting how every Second City performer probably feels this way — that she believes she was part of a “golden age” for the troupe’s touring company, during which future icons like Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert were involved.

Cecily Strong

One of the few SNL stars who lasted at least 10 years on the show, Cecily Strong developed her impeccable comedic skills as part of Second City. The Emmy winner spoke to The Chicago Tribune about touring with the troupe on a cruise line of all places.

Chris Farley

Bob Odenkirk was the writer of the iconic SNL sketch in which Chris Farley first performed as motivational speaker Matt Foley at Studio 8H. However, the late comedic first introduced his character at Second City, which is where he was first discovered by SNL creator Lorne Michaels.

John Belushi

Before John Belushi made history on SNL, his rise in the comedy world began at Second City. It was at the company’s Chicago club where Belushi met Dan Aykroyd, starting a legendary partnership that led to the creation of, arguably, the best SNL-inspired movie, The Blues Brothers.

Bill Hader

Bill Hader’s experience with show business dates back to when he worked as a production assistant on the set of movies like the Arnold Schwarzenegger-led Collateral Damage, as he told Conan O’Brien once. However, it was his days performing with Second City that really paved the way for the star and co-creator of Barry to eventually join SNL.

Tim Meadows

Tim Meadows’ Second City stint began in 1989, when he began writing and performing revues like The Gods Must Be Lazy. Two years later, he began what would be a record-breaking run on SNL at the time, lasting 10 seasons, during which he made Leon “The Ladies Man” Phelps a household name.

Gilda Radner

Even before debuting on SNL (then called NBC’s Saturday Night), Gilda Radner became acquainted with fellow Not-Ready-For-Primetime Players like Dan Aykroyd as part of The Second City. It was there that she created Emily Litella, who went on to become an all-time great “Weekend Update” guest for her tendency to misunderstand the topic she was editorializing.

Mike Myers

Many of Mike Myers’ best characters who are most often associated with SNL were actually first introduced during his time with The Second City. The Canadian-born comic debuted Wayne Campbell and German talk show host Dieter as part of the troupe, specifically.

Jason Sudeikis

Jason Sudeikis actually had a fair amount of experience with improv even before he joined Second City, having trained at Chicago’s Annoyance Theatre and iO and forming J.T.S Brown early on. The future Emmy-winning Ted Lasso cast member was even a founding member of Second City’s Las Vegas branch before becoming an SNL writer in 2003 and, eventually, joining the cast.

Vanessa Bayer

As part of The Second City Touring Company, Vanessa Bayer performed in productions like Jewsical: The Musical and Girls’ Night Out: Uncensored. Soon after, she was on SNL impersonating Miley Cyrus, playing Jacob, the Bar Mitzvah Boy, and other memorable performances that eventually earned her an Emmy nomination the year she left Studio 8H.

Mary Gross

The versatile Mary Gross had a very successful run at Second City, having won a Joseph Jefferson award for her performance in the company’s revue of Well, I’m Off to the Thirty Years’ War in 1981. That same year, she joined the SNL cast, alongside fellow Second Citizen Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tim Kazurinksy, and would later star alongside other veterans in Christopher Guest’s music movie favorite, A Mighty Wind.

Tim Robinson

Tim Robinson would actually find even greater success following his SNL exit as the star of his Netflix sketch comedy series, I Think You Should Leave. His pre-SNL career involved a stint at Second City when he was just a teenager, according to Vulture.

Aidy Bryant

Aidy Bryant’s time with The Second City started when she enrolled in Columbia College’s comedy studies program, which allowed her to train full-time with the company. She would perform with Second City Theatricals on Norwegian Cruise Line alongside Cecily Strong before they both were cast on SNL in 2012.

David Koechner

After studying under iO co-founder Del Close, David Koechner — also known from the Anchorman movies and despicable The Office character, Todd Packer — joined The Second City and performed in revues in Rolling Meadows, IL. Alongside fellow future SNL performers Nancy Carell and Rachel Dratch, he performed in the company’s very first long-form improv show, “Lois Kaz.”

Alex Moffat

As a Chicago native, Alex Moffat has quite a bit of experience with the city’s improv scene, having been a part of iO, Annoyance Theatre, and, of course, The Second City. In 2016, he joined SNL and became best known for impersonating the likes of Tucker Carlson and Eric Trump during this six-year stint.

Jim Belushi

Jim Belushi followed in the footsteps of his older brother, John, by performing on SNL from 1983 to 1985, but similarities between their careers do not stop at Studio 8H. While John was a Not-Ready-For-Primetime Player, the future According to Jim star performed with Chicago’s Second City group from 1977 to 1980.

Mike O’Brien

Some might call Mike O’Brien an actor SNL never quite figured out how to use in sketches, save his funny pre-taped fake biopics, like The Jay-Z Story. Despite this, his Studio 8H stint is predated by plenty of improv studies in Chicago, including training at Second City and performing in a mainstage production of “America: All Better.”

Robin Duke

Robin Duke is one of the few SNL alums who had previously starred on The Second City’s SCTV. Her best-known work from Studio 8H is, just about, the perpetually annoying Wendy Whiner.

Chris Redd

There is actually a bit of a gap between Chris Redd’s time as a Mainstage understudy at The Second City (with which he toured both the United States and Europe) and his 2017 SNL debut. After leaving Second City, he had roles on TV shows like Empire and appeared in The Lonely Island’s 2016 mockumentary, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.

Brian Doyle-Murray

Bill Murray’s older brother, Brian Doyle-Murray, is an alum of both the Toronto and Chicago branches of The Second City, having served in the troupe in the early 1970s. In the early 1980s, he was a featured player on SNL, most notably as a “Weekend Update” host. 

Tony Rosato

Tony Rosato is probably best known for playing bumbling kitchen chef Marcello on SCTV. The late, Italian-born comedian never quite achieved an SNL moment as memorable, having joined the cast during the much-maligned first season without Lorne Michaels as EP.

Horatio Sanz

Horatio Sanz became a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade with other comedians he met while taking classes at The Second City. Some of those same comedians wound up sharing the stage with him on SNL, during which he appeared in multiple sketches that did not go according to plan, sometimes due to his own laughter.

Peter Aykroyd

Peter Aykroyd briefly became an SNL cast member in 1980 after his older brother, Dan, left the show. The late Emmy-winning writer and actor also had a stint at The Second City in common with his sibling.

Jerry Minor

While living in Detroit, Jerry Minor started writing and performing with other local sketch comedy groups before getting into improv at The Second City’s mainstage. In 2000, he was cast on SNL for what would be one season, during which he, most notably, played Grand Master Rap and impersonated notable figures like Al Sharpton.

Tim Kazurinsky

Tim Kazurinsky might be better known for his time at The Second City in the 1970s than his SNL stint in the early 1980s. In fact, he might even be better known for writing movies like About Last Night and starring in the likes of Police Academy than both.

Nancy Carell

It was while they were both performing for The Second City where a woman then known as Nancy Walls met her future husband, Steve Carell. However, between the two of them, she was one who became an SNL cast member for a year in 1995.

While a spot on SNL is something most aspiring comedians long for, it is still an amazing honor to have The Second City as their first gig.

It was not until Dev Patel tried his hand at writing and directing a feature film, Monkey Man, when he finally became the star of his own action movie. His turn as a man on a vengeful mission against corruption in the thriller, which is being likened to John Wick, is really a long time coming, since plenty of the Academy Award nominee’s credits have incorporated elements of the genre. Yet, the 2024 movie release marks the first time he has been the lead of this particular kind of film.

The former Skins cast member is not the only one who has the talent and the experience that warrants action movie stardom, but has yet to receive top billing for one. Hopefully, the following actors I have compiled below do not need to write or direct their own high-paced, thrill-a-minute blockbuster to cross that off their bucket list one day.

Alan Ritchson

At 6’2” and 230 pounds, Alan Ritchson was the perfect choice to lead the Amazon Prime original TV show, Reacher, and would be the perfect choice to lead any action franchise you throw at him. He may have nabbed a supporting role in Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, but I am still waiting to see his face on the majority of a poster. Maybe another Jack Reacher movie, starring him this time?

Zoë Kravitz

Having appeared in multiple comic book movies (including X-Men first class), leading an intriguing, paranoia-fueled Neo-Noir (2022’s Kimi), and showing up in one of the greatest action movies of all time (2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road), it is only a matter of time when Zoë Kravitz plays the central hero of her own contribution to the genre. I actually would not mind if the action film she receives top-billing for saw her reprise her great Catwoman portrayal from The Batman in a spin-off. 

Zac Efron

It is actually hard to believe that, despite being one of Hollywood's most versatile leading men, Zac Efron has yet to headline an action movie. He has done pretty much everything else you could imagine — including musicals (his breakout role in Disney Channel’s High School Musical, of course), sports biopics (the acclaimed 2023 A24 movie, The Iron Claw), and even a “brutal” post-apocalyptic thriller (2022’s Gold) — so what is stopping him from kicking some ass?

Maika Monroe

Having starred in creepy modern classics like It Follows and Watcher, Maika Monroe is easily one of our most talented horror movie Scream Queens — a title she will continue to honor by leading the new, disturbing detective thriller, Longlegs. Could playing an FBI agent in that upcoming 2024 movie bring her one-step closer to fulfilling her action star destiny? Because, as far as I am concerned, she already proved she was worthy by developing a, sort of, “gruff badass” persona for her role in the 2015 alien invasion movie, The 5th Wave.

Austin Butler

Austin Butler proved he was a movie star with his Academy Award-nominated performance in Elvis, but that could not prepare audiences for his surprisingly intimidating turn as the ruthless Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two. It makes me wanna see how intimidating he could be as a hero, or even anti-hero similar to his role in the upcoming The Bikeriders, which looks pretty intense. Perhaps all these recent performances will get some action filmmaker’s attention soon. 

Zendaya

Speaking of Dune: Part Two cast members, the one who really steals the show in the second half of Denis Villeneuve’s Frank Herbert adaptation is Zendaya as Chani, who should be considered the true hero of the story if you understand the author’s true intentions with Paul Atreides’ arc. Of course, the Emmy-winning Euphoria cast member still, understandably, got second billing under Timothée Chalamet, but the powerful acting and stellar fight choreography she demonstrates in the sci-fi blockbuster absolutely warrants a grand-scale epic of her own.

LaKeith Stanfield

Here is another example of an actor who has shown astonishing versatility in his eclectic filmography so far — including some acclaimed comedies (such as Sorry to Bother You), some great horror movies (his scene-stealing Get Out role), and a mix of both (Disney’s Haunted Mansion). However, whenever Academy Award nominee LaKeith Stanfield has been cast in an action flick (namely The Girl in the Spider’s Web and Netflix’s original Western movie, The Harder They Fall), it has never been in the lead role.

Jamie Chung

Here is another example of an actor whose action-oriented roles have either been supporting parts in movies (such as The Man with the Iron Fists or The Misfits), stints on TV shows (such as 2008’s Samurai Girl or Fox’s Gifted), or even voice acting roles (like in Big Hero 6). Come to think of it, I think that Jamie Chung’s career as a whole thus far has been pretty underrated, so hopefully the chance to be the next great female action hero comes her way soon.

Aldis Hodge

Aldis Hodge actually has an interesting connection to the action genre, having starred in two Die Hard movies: Die Hard with a Vengeance and A Good Day to Die Hard — the latter of which marked his acting debut as a child. After putting that experience to good use with a portrayal of Hawkman that is the best thing about Black Adam, in my opinion, I am certainly hoping to see him soar higher in this realm, whether that means leading a superhero movie of his own or something more grounded.

Katy O'Brian

Am I the only one who takes one look at Katy O’Brian and sees an action movie star waiting to be born? Following her breakout film role in Love Lives Bleeding, the bodybuilder and Mandalorian actor is more than ready to lead something with a speedier pace on the big screen.

Bill Hader

I bet you did not expect a former SNL cast member to appear on this list, but I think Bill Hader might even be the most deserving one here. His role as a hitman seeking an acting career on Barry proved that he has some astonishing range, and his participation in the HBO series' more action-oriented sequences also shows he could do well in something like a grizzled detective role, a la John McClane.

Could any of these stars become the next Bruce Willis or Charlize Theron? Trigger fingers crossed.

The world hasn’t seen a theatrical adaptation of one of Dr. Seuss’ stories since since the animated movie The Grinch put a new spin on the Christmas buzzkill in 2018, nearly 20 years since Jim Carrey played the role in live-action (and no, the comedic actor isn’t returning for a Grinch sequel). But we’re finally getting pretty close to Seuss getting big screen coverage again, as it was announced more than a decade ago that an animated The Cat in the Hat movie was in development. Now word’s come in that Bill Hader will be leading this project, but what really excites me is he’s being joined by What We Do in the Shadows’ Matt Berry.

Before I delve into why I’m jazzed about Berry’s inclusion, let’s go over who else will be in The Cat in the Hat’s cast. Warner Bros. Pictures Animation has tapped Abbott Elementary’s Qunita Brunson, Saturday Night Live’s Bowen Yang, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Xocithl Gomez and Girls5Eva’s Paula Pell to come aboard. Outside of Hader as The Cat (his second time playing the role, the first time being in a particularly memorable SNL sketch), none of the other actors’ characters have been identified yet. The movie is due out on March 6, 2026, and in this adaptation that’s directed and written by Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja, The Cat will cheer up two siblings who are struggling with having recently moved to a new town.

This will be the second time The Cat in the Hat has been adapted into a movie, the first being the Mike Myers-led live-action flick that was released in 2003 and critically panned. Obviously there’s no way to tell yet how well the animated The Cat in the Hat movie will be received, if at all, but for now, learning that Matt Berry will lend his vocal talents to the project is exciting. Berry’s best known for playing Laszlo Cravensworth in What We Do in the Shadows (which can be streamed with a Hulu subscription), and while he also has voice acting cred from projects like The Book of Boba Fett, Disenchantment, Krapopolis and two of the SpongeBob Squarepants movies, it’s specifically two elements from his performance on the FX series that I hope are included in The Cat in the Hat.

The first, and arguably most important element is Matt Berry’s hilarious way of pronouncing various words as Laszlo. To be clear, I’m not saying that whoever he’s playing in The Cat in the Hat should sound just like his vampire character, but as an amusing nod, it’d be great if he apply that same pronunciation gimmick into his new character’s dialogue delivery. Just the thought of him repeatedly going “CAA-AAT!” makes me more inclined to watch this movie in theaters rather than wait to stream it with my Max subscription.

Additionally, there’s a recurring plot element in What We Do in the Shadows where Laszlo has a witch skin hat that is clearly cursed, but he refuses to acknowledge this and considers it one of his prize possessions until is stolen by his arch-nemesis, Simon the Devious. While I don’t expect a cursed hat to factor into The Cat in the Hat’s plot, it might be fun if Matt Berry’s character throws in offhanded speculation about if Cat’s hat is cursed. It’s a fair question to ask considering all the shenanigans he and Thing 1 and Thing 2 pull off.

Regardless of whether or not these two things happen, I’m still pleased to learn Matt Berry will be part of The Cat in the Hat, and look forward to hearing how his character will sound whenever the movie drops its first trailer. Meanwhile, Berry will, of course, reprise Laszlo for the final season of What We Do in the Shadows, which is expected to premiere sometime on the 2024 TV schedule.

The 2024 Golden Globes marked big night for Ali Wong, whose critically acclaimed Netflix series -- Beef -- was honored. Both Wong and co-star Steven Yeun were awarded Best Actor and Actress in a Limited Series, respectively. However, Wong's major moment garnered a lot of attention compared to her colleague's. The actress kissed her boyfriend and fellow Golden Globe-nominee Bill Hader and then, while on stage, she thanked her ex-husband, Justin Hakuta, during her acceptance speech. She subsequently shared her reasoning for that, and I definitely appreciate her response. 

The leads of the Beef cast spoke to the press alongside other Golden Globe winners after the show, and Entertainment Tonight caught up with them amid a night that included host and comedian Jo Koy bombing and awkward presenter skits.  Ali Wong was asked about the duality of kissing Bill Hader and then talking about her ex-husband after her win, specifically stating that he made it possible for her to be a working mom. Wong seemed caught off-guard by the question at first, before saying the following: 

It's a short statement from the star, but one that's appreciated all the same. It's always great to hear that she remains grateful for her ex-husband and all he does for their two daughters, even after their split. I'm sure those who are familiar with the challenges of co-parenting can also relate to the sentiments. Kudos to the actress and the father of her kids for maintaining a firm bond.

Ali Wong and Justin Hakuta married in 2014 and announced their separation in 2022. The starlet officially filed for divorce in December 2023, according to the New York Post. As for Bill Hader, he and Wong dated briefly not long after the he split with actress Anna Kendrick. Insiders later reported that they broke up, but they were seemingly reconfirmed to be a couple around April 2023. Their appearance together at the Golden Globes seemed like a formal reveal of their relationship, even though a publicist for Hader confirmed the news a while back. 

With her Golden Globes win, the future is looking brighter than ever for Ali Wong. Some believe Wong could join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which Steven Yeun recently had to pull out of due to scheduling conflicts. There's also a chance we'll see her in more upcoming offerings for Netflix subscribers, especially with chatter about Beef Season 2 and how it may continue. 

The good news is that, based on her acceptance speech, Ali Wong is going to be available to continue to work in Hollywood, though we'll just have to be patient and wait and see what comes next for her. Here's hoping she continues to be able to balance parenthood (and her love life with Bill Hader) with her professional responsibilities.

Beef is available to stream right now over on Netflix. I would say it's as good as a 2023 series as any to rewatch or experience for the first time. You can also look over the 2024 TV schedule to learn about the small-screen productions that are on the way.

What is it that makes a Saturday Night Live character worthy of becoming the star of their own recurring sketch? Is it the way they dress or style their hair, the general ridiculous nature of their given situation, or is it their manner of speaking? We would actually say that much credit goes to that last example of criteria, based on the many great SNL character catchphrases we have compiled below.

“Well, Isn't That Special?” - The Church Lady

The chameleonic Dana Carvey has portrayed many recurring characters, but perhaps his single funniest SNL sketch is “Church Chat,” in which he plays Enid “The Church Lady” Strict. The deeply religious TV host has returned to Studio 8H several times and the secret to her enduring success is her hilariously sarcastic delivery of her signature line with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, That's The Ticket" - Tommy Flanagan

The phrase, “That’s the ticket,” is not exactly unique to Jon Lovitz’s Tommy Flanagan — the president of Pathological Liars Anonymous (or so he claims). However, it became imbedded in the SNL character’s legacy by the way it accompanies his most amusing fibs.

"We Are Two Wild And Crazy Guys!” - The Festrunk Brothers

Legendary Not Ready For Primetime Player Dan Aykroyd and Steve Martin — arguably the greatest SNL host of all time — make up the swinging Czechoslovakian duo called the Festrunk Brothers. Of course, most people might know them better as the “Two Wild and Crazy Guys” from their vigorous mantra.

"New York's Hottest Club Is..." - Stefon

“Weekend Update” hosts just want Stefon (Bill Hader as the wild character he and John Mulaney created) to talk about the best family-friendly activities in New York. Instead, he would start his spiel by announcing the city’s new popular after hours joint, and it would only get funnier from there.

"We're Not Worthy!" - Wayne And Garth

Wayne Campbell (“Wayne’s World” creator Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) have come into contact with several celebrities (both on their cable access program and in their classic SNL spin-off movies). But, rarely have they been able to keep their cool around them, resorting to dropping to their knees, bowing, and declaring their undeserving presence.

"... I Live In A Van Down By The River!" - Matt Foley

The definitive performance by, arguably, the definitive ‘90s-era SNL cast member, Chris Farley, is his gut-busting portrayal of Matt Foley. In addition to being one of the most iconic divorced TV characters, the ill-advised motivational speaker’s most recognizable trait is his unfavorable place of residence (“a van down by the river”), which he reminds people of any chance he gets.

"Oooh, It's A Lady!" - Leon "The Ladies Man" Phelps

The most iconic character played by Tim Meadows (one of SNL’s longest-running cast members) is Leon Phelps, who would receive calls from men and women alike during his live romantic advice program. However, he always made it clear that he especially enjoyed attention from the opposite gender, which is exactly why they called him “The Ladies Man.”

"Cheeburger, Cheeburger, Cheeburger" - Pete Dionisopoulos

When Don Novello created the beloved SNL sketch from Season 3, “The Olympia Restaurant,” he might not have realized that simply repeating the word “cheeseburger” would create such an impact. Yet, John Belushi’s distinct pronunciation of it as the cafe’s Greek manager, Pete Dionisopoulos, served up a decadent comedy feast. 

"I’m Good Enough, I’m Strong Enough And Doggone It, People Like Me" - Stuart Smalley

Easily one of the most wholesome SNL characters ever conceived is Stuart Smalley, played by longtime series veteran and former U.S. senator Al Franken. He would begin each episode of his talk show, Daily Affirmations, with this personal affirmation that, perhaps, we should all be starting our days with.

"I'm Verklempt" - Linda Richman (Coffee Talk)

For various reasons — be it her strained relationship with her daughter or Barbra Streisand’s latest Oscar “snub” — Linda Richman often found herself overcome with emotion as host of “Coffee Talk.” By referring to these episodes as her being “verklempt,” the catchphrase became one of Mike Myers’ funniest quotes and never failed to get the audience howling.

"... Makin' Copies!" - Richard Laymer

Office worker Richard Laymer (Rob Schneider) is better known as “the Richmeister,” in reference to his tendency give his colleagues similar-sounding nicknames. This was typically followed by Rich acknowledging they were “makin’ copies” with the machine that just happened to be near his desk, much to their chagrin.

"We Want To Pump You Up!" - Hans And Franz

Austrian fitness “experts” Hans (Dana Carvey) and Franz (Kevin Nealon) had a pretty apt slogan for their program, Pumping Up, stating that they “want to pump [clap] you up!” However, we would discover that they failed to earn the respect of their famous bodybuilder cousin, Arnold Schwarzenegger, when he appeared in one of the most jaw-dropping SNL cameos as himself.

"Party On..." - Wayne And Garth

It was always a party on Wayne’s World, as co-hosts Wayne and Garth often reminded  audiences with this endearing, celebratory greeting. Of course, this phrase is also associated with another famous duo from the same era: Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter’s titular dudes from the Bill and Ted movies.

"I’m Chevy Chase And You’re Not" - Chevy Chase (Weekend Update)

We can sum up Chevy Chase’s signature style of charming smugness and dry wit in just six words. It is with this same phrase that the future Community cast member began nearly every “Weekend Update” segment he hosted during his short, but memorable run on SNL in the 1970s.

"... But I Love Him" - Jodi Deitz (Bronx Beat)

The talk show Bronx Beat was, essentially, an excuse for New York housewives Betty Caruso (Amy Poehler) and Jodi Deitz (Maya Rudolph) to voice their boisterous, and sometimes condemning, opinions on various subjects — with Jodi’s husband being a frequent topic. However, her complaint over her spouse’s moronic tendencies was always accompanied with a tearful affirmation that he still made her happy.

"Give Me A Break" - Ed Grimley

It’s hard to believe that a legend like Martin Short was only on SNL for one season, especially with his impressive assortment of characters like Ed Grimley. The pop-culture obsessed, erratic man-child — borrowed from the actor’s SCTV days — had a few different catchphrases, but his delivery of and situational choices for using “Give me a break” made it a classic.

"It Just Goes To Show Ya, It's Always Somethin'. If It's Not One Thing, It's Another" - Roseanne Roseannadanna

One of the most iconic “Weekend Update” guest characters was Roseanne Roseannadanna, who ended each of her nauseating appearances declaring that, “It’s always somethin’.” The phrase would serve as the title for the late, great Gilda Radner’s memoir, in which she reveals she borrowed it from her own late father’s favorite expression. 

"Superstar!" - Mary Katherine Gallagher

While her intentions may have been hard to interpret at face value, Mary Katherine Gallagher’s commitment to becoming a “superstar” was made clear in the way she exclaimed the phrase with an irresistible gusto. As such, Superstar became the name of a 1999 movie that put Molly Shannon’s quirky Catholic school student in the cinematic spotlight.

"Would You Like To Touch My Monkey?” - Dieter (Sprockets)

West German talk show host Dieter (Mike Myers) is another one of those characters who had many iconic catchphrases at his disposal, with the most famous being “Would you like to touch my monkey?” While it initially sounds a bit suggestive, he is genuinely curious if the guests on his show, Sprockets, would be interested in petting his pet, Klaus.

"Oh No!" - Mr. Bill

Few SNL bits are more traumatic than the short films starring Mr. Bill. The meek, indefensible clay figure could never do anything to prevent the painful situations he found himself in, but to exclaim, “Oh no!” right before they occurred.

"Bring It On Down To ...-Ville!" - Dancing Mascot

Nearly every one of Five-Timers Club member Justin Timberlake’s SNL gigs see him dressed in a ridiculous outfit, performing spoofs of hit songs to promote a local business — such as Omeletteville or Wrappingville — and upstage the competition on the same sidewalk. The pop star and actor even referenced the recurring sketch and its signature quote during a “Weekend Update” appearance when he imagines a non-existent Thanksgiving episode in which we would have brought it on down “Turkeyville.”

"Talk Amongst Yourselves. I'll Give You A Topic..." - Linda Richman (Coffee Talk)

When in need of a moment to compose herself after becoming “verklempt,” Linda Richman always avoided leaving her Coffee Talk audience empty-handed by offering them a conversation piece to pass the time. Examples of her given discussion topics include “Rhode Island is neither a road, nor is it an island” and “Ralph Fiennes is spelled neither rafe nor fines” among many others.

"Buh-Bye" - Flight Attendants

One of the funniest David Spade quotes comes courtesy of a flight attendant who wastes no time letting passengers know he does not want to be there. The character and his iconic “Buh-bye” debuted in a Season 19 SNL sketch also starring Helen Hunt as his equally rude colleague.

"Oh. Well, That’s Different. Nevermind!" - Emily Litella

As the elderly Emily Litella, Gilda Radner appeared on “Weekend Update” numerous times to present an opposing viewpoint to an editorialized topic, only to be informed that her supposed hearing problems led her to dish on something entirely different from the intended subject. Some of the most classic examples include “violins on television” instead of “violence on television” or questioning why the Supreme Court made a decision on a “deaf penalty” when, in fact, it was a decision on the “death penalty."

"What're YOUUUU Doin' Herrre?" - Stuart (The Californians)

The key as to why a sketch as simple as “The Californians” has stood the test of time is Fred Armisen’s preposterously over-the-top West Coast accent when portraying Stuart, especially when asking why certain acquaintances are in his house. Apparently, as Bill Hader shared with Seth Meyers on Late Night, he and Kristen Wiig did not know Armisen would pronounced “What’re you doing here?” so cartoonishly, causing the sketch to not go quite as planned with their uncontrollable laughter.

"You Look Marvelous" - Fernando Lamas

The peak highlight of Billy Crystal’s brief SNL stint was his portrayal of Fernando Lamas as a talk show host who often gushed over how “mahvelous” his guests looked. The Argentinian actor’s son, Lorenzo Lamas, even said that his father actually loved the impression.

"It's Reno Time!" - Janet Reno

For as long as Janet Reno served the U.S. Attorney General, Will Ferrell played her for years as the misplaced host of a teen-centered musical program called “Janet Reno’s Dance Party.” On the final edition of the sketch, the real politician herself crashed through a brick wall to shout out her SNL doppelgängers catchphrase.

"... Is That Bad To Do Do Do...?" - Junice Merill

No character portrayed by Academy Award-nominated SNL star Kristen Wiig is really known for having any definitive catchphrases, but Junice Merill does have her own “catch-lyric.” When she and her sisters appear on The Lawrence Welk Show, she takes one moment of their performance to confess something grotesque and possibly illegal before asking if it is “bad” in song.

"Delta Delta Delta! Can I Help Ya, Help Ya, Help Ya?" - Delta Delta Delta Sorority Sisters

One of the youngest SNL cast members (being 23 at the time) is Melanie Hutsell, whose most famous character was a sorority pledge named Di. She and her fellow sisters (played by Siobhan Fallon and Beth Cahill) would answer the sorority house phone in this most hilariously upbeat way.

"I Got A Fever And The Only Prescription Is More Cowbell!" - Bruce Dickinson

One of the most iconic SNL sketches prominently featuring an A-list host is a faux clip of Blue Öyster Cult recording “Don’t Fear the Reaper” under the supervision of Christopher Walken as Bruce Dickinson. His likening of Gene Frenkle’s (Will Ferrell) cowbell as a cure for his metaphorical illness in this one-off sketch may not exactly count as a catchphrase, but is undeniably one of the most celebrated lines in the series’ history. In fact, Walken claims it “ruined” his life with how often people quote it at him.

"Don't Look At My Bum" - Simon

Mike Myers stars in a recurring sketch as a young British boy named Simon, who likes to show the audience his drawing from a bathtub. In many instances, as he would turn around to reach for another example of his artwork, the child felt compelled to remind his viewers not to stare at his “bum.”

"That's What Your Mother Said Last Night" - Sean Connery (Celebrity Jeopardy!)

For no discernible reason, Darrell Hammond’s Sean Connery was more interested in spending the entirety of his appearances in SNL’s best Celebrity Jeopardy! sketches taunting Will Ferrell’s Alex Trebek than winning the game. Most of his insults involved the host’s mother, whom he jokingly claimed to have a relationship with.

These SNL catchphrases prove that, sometimes, it is not what you say, but how you say it. These characters said it hilariously.

In its several decades on air, Saturday Night Live has made icons out of many of its cast members. For some — including some of SNL’s one-season wonders — you might argue that the sketch comedy series is the peak of their careers, until you remember the acclaimed and widely beloved movies and TV shows they would go on to star in. Take a look at our picks for the finest work some of our favorite SNL stars have put out beyond their time at Studio 8H.

Eddie Murphy (Coming To America)

48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop made him a movie star, but Coming to America might be the absolute best Eddie Murphy movie, especially as the first to show just how far the comic’s extraordinary talents extend. He gives his most heartfelt performance as an African prince searching for love in New York City, but that is far from his only role in this dazzling romantic-com from 1988.

Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids)

Along with her writing partner, Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig joined the club of Oscar-nominated SNL stars for penning this 2011 instant classic comedy. She also transcends what made her a Studio 8H all-star by leading the Bridesmaids cast with her most down-to-earth performance yet as a baker suffering an existential crisis after her best friend (played by Maya Rudolph) gets engaged.

Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems)

Some argue that an SNL star who should have been nominated for an Oscar is Adam Sandler for his performance in one of the best A24 movies, Uncut Gems. If self-destructive jeweler Howard Rattner had been played by anyone else but the guy behind “The Hanukkah Song” and movies like Happy Gilmore, it might have been tough to root for the protagonist of Josh and Benny Safdie’s anxiety-fueled, 2019 crime drama.

Kate McKinnon (Barbie)

After previously working with Margot Robbie in Bombshell and making the A-lister laugh uncontrollably in an SNL sketch, Kate McKinnon reunited with the Australian actor in the Barbie cast in 2023. The Emmy-winner is perfect as “Weird Barbie” — now a real doll in Mattel’s catalog — in co-writer and director Greta Gerwig’s cleverly satirical and surprisingly moving blockbuster based on the legendary toy.

Will Ferrell (Stranger Than Fiction)

We love Will Ferrell in funny movies like Elf and Talladega Nights, but never has he given a performance as tender, reserved, and relatable as his Golden Globe-nominated role in Stranger Than Fiction. That is only one reason director Marc Forster’s inventive 2006 dramedy is his best movie in our eyes.

Molly Shannon (Wet Hot American Summer)

The Wet Hot American Summer cast is full of actors who went on to become superstars, but one of the biggest names among that ensemble at the time was SNL great Molly Shannon. She stars in the 2001 cult-favorite summer comedy classic as camp counselor Gail, who seeks consolation for her second divorce from surprisingly mature adolescent campers.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

To this day, many believe that Bill Murray should have won the Academy Award for his performance in one of the best movies of the 2000s, Lost in Translation. Also one of the best movies produced by Focus Features, he stars in writer and director Sofia Coppola’s Oscar-winning sophomore effort as a disillusioned actor who strikes up a unique bond with a young woman (played by Scarlett Johansson) who is also struggling to navigate her life after meeting in Japan. 

Tina Fey (Mean Girls)

From her time on SNL as a cast member and head writer to her development of beloved comedies like 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Tina Fey has had one of the most impressive careers in comedy, let alone show business in general. However, her one credit that has best stood the test of time is her sharply satirical high school movie, Mean Girls, which she adapted from Rosalind Wiseman’s book and also stars in as Ms. Norbury.

Dan Aykroyd (The Blues Brothers)

Dan Aykroyd may have a Best Picture Oscar winner under his belt (Driving Miss Daisy, for which he also received an acting nomination) and also wrote and starred in one of the beloved Ghostbusters. However, the movie that he will always be best known for is 1980’s The Blues Brothers, which is arguably the all-time best movie based on SNL characters (Ayrkoyd and John Belushi’s brotherly musicians, Jake and Elwood Blues) and one of the most important movies set in Chicago as well.

Gilda Radner (Haunted Honeymoon)

Highlights of Gilda Radner’s post-SNL career included sharing the screen with her husband, Gene Wilder, such as 1986’s Haunted Honeymoon, in which they play a couple staying in a spooky house to cure the groom’s anxieties. Unfortunately, the fun horror-comedy movie would also be her final film before she passed away in 1989.

Chevy Chase (Community)

After making a huge impact in so little time on SNL (not even two full seasons), Chevy Chase had a memorable film career (especially with National Lampoon’s Vacation movies), but it was his return to the small screen in the late 2000s that really had us especially impressed. He starred in the Community cast as Pierce Hawthorne — one of many Greendale Community College students experiencing often strange circumstances and meta pop-culture references in creator Dan Harmon’s inventive sitcom.

Chris Farley (Tommy Boy)

Perhaps the most influential ‘90s SNL actor was the late Chris Farley, whose one-in-a-million, energetic comedic talent made him a legend. He also made an impeccable team with fellow SNL actor David Spade in the hilarious road trip comedy, and one of the funniest and most iconic movies of the ‘90s, Tommy Boy.

Jimmy Fallon (Almost Famous)

Jimmy Fallon has had a stellar career, from his memorable SNL stint to hosting The Tonight Show, but most of his movies did not quite have the same impact — save his Oscar-winning feature-length debut in 2000. Fallon starred in writer and director Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous cast as the touring manager for Stillwater, Dennis Hope.

Amy Poehler (Inside Out)

Amy Poehler is the kind of performer who brings a sense of joy to everything she does, from her SNL days to the Parks and Recreation cast as Leslie Knope. Thus, it only makes sense that she would star as the personification of “Joy” in one of Pixar’s best movies: 2015’s Inside Out.

Will Forte (Nebraska)

We all know and love the masterfully goofy Will Forte from the “MacGruber” sketches and as the star and creator of a show canceled too soon called The Last Man on Earth, but 2013’s Nebraska showed a rare side of the actor we cherished seeing. He gives a somber, yet beautifully endearing, performance in director Alexander Payne’s Oscar-nominated drama as a man accompanying his estranged father (played by Bruce Dern) on a trip to collect a supposed million-dollar prize.

Maya Rudolph (The Way Way Back)

Maya Rudolph’s career outside SNL has been nothing short of impressive, but we were most impressed by her work in 2013’s The Way Way Back. From the Oscar-winning writing duo behind The Descendants (Nat Faxon and Jim Rash), this winning dramedy features Rudolph as Caitlin, a manager at a water park where teen protagonist Duncan (Liam James) works to escape a miserable summer at his mother’s boyfriend’s house.

Bill Hader (Barry)

Bill Hader never failed to surprise audiences with his impeccable impersonations and excellent commitment to character on SNL, but he surprised us in other ways with his first major small-screen follow-up. He played the title role of HBO’s Barry cast (in addition to co-creating the very dark comedy series), who is a hitman trying to reinvent himself as an actor.

Cecily Strong (Schmigadoon!)

One of the greatest surprises of John Mulaney’s SNL musical sketches was Cecily Strong’s smashing singing voice. It would also come in handy when she and Keegan-Michael Key led AppleTV+’s Schmigadoon! cast as a couple trapped in a world that looks and sounds like a lavish musical production.

Chris Rock (Nurse Betty)

In 2000, Chris Rock teamed up with Morgan Freeman as hitmen searching for a delusional widow (played by Renée Zellweger) convinced she is engaged to a soap opera character in director Neil LaBute’s sharp, quirky dramedy, Nurse Betty. We will, however, give an honorable mention for one of the best sitcoms starring an SNL vet, Everybody Hates Chris, which the comedian created and narrated.

Jane Curtin (3rd Rock From The Sun)

Years after playing an alien in, arguably, her single funniest SNL sketch (“The Coneheads”), Jane Curtin played one of the few human series regulars on a series also about otherworldly visitors trying to blend in. The former “Weekend Update” anchor starred on NBC’s hit sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun as Dr. Mary Albright, a colleague, and later fiancée, of Dick Solomon (John Lithgow) at Pendleton State University.

Andy Samberg (Palm Springs)

There is only so much that we are actually willing to reveal about our pick for Andy Samberg’s best effort outside of SNL, Palm Springs, for anyone who has not seen it yet. What we will say is that the 2020 rom-com — and one of the best movies on Hulu — stars the Lonely Island member and Golden Globe-winning Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor and Cristin Milioti as wedding guests who become embroiled in a very strange predicament.

Mike Myers (Shrek)

We love almost all of the characters Mike Myers has created or portrayed, from Wayne Campbell to Austin Powers, but picking his true all-time best work outside of Studio 8H is easy. Myers put on his best Scottish accent to voice the title role of 2001’s Shrek — the first movie to win the Best Animated Feature Oscar, for its sharp send-up of fairytale tropes and heartwarming unlikely romance.

Pete Davidson (The King Of Staten Island)

There have been some great Pete Davidson movies and TV shows over the years, but the former SNL star’s best work might also be one of his most personal. The Bupkis cast member based The King of Staten Island (which he co-wrote with director Judd Apatow) on his own life as the son of a firefighter who tragically passed on 9/11. 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ time on SNL often goes forgotten, but you cannot say the same about the career she had after the show, which includes Emmy wins for shows like Veep and joining the MCU. However, she really blew up when she joined the Seinfeld cast as Elaine Benes, who was the focus of many classic and hilarious moments on the legendary sitcom.

Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)

Jason Sudeikis is the kind of SNL performer who could make the Devil himself seem likable, which is why he was the perfect choice for the charming lead of the Ted Lasso cast for Apple TV+. Indeed, his Emmy-winning performance as the titular American football coach hired to manage an English football (a.k.a. soccer) team is key to its jubilant success.

Norm Macdonald (Dirty Work)

In 1998, the same year that the late Norm Macdonald was infamously fired from SNL, the actor came out with one of his best movies, Dirty Work. Also written by Macdonald and directed by Bob Saget, the comedy about a man who literally becomes a specialist in the business of revenge has gained a cult following despite getting bad reviews in the 90s.

Kenan Thompson (D2: The Mighty Ducks)

Before he became one of the longest-running SNL cast members, Kenan Thompson was part of Nickelodeon’s more kid-friendly sketch comedy, All That. However, before then, the Emmy winner made his acting debut in one of the greatest hockey movies, D2: the Mighty Ducks as the inventor of the Knuckle Puck, Russ.

Ana Gasteyer (Happiest Season)

As the creator of beloved sketches like “NPR’s Delicious Dish” and the astonishing ability to hide when sketches don’t go as planned, Ana Gasteyer’s SNL days do not get talked about enough. In 2020, she appeared alongside the Happiest Season cast in a brief, but memorable, role in the acclaimed LGBTQ+ romance dramedy.

Fred Armisen (Portlandia)

While he was still on SNL, Fred Armisen was the driving force of a whole different kind of sketch comedy series called Portlandia. In partnership with non-SNL sketch comedy actor Carrie Brownstein, the pair poked fun at life in Portland in a Monty Python-esque style of quirky and bizarre bits.

Tim Meadows (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping)

Despite his impressively long tenure, Tim Meadows is one of the most criminally underrated SNL actors and his big-screen presence is no different. Case in point: even one of his most prominent movie roles is from a vastly underrated, mockumentary-style comedy, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, from 2106 as Harry, manager to conner4real (Andy Samberg).

Tracy Morgan (30 Rock)

How fitting that one of Tracy Morgan’s greatest successes after being a sketch comedy show performer was playing a sketch comedy show performer. The comic stole every scene in creator and star Tina Fey’s brilliantly surreal broadcasting satire, 30 Rock, as over-the-top actor, Tracy Jordan.

Aidy Bryant (Shrill)

Even before she left SNL (a bit later than she anticipated as a result of Covid-19), Aidy Bryant had already ventured on with a series of her own called Shrill. The actor received an Emmy nomination for her performance on the Hulu original comedy (which she also co-created) as an overweight journalist aspiring to change who she is inside without changing who she is outside.

Even if Saturday Night Live is what these actors are remembered best for, that does not mean it will always be the best thing they are remembered for.

When Bill Hader returned to host Saturday Night Live for a second time, in his monologue, he joked that he never realized “that first commercial after the monologue, the ones we’re in… those are fake.” All kidding aside, for the most part, we are relieved that the items featured in the long-running sketch comedy series’ commercial parodies are not real, and all it should take to understand why is a quick look at this collection of our picks for the most hilarious fake SNL products we have seen over the years.

The Super Bass-O-Matic '76

“Super Bass-O-Matic ’76” is a beloved sketch written by Dan Aykroyd, who revealed to The Food Channel that the faux infomercial in which the Not Ready For Primetime Player liquidates a whole fish, bones and all, was inspired by his aunt’s own methods for preparing such a meal. Outside of the shocking technique itself and its unappetizing results, the truly funniest thing about this product is, arguably, that it is no different from a common blender.

Happy Fun Ball

With a name like "Happy Fun Ball," one would assume that this shiny, red ball is a perfectly wholesome toy for all ages. However, once this faux ad reaches its warning disclaimer, it becomes clear that no soul should ever go near this cursed thing. 

Bag O'Glass

On a holiday edition of a program called Consumer Probe, the host (played by longtime Five-Timers Club member Candice Bergen) is reviewing products from Mainway Toys’ with shady company president, Irwin Mainway (Dan Aykroyd). The clearly inappropriate and potentially hazardous toys include a doll that ejects a sharp blade from its arms and a teddy bear that doubles as a chainsaw, but the (darkly) funniest item has to be “Bag O’Glass,” which is exactly what it sounds like it is.

Colon Blow

Late, legendary ‘90s SNL cast member Phil Hartman plays a man introduced to a cereal aptly named Colon Blow, as it contains 30,000 times the amount of fiber you would get from an average bowl of cereal. Just when he thinks the literal pyramid of cereal bowls he is balancing on could not get higher, the announcer tells him about Super Colon Blow, which equates to two-and-a-half-million bowls of Hartman’s preferred brand in fiber content.

Almost Pizza

Bill Hader plays a man who assumes his wife (played by Kristen Wiig) has baked a pizza for dinner, but grows increasingly concerned when she tells him it is not really pizza, but “Almost Pizza.” It is never revealed what the product actually is, but it is most definitely not edible, appears to have a mind of its own, and was distributed by Pfizer.

Toilet Death Ejector 

In one of John Mulaney’s best SNL sketches (not counting his musical skits), he points out how embarrassing it must be when elderly people die on the toilet before introducing a solution: the Toilet Death Ejector. Just push a button on the side right as your final moment approaches and it will (hopefully) launch you right into bed before dropping an acclaimed book near you for a more dignified place to be found by a loved one.

Mom Jeans

It’s funny how a certain style of a certain article of clothing can be so closely associated with a certain demographic, such as high-waisted jeans with mothers. However, as writer and star Tina Fey revealed to Jess Cage on Sirius XM, she wasn’t even a mother when she came up with the “Mom Jeans” sketch, which was inspired by a “really unfortunate pair of jeans” she bought at J. Crew on Studio 8H’s writing night.

Wells For Boys

While some young boys like to play catch with their friends or go on bike rides, others may want to spend their days contemplating their inner thoughts and feelings, which is what this Well playset is for. The commercial, starring Academy Award winner Emma Stone as the central boy’s mother, also highlights more from Fisher Price’s Sensitive Boys line, including a balcony for making announcements and a broken mirror for reflecting on their inner complexities.

CNN Pregnancy Test 

CNN is devoted to keeping you constantly updated about a certain developing topic even when they do not have any new information to provide. SNL poked fun at this habit with a faux ad for a digital pregnancy test developed by the cable news channel that takes a really long time to give hopeful parents their results but keeps them updated on its lack of an answer all the way through.

Nelson's Baby Toupees

A lack of hair is nothing that an infant should be worried about, but according to this fake ad from SNL’s 31st season, it is just as concerning as male pattern baldness. Thus, Nelson’s Baby Toupees have been developed to help babies achieve the confidence they are not old enough to acknowledge by giving them the hair they won’t need for years.

Duolingo For Talking To Children 

In his faux ad, Academy Award nominee and Twilight movies star Kristen Stewart plays a woman who embarrasses herself trying to speak to a child. This leads her to turn to an edition of language learning software Duolingo specifically designed to help non-parents relate to their younger peers.  

Undercover Office Potty 

For anyone who ever felt they lost valuable time at work due to restroom breaks, the Undercover Office Potty offers a solution to discreetly relieve yourself without ever leaving your desk. However, the smell emitting from the portable toilet disguised as a lamp turns out to be not so subtle, especially when you crowd your desk with them like Beck Bennett’s office worker in this faux ad.

GE Big Boy Home Appliances 

Kitchen appliances and cleaning materials are not typically marketed toward men, but, to keep up with changing times, General Electric intends to change that in this sketch starring Jason Momoa and his smoldering eyes. The company’s line of “Big Boy” Home Appliances includes a dishwasher with a 70-pound steel door, a six-foot-tall washing machine, and a vacuum you can ride like a lawnmower.

Brownie Husband

Tina Fey stars in this ad for a new product from Duncan Hines created for single women looking for more than just a nice evening dessert. With Brownie Husband, in 90 seconds, you can have the man of your heart (and your stomach) desires. 

Santi-Wrap 

This bit from SNL’s second season takes the concept of using toilet seat covers over tissue for sanitary protection and applies it to sitting on a department store Santa’s lap. Laraine Newman plays a woman who actually starts placing tissues on the lap of John Belushi’s boozy Santa before her husband (played by Dan Aykroyd) tells her she should use “Santi-Wrap” instead.

24-Hour Energy For Dating Actresses

At a time when people began taking 5-Hour Energy Shots to just make it through a workday, SNL introduced the idea of a shot that gives the consumer a full 24 hours. However, the faux ad that accompanies the product is targeted toward men who cannot match the energy of their partners, who act for a living.

Swiffer Sleepers 

Household chores cut in significantly with the time you could be spending with your children, which is where “Swiffer Sleepers” come in. Amy Poehler stars in this Season 28 bit as a mother who is able to make the kids clean the floor (and elsewhere), and have fun doing it, by rolling around in special pajamas from the makers of the Swiffer Sweeper.

Starbucks Verismo

This ad imagines what might happen if Starbucks developed a home coffee maker that replicates the experience of ordering from one of its locations as authentically as possible. It seems to work a little too well, based on how Vanessa Bayer’s character, Martha, discovers the name “Amorfa” written on her mug and receives tea instead of the latte she wanted.

The Love Toilet

For the most inseparable couples who take pleasure in doing literally everything together, The Love Toilet is just what their bathroom is missing. The massive, dual-bowl porcelain throne even comes with just one flushing plunger so both partners can go together at the same time.

Closet Organizer

Out of the many potential methods to organize your closet, one of the more unlikely is hiring a living person dressed in a blue jumpsuit (played here by Will Forte) to frantically scramble to put away whatever you literally throw at him. This sketch was actually referenced in a later sketch from the same episode where a bar patron (played by host and then Mad Men cast member Jon Hamm) recognizes a stranger as “the Closet Organizer guy.”

Amazon Echo Silver 

Because the virtual assistant is a technology still somewhat in its infancy, it is perfectly understandable why older people may have a challenging time adapting to an invention that has only existed for a small chunk of their lifetime. Therefore, the Amazon Echo Silver — a version of the device specifically designed for elders that conveniently answers to names just close enough to “Alexa” — actually sounds like a thoughtful idea.

Alan

In this SNL Season 40 sketch that was originally cut for time, a married couple (played by Taran Killam and Vaness Bayer) is gifted with the “future of casual entertainment”, a human-like dancing robot in a clear box referred to as “The Alan” (host Bill Hader). However, they more learn about this already confusing product, the more difficult it is to be entertained by it.

Mom Celebrity Translator 

A device that helps decipher the celebrity your mom is attempting to name is the kind of fake SNL product we imagine a lot of viewers wished was real when the sketch first aired during Season 34. The concept is already hilariously relatable enough, but the mispronounced names featured — such as “Kite Carbinaw” instead of Kim Kardashian or Jake Gyllenhaal wrongly identified as “Joe Geronimo” — make it even better.

Dissing Your Dog

Dale Sturtevant (Will Ferrell) introduces a revolutionary new puppy training program based on the belief that canines are more receptive to sarcasm and put-downs than we might assume and can be conditioned out of certain behaviors that way. If only it was that easy.

Beta Force

At first, this sketch appears to be a faux ad for a testosterone supplement that is refreshingly and brutally honest about its negative psychological effects on middle-aged men. That is until you learn it is actually meant to promote a different supplement called Beta Force, which is designed to counteract those effects and, thankfully, make the user his old self again.

Leave Me Alurn

Rachel Brosnahan stars in this ad for a fake urn of a loved one’s ashes that can help dispel unwanted attention during nature walks. We can only imagine how the writer of this sketch came up with such a dark — but, admittedly, ingenious — idea.

My Little Stepchildren

There are many dolls that are intended to be a fun way for children to imagine being a loving parent. However, this bit that was unfortunately cut for time gives children to live out their fantasy of being a wicked step-parent.

Abilify For Candidates

This ad for a faux medicine called Ability for Candidates first aired in 2015, during the early stages of the 2016 Presidential election. The pill in question is meant to help politicians gain a more realistic perspective on their chances of getting into the White House.

Levi Wokes

Gender-neutral clothes would become common by the time this Season 43 sketch took the concept to a whole new level by introducing Levi Wokes. The revolutionary jeans do not just aim for specific gender conformity but conform to any social identity you could think of by coming in one size and one color, featuring a 180-degree zipper, and selling the pockets separately.

Aerotoilet

When a party host (Moon Knight cast member Oscar Isaac) worries about the number of guests using his bathroom, his wife (Kate McKinnon) tells him they can use their Aerotoilet. The inflatable toilet seems to be a dream come true until it proves to be more high maintenance than a real toilet.

Wilson Trap Doors 

Everyone has had a moment at some point in which they wish they could just get rid of someone with the push of a button and Wilson Trap Doors provides that kind of relief. As the faux ad demonstrates, other trap doors can come with numerous design flaws, but this one is guaranteed to put your enemies away for good and without any mishaps.

Glitter Litter Automatic Litter Factory

For anyone who ever wished they could find a use for their cat’s droppings, the Glitter Litter Automatic Litter Factory is just what they have been looking for. This cut-for-time bit imagines a device that immediately converts kitty litter into shiny wearable jewelry.

Come to think of it, some of SNL’s best fake commercials might make for good entrepreneurial ideas.

There’s no denying that Elf is one of those Christmas movies that's great for the whole family. It's honestly perfect as is, but there's always the chance that it could be redone. If a remake of the beloved holiday classic were to happen, its casting director, Susie Farris, does apparently know who she could picture wearing the festive North Pole attire as Buddy the Elf instead of Will Ferrell. Here’s a hint: he's a beloved actor who also delighted audiences through his work on Saturday Night Live.

It’s been twenty years since the phenomenal Elf introduced audiences to Buddy, a human raised as an elf in the North Pole who sets out to meet his biological father in the Big Apple. The Anchorman star breathed incredible life into the character, but Susie Farris has a solid pick for a star that could handle a reboot. She told People that she could see none other than Bill Hader stepping into the role and explained why:

Quirky and endearing is right. The star made his mark on SNL through his wild dialogue delivery and by covering his face while playing “city correspondent” Stefon. He also has an impressive body of work, as Bill Hader’s best movies and TV shows include comedies like Superbad, Trainwreck and the IFC parody series Documentary Now! Whether the Barry actor’s characters are absurd, awkward, or sweet, the Emmy winner knows how to make it work. I can picture him embodying all of Buddy’s childlike qualities as well as the character's enthusiasm for Christmas and life in general. While Hader arguably hasn't played a character quite as energetic as Buddy, I still think he could pull it off based on his voiceover work as Flint Lockwood in the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies and as Fear in Inside Out.

Still, it’s hard to picture anyone else playing Buddy the Elf, because Will Ferrell was so flawless. The comedian absolutely gave the movie his all, and it really shows in the finished product. You want to know just how fare he went in? Well, one of the most interesting BTS facts about Ferrell's Christmas movie was that the star caused some minor traffic accidents by drivers distracted seeing a grown man traipsing around New York streets in an elf costume. And if you can believe it, the scene in which Buddy interrogates the mall Santa was all improvised by the Step Brothers actor, including the classic line “You sit on the throne of lies!” Yeah, this man is a comedic genius.

Considering what a major success the movie was, some may have expected a sequel to follow immediately. Surprisingly enough, there were talks of a sequel that ultimately got canceled due to its lead actor wanting no part of it. Will Ferrell said he turned down Elf 2 despite the large paycheck because he wasn’t interested in the sequel’s “rehashed premise.” James Caan, who played Buddy’s father Walter Hobbs, also claimed Ferrell didn’t get along with director Jon Favreau. Their contracts reportedly stipulated that the two would have to work together if a sequel were to happen. If Buddy the Elf were to be brought back, I'd love catch up with him as well as his wife, Jovie, and their daughter, Susie, and see what's transpired in their lives since the events of the movie.

If a remake were to happen though, I certainly wouldn't mind if Bill Hader were to take on the role. With this SNL alum’s history of comedic excellence he'd be a great choice for such a film. Whether that actually comes to fruition, though, remains to be seen. In the meantime, you can stream the 2003 film right now using a Hulu subscription, and it's also available to Max subscribers.

We could talk forever about our favorite SNL actors and their funniest sketches, but when was the last time we showed our appreciation for the people who were the real brains behind the operation? That is what we intend to do here as we look back at some of Saturday Night Live’s most celebrated bits and characters as we share the stories behind those who wrote them into reality.

NPR's Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls (Ana Gasteyer)

The glorious piece of suggestive comedy that is “Schweddy Balls” is just one — let alone, arguably, the funniest — edition of a recurring sketch called “NPR’s Delicious Dish,” which was the brainchild of one of its stars, Ana Gasteyer. The Happiest Season cast member recalled to NPR — of all places — that she was still part of the improv comedy troupe, The Groundlings, when gastronomic radio shows from LA called “The Splendid Table” and “Good Food” inspired her to write the bit. 

Close Encounter (Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell)

We have SNL actor Mikey Day and writing partner Streeter Seidell to thank for what is widely considered one of Kate McKinnon’s best SNL sketches, “Close Encounter.” According to Day and Seidell’s talk with Vulture, they knew that host Ryan Gosling would not be able to stop laughing at Colleen Rafferty’s horrendous experience with an alien abduction because he wasn’t able to hold it together during any of the rehearsals.

The Olympia Cafe (Don Novello)

Comedian Don Novello is best known for playing Father Guido Scarducci on SNL, but he is also the unsung hero of “The Olympia Cafe,” which some may recognize better as the “cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger” sketch. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, the bit was inspired by an actual Chicago restaurant called the Billy Goat Tavern, which Novello and the sketch’s star, John Belushi, would frequent.

Matt Foley: Van Down By The River (Chris Farley, Bob Odenkirk, And Robert Smigel)

After seeing Chris Farley perform at Second City as his character, Matt Foley, Bob Odenkirk was inspired to write the sketch that introduced the motivational speaker to SNL in 1993. However, as the former Breaking Bad cast member revealed on Hot Ones, it was Robert Smigel’s last-minute idea for Farley to fall down onto the table.

More Cowbell (Will Ferrell) 

According to Rolling Stone, the faint sound of the cowbell on Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” inspired Will Ferrell to write a now-classic sketch — that Christopher Walken believes ruined his life — revolving around the one playing the obscure instrument on the 1976 hit. He later discovered from an SNL art department employee whose father worked on the Agents of Fortune album that he had unwittingly captured the characteristics of the song’s real cowbell player… save the low-cut sweater and overzealous gyration.

Church Chat (Dana Carvey And Rosie Shuster)

On an SNL 40th Anniversary retrospective by People, Dana Carvey recalls performing as the Church Lady in his pre-SNL days at clubs, where he spontaneously improvised her famous catchphrase, “Isn’t that special?” He teamed up with writer Rosie Shuster to develop the character’s SNL debut, leading to the creation of “Church Chat” — which Carvey would revive as a host in later years.

Wayne's World (Mike Myers)

According to Primetimer, when Mike Myers showed then-SNL writers Conan O’Brien, Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, and Greg Daniels his idea for “Wayne’s World,” they politely advised him against pitching it in the writer’s room. Well, the joke is on those nobodies because the sketch — a cable access program filmed in Wayne’s (Myers) basement and co-hosted by Dana Carvey’s Garth — was a huge hit that inspired one of the best SNL movies ever.

Haunted Elevator (Ft. David S. Pumpkins) (Bobby Moynihan, Mikey Day, and Streeter Seidell)

Wanting to break free from the political-heavy humor of SNL’s 42nd season, Bobby Moynihan, Mikey Day, and Streeter Seidell — after much trial and error — crafted a sketch for the Halloween show featuring a strange man who would become one of Tom Hanks’ best SNL characters: David S. Pumpkins. According to Vulture’s oral history, the trio was astonished by the success of “this dumb, dumb thing” that even inspired an animated special on NBC the following year.

Mom Jeans (Tina Fey)

In an interview with Jess Cage for Sirius XM, Tina Fey recalls purchasing a “really unfortunate pair of jeans” at J. Crew, and she decided to use that as fuel on writing night at Studio 8H. The result was one of SNL’s funniest commercial parodies, for which the future 30 Rock cast member and creator wore a prosthetic stomach and rear end.

MacGruber (Jorma Taccone)

Played by Will Forte, easily distracted special forces agent MacGruber was first envisioned by Jorma Taccone — one-third of the Lonely Island — according to Vanity Fair’s oral history. Having later spawned a feature film and a Peacock original series, you could argue that the recurring sketch hit a level of attention that resembled the love for the TV show that inspired it, MacGyver (whose star, Richard Dean Anderson, cameoed in one edition).

Two Wild And Crazy Guys (Dan Aykroyd, Steve Martin, Marilyn Suzanne Miller)

In collaboration with writer Marilyn Suzanne Miller (according to Ultimate Classic Rock), Dan Aykroyd partnered with SNL host hall-of-famer Steve Martin to create the Festrunk Brothers, who are better known as the “wild and crazy guys!” The Czechoslovakian swingers became a staple of the show, and they would return in more recent years alongside another famous duo: Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg’s highly inappropriate R&B singers.

Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton Address the Nation (Seth Meyers)

One of SNL’s sharpest pieces of political satire sees Sen. Hillary Clinton (Amy Poehler) struggling to remain civil during a non-partisan appearance alongside Gov. Sarah Palin (Tina Fey) in response to the latter’s Vice Presidential nomination. According to Vulture, then-head writer Seth Meyers penned that legendary SNL cold open, which also featured a few jokes by Poehler and Fey and Palin’s iconic line “I can see Russia from my house,” courtesy of Late Night producer Mike Shoemaker.

Stefon (Bill Hader And John Mulaney)

At The New Yorker Festival in 2014, Bill Hader recalled how a flamboyant barista he frequently bumped into and a strange email John Mulaney received about an aspiring club owner’s bizarre ideas — including “a room full of broken glass” — were the catalysts for Stefon. Hader also mentions that he tested the character in a particularly forgettable sketch opposite host Ben Affleck before making him Weekend Update’s city correspondent. The former Barry cast lead has never been able to play the role without laughing and covering his face, thanks to Mulaney’s last-minute cue card additions and Seth Meyers’ immaculate patience.

Lazy Sunday (The Lonely Island, Chris Parnell)

Chris Parnell was SNL’s resident rap star before the emergence of The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer), which is why they asked him to collaborate on a music video about him and Samberg seeing The Chronicles of Narnia. As they recall in Variety’s oral history, “Lazy Sunday” made SNL Digital Shorts a celebrated event, skyrocketed The Lonely Island’s stardom, and, most importantly, dawned a new era of viral comedy.

The Coneheads (Dan Aykroyd)

In the book Live From New York: The Complete Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, Dan Aykroyd recalls how he was watching TV in a heightened state of mind, and he noticed that people’s heads rarely hit the top of the screen. This gave him the idea for a sketch about characters with noggins that are several inches taller than the average humans, who eventually became the out-of-this-world family known as The Coneheads. 

Celebrity Jeopardy! (Norm Macdonald)

As the late Norm Macdonald revealed to Howard Stern (via SoundCloud), we have SCTV to thank for "Celebrity Jeopardy!” The comedian — who also played Burt “Turd Ferguson” Reynolds — took inspiration from the Canadian sketch comedy series’ game show parody “Half Wits” when crafting this recurring bit featuring Will Ferrell as an Alex Trebek driven mad by absent-minded famous people and taunting from Sean Connery (Darrell Hammond).

Debbie Downer (Rachel Dratch And Paula Pell)

Rachel Dratch recalled to Salon that while vacationing she told someone at a communal dining table that she was from New York, to which the stranger replied, “Were you there for 9/11?” That ultimately inspired her to team up with Paula Pell — with whom she later reunited for Wine Country — to create the character Debbie Downer, whose debut SNL sketch did not go as planned, but was all the more memorable for it.

Spelling Bee (Will Forte)

On a Reddit AMA hosted by Will Forte (via AMATranscripts.com), one user asked if the actor’s insanely long misspelling of the word “business” in Season 31’s “Spelling Bee” was recited as written or all spontaneous. The MacGruber cast lead revealed that the bit originated from his days on the improv comedy troupe, The Groundlings, and that he would have listed off even more random letters in the SNL sketch if he wasn’t being directly followed by musical guest Neil Young.

The Ladies Man (Tim Meadows, Dennis McNicholas, and Andrew Steele)

A character as lewd and crude as Leon Phelps might not be so successful these days, but, then again, it’s hard not to be charmed by any role portrayed by Tim Meadows. While promoting the 2000 movie, The Ladies Man, the Mean Girls cast member revealed to The Crimson that the lispy voice was his biggest contribution to the character, who was initially conceived by Dennis McNicholas and Andrew Steele.

The Californians (Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, And James Anderson)

While speaking to Seth Meyers on Late Night, Bill Hader shared how he and Fred Armisen would kill time before table reads by mockingly describing how they would get around in LA while donning over-the-top West Coast accents. Sometime later, Hader learned that Armisen and writer James Anderson took that gag, made it into a soap opera, and, thus, “The Californians” was born.

Girl Watchers (Conan O'Brien, Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, And Greg Daniels) 

Retired late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien actually came up with a few of Tom Hanks’ best SNL sketches, such as “Girl Watchers,” in which the Oscar winner and Jon Lovitz comment on their losing streak with the ladies with contrarian confidence. O’Brien shared on Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, how he jokingly demonstrated this characteristic on a whim while hanging out with fellow SNL writers Robert Smigel, Bob Odenkirk, and Greg Daniels, who all worked together to turn into the classic sketch.

Hans And Franz (Kevin Nealon And Dana Carvey)

While Arnold Schwarzenegger has never hosted SNL, he would make a cameo alongside fellow Austrian bodybuilders, Hans and Franz. It probably comes as no surprise that the Terminator star — who was even interested in doing the scrapped Hans and Franz movie — is also the inspiration for the characters. Kevin Nealon told Juice that it all started when he and Dana Carvey caught an interview with the actor on TV that compelled them to talk like him for days.

Diner Lobster (John Mulaney And Colin Jost)

Season 43’s “Diner Lobster” was an instant classic that started a tradition of Broadway-inspired sketches anytime John Mulaney hosts SNL, but its road to success was longer than you may think. The comedian and Weekend Update anchor Colin Jost revealed in a featurette that they actually wrote the sketch eight years earlier, but no one wanted to touch it at the time.

Lunch Lady Land (Adam Sandler, Bob Odenkirk, Tim Herlihy, And Allen Covert)

One of Adam Sandler and Chris Farley’s funniest collaborations was a musical sketch set to a song called “Lunch Lady Land,” which the Uncut Gems star did not write himself. According to Uproxx, his co-composers were Bob Odenkirk, Tim Herlihy (father of Please Don’t Destroy’s Martin Herlihy), and Allen Covert.

Weekend Update: The Iceberg On The Sinking Of The Titanic (Bowen Yang And Anna Drezen)

The bit that made Bowen Yang one of SNL’s biggest stars was his viral “Weekend Update” appearance as the Iceberg that sank Titanic, who believes he is the real victim of the tragedy. He spoke to former SNL star-turned-Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon about how writer Anna Drezen texted him about the concept months before they decided to give it a try, despite not having much faith in it at the time.

Mary Katherine Gallagher (Molly Shannon)

Apparently, an unnamed SNL writer did not believe that Molly Shannon’s character Mary Katherine Gallagher had a chance of making it onto the show, as she told People in 2015. Luckily, the nervous schoolgirl did make it onto air and the White Lotus cast member’s energy and commitment to the role made her a hit. Even Whitney Houston would agree to appear alongside this superstar.

What Up With That? (Kenan Thompson, Bryan Tucker, And Rob Klein)

According to Rolling Stone, Kenan Thompson — the longest-running SNL cast member — came up with an idea in 2009 for a talk show host who becomes obsessively unable to stop singing his own theme song. After bringing the idea to fellow writers Bryan Tucker and Rob Klein and teaming up with musical director Katrees Barnes for the song, the idea eventually made it onto the show as “What Up With That?” which became a recurring hit.

Target Lady (Kristen Wiig)

Academy Award-nominated SNL star Kristen Wiig could be the show’s greatest female cast member, judging purely on the amount of diverse characters she has brought to the table, such as “Target Lady.” She told James Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio that the role — originally conceived for The Groundlings — was inspired by an actual Target cashier she met with an “eggy” voice.

Papyrus (Julio Torres)

Ryan Gosling gives one of his funniest performances ever in a pre-taped SNL bit as a man driven insane by the fact that the logo for one of the most popular movies of all time, Avatar, is just a modified version of the common font “Papyrus.” Julio Torres told EW that this was initially a joke he used in stand-up until the Oscar-nominated actor suggested turning it into the hilarious viral hit that even James Cameron responded to.

Super Bass-O-Matic ’76 (Dan Aykroyd)

A 12-year-old Dan Aykroyd once witnessed his aunt — a Canadian cooking show personality — dump a whole fish, bones and all, in a blender for a bouillabaisse. That story, which he revealed to The Food Channel, was his inspiration for one of his funniest faux infomercials, “Super Bass-O-Matic ’76.”

The Barry Gibb Talk Show (Jimmy Fallon, Steve Higgins, Ken Scarborough)

Out of Jimmy Fallon’s many great collaborations with Justin Timberlake, one of the funniest is “The Barry Gibb Talk Show.” While having the actual surviving Bee Gees as guests on Late Night, Fallon recalled how he and his future sidekick, Steve Higgins, actually crafted the sketch together with fellow writer Ken Scarborough, who went on to become the head writer of Sesame Street.

Foreign Man: Mighty Mouse (Andy Kaufman)

On the very first episode of SNL, Andy Kaufman appeared, nervously starring at the audience while playing the theme song to Mighty Mouse and only exhibiting a more confidant demeanor to lip-sync the lyric, “Here I come to save the day!” According to Fandom’s SNL wiki page, the very bizarre bit — something totally on brand for the legendary comedian — was a branch of his character known as “Foreign Man,” which was one of his earlier and most iconic acts.

If you have ever found yourself watching one of these classic SNL sketches and wondered who came up with these ideas and how, now you know.

While Saturday Night Live is constantly changing with the times, one segment that’s remained a constant throughout the decades is Weekend Update. The bit anchored by a cast member or two goes over the headlines of the week, and also features a cast of characters visiting the desk. From Bill Hader’s viral character Stefon and Gilda Radner’s legendary Roseanne Roseannadanna, the list of Weekend Update guests is extensive and incredible, here are 32 of the most iconic characters to appear on the SNL segment.

Stefon (Bill Hader) 

Do you need to know what “New York’s hottest club” is? Well, Bill Hader’s Stefon has you covered. Famously, this beloved character was written by Hader and John Mulaney, after he received a weird email, and the latter would add outrageous lines at the last minute to try and make the actor crack up. It almost always worked, leading to Stefon covering his hands with his face in that signature pose. Overall, the voice, the look, and all those absolutely wild club descriptions are what led to Stefon becoming one of the most iconic SNL characters. 

The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started A Conversation With At A Party (Cecily Strong) 

While I think it’s safe to say none of us would actually want to run into Cecily Strong’s The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started A Conversation With At A Party, when she showed up on Weekend Update to bug Seth Meyers, it sure was funny. Her sporadic thinking and sassy tone mixed with the fact that most people have probably been lured into a conversation like this makes her such a fabulous Update guest. 

The Iceberg On The Sinking Of The Titanic (Bowen Yang) 

For the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, Bowen Yang played the iceberg that sank it. However, the iceberg was not there to talk about the tragic event, he was there to promote his new album Music. Eventually, he defended himself though, because, as he put it, the boat “came to where I live, and you hit me.” It’s an ultra-sassy and completely iconic sketch that has easily become a modern SNL classic.

Pete Davidson 

SNL helped launch Pete Davidson’s career in TV and movies, and some of his best bits came when he showed up as himself on Weekend Update. He’d come on to talk about his own life, politics, and more, and every time he’d kill it with his signature sense of humor. 

Marcello Hernández

Before Marcello Hernández’s killer sketches with Bad Bunny made many realize he should be a full-time player, it was his Weekend Update bits that had me convinced he was going to be an SNL star. In his first season on the sketch show (Season 48) he made a few appearances at the desk as himself. His infectious energy and comedic physicality are hysterical.

The Trump Brothers (Mikey Day and Alex Moffat)  

During Donald Trump’s presidency, Alex Moffat played Eric Trump and Mikey Day played Donald Trump Jr., and they would come onto Weekend Update to discuss their father’s political career. Day’s brother takes over, and speaks in a fairly diplomatic way, while Moffat plays the other brother, who never says the right thing. And that’s all funny, but what makes this bit iconic is Eric trying to mimic his brother and his silly comments about his dad and the state of the world. 

Peyton Manning Explaining Emily In Paris

While he wasn’t an A-list host during this episode (although he did nail it when he hosted), Peyton Manning was brought on to Weekend Update as a guest to talk about football in 2022. However, he’d been binge-watching the new season of Emily in Paris, and he needed to talk about it. Using NFL lingo to describe the “plays” that were going on during the Netflix show, he's the last person you ever expected to describe this series, explained it, and the lessons he learned while watching, in the funniest way. To this day, if Emily in Paris is brought up, you better believe that Peyton Manning’s recap is also at the top of mind.

Drunk Uncle (Bobby Moynihan)

It’s highly likely we all know someone who is like Drunk Uncle, which is probably why he’s so funny. Typically, around the holidays, Bobby Moynihan would play this inebriated family member, and he’d come to lament to Seth Meyers about technological advancements, kids these days, and his general frustrations with how the world has changed. 

Sarah Sherman 

Every time Sarah Sherman rolls up to the Update desk, you know you're in for a treat, because she’s about to roast Colin Jost! Sherman and the ensemble of Season 47 were one of SNL’s best casts, and that’s in part because of how committed they are to their bits. And let me tell you, this is on full display when you see the hilarious camaraderie between Sherman and Jost as she absolutely demolishes him. 

Cathy Anne (Cecily Strong)

Any time there was major breaking news (that was typically political) the lady who was always yelling out Michael Che’s window, Cathy Anne, would come up to talk about it. Using a silly Southern accent and wild hand gestures, Cecily Strong’s character would share her hot takes, and some absolutely unhinged stories. 

The Devil (Jason Sudeikis) 

These days we know Jason Sudeikis as the titular character on one of Apple TV+’s best shows, Ted Lasso. However, before that, he was playing tons of fun characters on SNL, including this Weekend Update staple, The Devil. He’d come on to talk about the controversial news of the week, and how it’s impacting his work as the leader of the underworld. 

Trend Forecasters (Aidy Bryant and Bowen Yang) 

If you need to know what is “in” and “out,” Aidy Bryant and Bowen Yang’s Trend Forecasters are here to help. The two self-proclaimed trendy characters would come on Update to aggressively go over the trends of the season, and passionately tell the audience what is “in,” before looking deep into the camera and dramatically explaining what is “out.” 

Garth and Kat (Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig) 

Even though Garth and Kat were never prepared, they were always hysterical, and that’s why Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig’s musical bit worked so well. For years, they’d show up at the desk to sing some holiday songs, however, the catch was, that they were never written in advance. What resulted was hilariously chaotic improvised tunes that only these two incredible comedians could have come up with. 

Jacob Silj (Will Ferrell)

Jacob Silj is the state department attache who suffers from voice immodulation. This means whenever Will Ferrell’s character came on to update the world about the state of politics he couldn’t control the pitch or volume of his voice. 

Nicolas Cage and Nicolas Cage (Andy Samberg and Nicolas Cage)

“Get in the Cage with Nicolas Cage” had been an ongoing bit Andy Samberg did for a long time, and then, in 2012, the legendary actor joined him for it. However, the twist is, the real Nicolas Cage is playing a clone of himself, and Samberg’s version is the “real” version. However, throughout the sketch, the real actor, who is well aware he’s a meme legend, roasts both himself and the comedian's impression of him. 

Jebidiah Atkinson (Taran Killam) 

Taran Killam’s 1860s newspaper critic Jebidiah Atkinson would appear from time to time to chat about his passionate takes on both historic moments, like the Gettysburg Address, and more modern pop culture topics, like holiday movies. His opinions were brutal and hysterical, and every moment was always topped off with him aggressively yelling “Next!” and throwing his note card into the wind.  

Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song

“Put on your yarmulke, it’s time for Hanukkah!” Adam Sandler sang in 1994 to celebrate the Jewish holiday. During the tune, the comedian names various celebrities who are Jewish, half Jewish, a quarter Jewish and not Jewish to an extremely catchy melody.  It was a hit then, and it’s a hit now. Even after all these years, Sandler sings his legendary song live, and it’s always present during SNL’s holiday specials. Talk about iconic.

Jacob the Bar Mitzvah Boy (Vanessa Bayer)

It was always fun when Seth Meyers would welcome his podiatrist’s son, Jacob, to teach the audience about Judaism. Vanessa Bayer played the nervous boy who would bring his little folder to the desk, nervously read it, and then crack some cheesy, yet brilliant, jokes.  

Tim Calhoun (Will Forte) 

Will Forte’s soft-spoken Tim Calhoun would appear on Weekend Update every once in a while to explain why everyone should vote for him for president. However, the thing is, he’s not that good at talking, he would occasionally use song lyrics to convey a point, and he tended to lose his place in his notecards while speaking directly into the microphone using a very funny ASMR-like voice. 

Guy Who Just Bought A Boat And Guy Who Just Joined Soho House (Alex Moffat and Ryan Gosling)

While Ryan Gosling has been serving Ken-ergy ever since Barbie, he was also unintentionally showing off big Ken energy long before he got the role. This happened when he joined Alex Moffat on Weekend Update to play Guy Who Just Bought A Boat’s friend, Guy Who Just Joined Soho House. Greta Gerwig even admitted that she saw his potential to play Ken through his performances on SNL on the SmartLess podcast, specifically referencing this great Weekend Update bit where these two sleazy dudes talk about their bougie lives.  

Roseanne Roseannadanna (Gilda Radner)

One of Gilda Radner’s greatest SNL sketches was her bit as Update’s health correspondent Roseanne Roseannadanna, especially when she came on to talk about smoking. Yelling to the camera, Radner would give audience members advice and tell stories as her outspoken correspondent. Her character is so legendary Emma Stone even recreated the OG Update personality for SNL’s 40th reunion. 

Bennett Brauer (Chris Farley)

Chris Farley’s character Bennett Brauer rolled up to the desk to tell Kevin Nealon his latest commentary. Using lots of air quotes, he spent the majority of his segment commenting on himself, until he quite literally flew away. In true Farley fashion, it was a physical comedy masterclass.

Opera Man (Adam Sandler)

If you want to have your news sung to you, Adam Sandler’s Opera Man has you covered. With a thick accent, a white handkerchief and some very useful captions, the performer relayed the current events, ending every phrase with “oh” so they all rhymed. 

A Grumpy Old Man (Dana Carvey) 

He’s “old” and he’s “not happy” about the world being “improved.” Dana Carvey’s Grumpy Old Man bit has big “back in my day we had to walk uphill both ways” energy, and he brought that aggressive vibe to the Update Desk in the funniest ways. 

Baby Yoda (Kyle Mooney)

Whenever there was Star Wars news to talk about, Kyle Mooney’s Baby Yoda would visit the Update desk to chat about his fame and success. The over-the-top prosthetics the comedian wore were truly impressive and juxtaposed with Baby Yoda’s hype beast mentality, the bit is hysterical. 

Dr. Wenowdis (Kate McKinnon)

Any time Weekend Update needed a medical expert, especially in 2020 or 2021, Kate McKinnon’s Dr. Wenowdis would show up to tell us if “Wenowdis” or “this, we do not nowdis.” While the bit itself is very funny as the comedian talked about various medical situations, what makes it iconic is when both McKinnon and Colin Jost would break and start laughing over it all. 

Bailey Gismert (Heidi Gardner)

Heidi Gardner’s Bailey Gismert is Update’s teen movie critic, and she’s the star of her YouTube channel “Bailey at the Movies.” She’s kind of a nervous wreck, but what teen wouldn’t be if they ended up on Weekend Update? And while she’s there to talk about movies, it almost always ends with her trying to flirt with Michael Che. 

Leslie Jones

Over the course of Leslie Jones' run on Saturday Night Live she appeared on Weekend Update to share her thoughts on topics like “her perfect man,” “vacation,” “being hacked,” “summer beach bodies,” and so much more. She was also the segment’s “relationship expert,” and her commentary on love, dating and relationships was always entertaining. 

Emily Litella (Gilda Radner)

During the first season of SNL, Gilda Radner’s Emily Litella would appear on Update to give her editorial replies. However, she typically misunderstood what she was responding to, which would lead to her creating a response centered around the wrong topic, like violins instead of violence, for example. 

Rebecca LaRue (Kristen Wiig)

If you need a flirting expert, Rebecca LaRue probably isn’t your gal, despite her title, but boy is she funny. During the viral SNL sketch, Kristen Wiig used her physical comedy skills to make the audience crack up as she waved her arms in the air, winked constantly, and tried desperately to flirt with Seth Meyers.

Tommy Flanagan (Jon Lovitz) 

Jon Lovitz’s Tommy Flanagan, the president of Pathological Liars, would come on Weekend Update to talk about the news and how lies play into them. The thing is, he’s also lying the whole entire time.  

Mr. Subliminal (Kevin Nealon) 

Before he started anchoring Weekend Update, Kevin Nealon played Mr. Subliminal. As he shared his take on news, at the end of each sentence, he’d share his hot takes by sliding in one-word quips. 

As you can see, there are so many iconic characters played by legendary comedians, actors and even athletes. Weekend Update has been a constant on Saturday Night Live since the beginning, and it along with the cast of characters who sit at the desk, help make the sketch comedy show what it is. 

Barry has come to an end – and if you're curious about what the cast will be up to next, this is the article for you.

If you were like me over the last few years, HBO has become your life. From one of the best fantasy shows out there, House of the Dragon, to the world of The Last of Us coming to life in T.V. form, HBO has amazing shows, and one happens to be Barry.

Created by Bill Hader, Barry was a show about a hitman finding his passion in acting when he went to L.A. for a job, and the drama unfolded from there. Four seasons have come and gone, wrapping up with the Barry finale, and now the actors are all doing new things. 

But what movies and T.V. shows should you look out for? Here is what the Barry cast will be up to in the next few years. 

Bill Hader (Barry Berkman)

You can't have Barry without Barry himself, played by Bill Hader, who also created the show and wrote, directed and produced episodes. Honestly, Barry is undoubtedly one of Bill Hader's best TV shows. 

Hader has done a lot over the years since Barry began. Among that includes appearing in the Lightyear cast, as well as a small cameo role in the Ari Aster film Beau is Afraid. He also held a voice role in the film IF. 

Coming up, Bill Hader will be starring as The Cat in a new The Cat in the Hat adaptation, according to The Hollywood Reporter in March 2024, which already has a release date of March 6, 2026. And now I’m even more excited.   

Stephen Root (Monroe Fuches)

Monroe Fuches was one of the most aggravating, annoying characters I have ever had the misfortune to witness on my television screen. And Stephen Root played Barry's old "friend" and later enemy for the whole series excellently. 

Root has appeared in various T.V. shows over the last few years aside from Barry, such as a guest starring role on Clone High, Praise Petey, Hamster & Gretel, and more. He also had a small guest role on another hit HBO show, Succession, and had a main role in Master of the Universe: Revelation

Aside from his parts in the last few years, Root will appear in two new films. One will be called Heads of State according to Deadline. He will also star in a new film called Playdate, which was reported by Deadline in April 2024, where he will star alongside Sarah Chalke, Alan Tudyk and more. 

Sarah Goldberg (Sally Reed)

Sally was one of the main reasons Barry ended up staying in California in the pilot episode, thanks to how kind she was – and it later ended up becoming her biggest mistake in Barry. Sarah Goldberg brought that character to life with her brilliant acting for all four seasons. 

Goldberg has appeared in a few films and TV shows since Barry began, including the TV series Sisters, and the movies The Hummingbird Project, The Report, Rogue Agent, and more. 

The Barry actress confirmed she wrapped a new film called We Strangers in an interview with CherryPicks in May 2023, which had its festival debut at South by Southwest in March 2024, according to Deadline. An official release date has not been announced. 

Anthony Carrigan (NoHo Hank)

Arguably, NoHo Hank was one of the most memorable characters from Barry, and you can't deny that Anthony Carrigan's performance was as unique as the memorable crime boss. For four seasons, he ruled the streets – with impeccable fashion and hilarious one-liners. 

Since Barry began, Carrigan has appeared in movies like Fatherhood, Bill & Ted Face the Music, and Killer Whalers. He has done plenty of voice work, too, like Captain Fall and the fun Scooby-Doo film Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! In 2024, he appeared in the film McVeigh. 

Like many of his co-stars, Carrigan already has some stuff lined up. His most significant role is that he will play Rex Mason in the upcoming Superman: Legacy cast. Carrigan will also have a role in the upcoming A24 film, Death of a Unicorn, according to Deadline. 

And, what’s even more exciting is that he will be in Twisted Metal Season 2, and returning back to TV once more, according to Variety. 

Henry Winkler (Gene Cousineau)

Let's be honest and say that Henry Winkler was hands down one of the best additions to the Barry cast from the first time we saw him as Gene Cousineau. In my attempt to catch up to Barry Season 4, he was easily one of my favorite parts.

In addition to his work on Barry, Winkler has done voice acting in shows like Rugrats, The Legend of Vox Machina and Human Resources. He also guest-starred in an episode of Family Guy, and had a guest appearance on the Netflix show, Quarterback. He was also a part of the Black Adam cast, where he played Uncle Al. 

So far, there’s nothing announced in terms of movies and TV coming up, but Winkler released a memoir back in 2023, and he’s going on tour for the paperback release of it this year, according to his Twitter, so if you want to meet the iconic actor in person, now’s your chance. 

Robert Wisdom (Jim Moss)

Jim Moss was one of those characters that became a significant deal in the later seasons. The father of the Season 1 character, Detective Janice Moss, is one of the reasons why Barry ended up arrested. 

Robert Wisdom, who played Jim Moss, appeared in several other TV shows during his time on the series, including Accused and Black Bird. The actor also had a guest role in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. 

According to IndieWire in June 2024, Wisdom will appear in a new film called Dreams & Nightmares, from Shatara Michelle Ford, so keep an eye out for that.  

Sarah Burns (Mae Dunn)

The last character to talk about on this list has to be Mae Dunn, who was the detective who took over Janice's case after she died and was one of the prominent people who aided in getting Barry behind bars. Sara Burns played this role. 

The actress has appeared in Werewolves Within and Moving On since she began Barry. She also appeared in the 2024 film Unfrosted, and the TV series, Chad. So far she has nothing new coming up, but we’ll be sure to update you when she does.  

With such a talented cast, I'm sure it won't be long before we see them all again in incredible movies and T.V. shows. Until then, I'm content just rewatching the series over and over. Here's to Barry, and its excellent four-season run.  

So I finally watched all of Barry – and man, I have some thoughts. 

Anyone who knows me understands that Barry isn't the typical show I would gravitate towards. I'm a huge fan of fantasy, so I'll watch and enjoy the best fantasy shows, whether rewatching Game of Thrones or checking out something new. I'm also a huge fan of family dramas, so you can believe I love the Succession cast and that show's ending. 

But the one type of genre that took me a while to get into was dark comedy, namely because I hadn't had the chance to watch that many that were super good. Then Barry came along, and I quickly binged the first few seasons. While I wrote the guide for Barry Season 4, I didn't have time to watch it with the amount of television releasing physically – because there was so much. 

But now, I am finally caught up on Barry Season 4. And oh my goodness, I was captivated from head to toe. Let's talk about it. 

Bill Hader's Performance Was Absolutely Amazing

The thing with Bill Hader is that anything the man touches is usually gold. Not only was he famous for his time on Saturday Night Live, Hader has done some incredible movies and shows where he's shown his talent. 

But nothing has been better than Barry. No matter what you say or do, I don't think Hader could surpass his work on this show, especially in Season 4. He somehow portrayed the perfect amount of emotion and depth within his eyes while also keeping his face stoic most of the time. 

Eventually the cracks form more, especially at the beginning of Season 4. We start to see how Barry's past crimes have caught up to him regarding Janice's murder and how he speaks with people outside of prison. He's losing who he is daily, and he doesn't know if he will be able to bring that back. He attempts to with the last few episodes, but that falls apart as well. 

Hader brought that character to the forefront, showing just how impeccable his range is. It's no surprise he's won a Primetime Emmy for his performance. I'd be shocked if he didn't win one for this season, too. 

And Somehow Everything Fell Apart At The Perfect Time

The way that everything just seemed to fall apart at the same time was just perfect. 

That one episode, "it takes a psycho," was unlike any TV episode I have seen in a long time. Everything was intense and built up so much that everything came crashing down quickly. 

Barry's escape from prison directly leads to him arriving at Sally's apartment, leading to them running away. Cristobal's death comes so soon after Hank betrays his trust. Even the way Fuches is beaten up sets up so much. 

Everything is explained in the next few episodes, but I was on the edge of my seat for most of this. I couldn't believe the amount of stuff that happened in a half hour. 

Also, Cristobal's Death Actually Made Me Cry

This is such a random thing to say, but I will fully say that Cristobal's death made me sob. 

I did not expect to cry as much as when Cristobal was shot. I didn't think I was this invested in Hank and Cristobal's relationship. But his death came so suddenly after Hank's betrayal, and everything crashed in a moment of fire. 

I think what got to me was Hank's reaction. Yeah Hank is a criminal, but most people on this show are, and to be frank, he was one of the few that I feel had actual human emotions and was a good guy beneath it all. And he truly loved Cristobal. Seeing him realize that his lover would be killed for going against what Hank did was heartbreaking. 

Who knew that I would get so involved in the relationship of two crime leaders? You learn something new every day. 

That Time Jump Confused The Heck Out Of Me

For the entirety of "tricky legacies," I was dead set on thinking this was all some strange illusion. I didn't believe Sally would ever run away with Barry. But when the episode continued, and there was no sign of stopping, I started to realize this was real. Very real. 

I was in shock at first because I couldn't believe the show had skipped eight years, and Barry and Sally seemed to be two completely different people. But at the same time, it honestly did make sense. 

Sally said that she felt safe with Barry, somehow. That, and she was also experiencing some bad mental health during the end of Barry Season 3 – we all saw that freaky scene that felt like a horror movie. 

It still threw me for a loop, considering how often Barry imagines things in his head. Of course, in the end, one of his visions is real. 

But We Need to Talk About The Ending Because Wow 

The Barry ending was almost perfect in my eyes. It summed up so many plot points and threads that I needed to see concluded before the very end of the show. 

Hank joined Cristobal in death, holding his statue hand as he died at his new business, which he started in honor of Cristobal. And then there was Fuches, who was let go by Barry. He was determined to kill his former partner, but Barry let him live because Fuches let Barry's son, John, live. It was the perfect way to end their story. Even Sally staying at home, working independently, and not dating anyone is an excellent way to end her story.

But the best was Barry's ending, because yes. Yes, he needed to die. I stand by that. I didn't expect it to be so sudden, but Gene being his undoing was the best part of it. This mess started because Barry walked in on Gene's acting class, and everything changed afterward. It was perfect for Gene to take him out. 

The next part, however, is when it gets messy. 

And That Final Shot Makes Me Feel… Uncomfortable

The final minutes of the Barry series finale feature John growing up as a teenager and watching a movie that was supposedly based on his father's life. But in this movie, Barry is painted as a good man, and Gene is shown to be the murderer.

The film later revealed that Gene went to prison for killing Barry and that investigators wrongly convicted him of Janice's murder after they took him into custody in Season 4. They laid Barry to rest at Arlington Cemetery with full honors. That revelation is insane and makes me uncomfortable because it's nowhere near the truth.

But that's the right way to play it. Even if I'm not super satisfied, that ending shows what happens when society starts to get involved in the lives of murderers and watch glamorized documentaries on them. While this is a dramatized version, it's clear that the story gets twisted in more ways than one, and everything can fall apart quickly because that is the fragility of life. 

The fact that John will never know his father's true crimes is sad because I doubt Sally will tell him – which makes this so sad because now, the world sees Barry as the good person and Gene as evil.

But Overall, I Don't Think There Will Ever Be Another Show Like Barry

Even so, there's no other way I would have played out this radical Season 4 of Barry. It was the best way to do it, and I wouldn't change that much aside from John never learning about who his father was. I’m happy Barry ended with Season 4.

This show took me for a ride up and down and sideways until I was shaken up at the very end and spat out with a message about society and how the media glamorizes true crime. It almost made me not want to watch true crime shows anymore because I can't count how many killers I've seen shows about. 

The series touched a part of me I didn't expect and was one of the best dark comedies I've seen in years, but it also took a dramatic turn I wasn't expecting – and I seriously enjoyed it. I don't think there could ever be another show like Barry – maybe one day we'll see something similar, but for now, this stands above the rest. 

Keeping track is hard with so many TV shows, but I'm happy I could finish this. And now, I can thoroughly recommend the whole series to anyone who still needs to watch it. Truly awesome. 

Stream Barry on Max. 

Before you yell at me, I know Superbad is one of the best movies of the 2000s, and I’m well aware that Evan Goldberg’s and Seth Rogen’s comedy is considered one of the greatest films within the genre. However, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and mine is that I had a really hard time liking this coming-of-age comedy. 

Going into my first viewing of this movie I really thought I’d like it. I was coming off the high of 2019’s Booksmart, and hearing all about how it was a lot like the comedy starring Jonah Hill and Michael Cera. I was riding a high, I loved the comedy from Olivia Wilde, and I figured I’d love the 2007 classic too. I also adore the entire cast of Superbad and I tend to like most movies in this genre. However, I hated Superbad the first time around. 

So, in an effort to prove my original opinion wrong, because I feel like I should love this movie, I gave Superbad a second chance. And while I liked it more on this rewatch, there are still elements to this film I hate. However, there are some delightful silver linings too. 

Jonah Hill’s Character Is Insufferable 

Let me start by saying that I can’t stand Seth, the character, not Jonah Hill, the actor. In fact, 21 Jump Street is one of my favorite comedies, and I tend to enjoy most of Hill’s movies. With that out of the way, I think I can now safely say that his character in Superbad is insufferable, and the primary reason I don’t like this movie. I’m not exaggerating when I say that just about every single time he was on screen I wanted to turn the movie off. Seth is a whiney, immature and self-centered dude, and I genuinely couldn’t take his complaining. 

Let’s take the scene where they find out about Fogell’s fake ID for example. Both Seth and Evan are understandably mad that their friend decided to just go by McLovin and claim he was 25. However, Evan handled the situation in a much calmer way, and there was really no reason for Seth to yell: 

I didn’t find it funny, I found it aggressive. Seth had already yelled at the kid enough, this was excessive, and moments like this happen consistently during Superbad. 

What really bothered me the most about him was how he blamed literally everything on others. He never really took the blame on himself, and he didn’t try to help his friends when they failed, instead, he just screamed at them. Now, we can blame this on him being a teenager, however, that’s no excuse. His pal, Evan, is a sweetheart, and while he shouldn’t have kept his rooming situation a secret, Seth had no reason to push him around and be rude to him for the entire movie (with the exception of the final few minutes). 

Superbad Is A Product Of Its Time, And I Am Not Of That Time 

Superbad came out in 2007, and you can tell for a couple of reasons, one that’s problematic and one that’s not really its fault. Nevertheless, it’s a major reason I didn’t like the movie. 

On a few occasions, they used ableist and homophobic remarks, and the way the men talk about women in many scenes can be pretty degrading. I realize that when this movie came out, all of this was not necessarily frowned upon in the way it is now. However, I couldn’t look over it for that reason. 

Along with some of the problematic elements of the movie, this issue with it being a product of its time also comes down to a simple difference in generational humor. I was 8 years old when Superbad came out, and I am not exactly part of the generation it was targeting. In my mind, a movie like Booksmart, which came out in 2019 and is about two high school girls going on a Superbad-like adventure, is way funnier. However, I also realize that my lived experience matches that of Amy and Molly's more than Seth and Evan’s for a myriad of reasons, one of the major ones being that the early 2000s and what was funny then is different than what’s funny now.  

Respectful King Michael Cera Is At His Funniest When He’s Not With Jonah Hill 

I’ve always loved Michael Cera, and this movie was just another reason why. However, my minor bone to pick with this situation is that while he was hilarious it was only when he wasn’t with Jonah Hill’s Seth, which wasn’t often. 

Seth is such a strong personality, and Evan is quite introverted. So, when they shared a scene, it was overwhelmingly run by Hill’s character as he yelled at Cera’s. However, with that said, there were still many hilarious moments from Cera, and he truly was a highlight of this movie for me. 

Easily, the scene in Superbad that had me laughing the hardest was when Evan got stuck in a room with a bunch of scary older men, and they forced him to sing. Cera singing “These Eyes” is peak comedy, and that’s just a fact in my book. 

On top of his hilarious physical comedy moments, Evan is also a sweetheart and super respectful. Not only is his scene with Becca really funny, it also shows that Cera's character really cares about this girl, and he just wants to do right by her.

From Scott Pilgrim vs. the World to Juno to Arrested Development to Barbie, I’ve always had a deep love and appreciation for Michael Cera, and this movie made that even stronger…But I wish he would have had more scenes where he wasn’t forced to listen to Seth complain. 

McLovin And The Cops Are The Reason I Kept Watching Superbad

Even before I saw Superbad, I knew about McLovin. Who didn’t? He was a cultural phenomenon, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s performance is one of the reasons this movie wasn’t completely terrible. His plotline of trying to buy alcohol and then befriending Officer Slater (Bill Hader) and Officer Michaels (Seth Rogen) was for sure the high point of the film. All three men were firing on all cylinders and their comedic chemistry was perfect. 

The cops' first scene when they’re interrogating the clerk at the alcohol store not only got this storyline off to a fantastic start, but it's also a great example of how phenomenal these three are together. When Rogen drew the suspect while the two officers were trying to figure out his height, I couldn’t stop chuckling. Also, I think the tone for their relationship with McLovin was really set when this interaction happened:

Officer Michaels: How old are you McLovin?

McLovin: Old enough.

Officer Slater: Old enough for what?

McLovin: To party.

These two guys are so dumb, and their efforts to take McLovin under their wing was a true highlight of the movie. Honestly, I wish Superbad was just about the shenanigans and hijinks of Slater, Michaels and McLovin.

I Can’t Deny That Superbad Is A Well Constructed Story 

I say this with slightly gritted teeth, but I can’t deny that Superbad is very well made, especially when it comes to the story structure. This journey Seth and Evan go on truly does come full circle, and their fears of their friendship ending when they go to college is so real. While I still think Jonah Hill’s character is insufferable, him recognizing what he did was wrong, noting that he acted like an idiot and ultimately apologizing to his friends was a very satisfying and heartfelt way to end the movie. It also proved how much thought was put into the film, and how the characters' actions would impact them in the long run.

Even though I didn’t love this movie, I can for sure respect it, and I understand why it’s so beloved. I also can’t deny the fact that Superbad had a major influence on coming-of-age comedies, and films like Booksmart clearly have an air of this comedy in them. However, when it comes down to it, I’m going to choose just about any other coming-of-age comedy over Superbad. 

I might not have enjoyed Superbad to its fullest extent, but that doesn't mean you can’t. You can stream the beloved comedy right now with a Netflix subscription. 

Bill Hader is a talented comedian, and he also just so happens to be the mind behind the hit HBO series Barry. The show ended last month with a "radical" fourth season that featured an explosive ending many didn't see coming. Throughout the series, the comedic tone of the show evolved into something much darker, allowing the creative team to experiment with visuals and narrative. With this tone shift, a number of previously established concepts were ultimately tossed out. One of the ideas that was heavily considered was a cameo from Jennifer Lawrence, which was unfortunately never meant to be it would seem.

What The Jennifer Lawrence Cameo Would Have Been

Barry's darkened tone was fully realized in Season 4. For instance, one scene in particular features Sally, the titular character's love interest, being followed and attacked in her home during the sixth episode. The scene, which was helmed by Bill Hader, is chilling and subsequently prompted audiences to rally for the SNL alum to direct a horror movie. However, this wasn’t always the plan for the sequence, as Hader recently told Sean Fennessey of The Prestige TV Podcast. He originally intended for the harrowing moment to feature a daydream scene featuring Jennifer Lawrence. The actor/producer/director explained the wild idea, saying:

This is a great idea, with a super interesting concept. I, like many fans, missed the acting classes from the first two seasons and would’ve loved to see them return. Also, Jennifer Lawrence has a history of participating in satirical and dramatic projects, with her casting in Adam McKay's Don't Look Up being just one example. So I bet she would’ve fit right in with the overall tone of the show. Bill Hader didn’t divulge whether Lawrence had officially signed on to do the cameo, though he did reveal in the interview that this was the plan for a while. So there's a chance he may have reached out. Sarah Goldberg, who plays Sally, is a great actress, and I would’ve loved to have seen them play opposite of each other. 

Why Bill Hader Decided Not To Move Forward With The Plan

However epic this crossover could’ve been, it wasn’t meant to be. The Trainwreck alum explained that once the Barry team started production on the final season and really started to dig into character motivations, the scene no longer made sense for Sally:

While the new scene didn’t feature JLaw, it was still pretty incredible and surely made a lot more sense for the character. Sally being terrorized in her own house and haunted by the man she killed was compelling. It also allowed both Sarah Goldberg and Bill Hader to truly shine in their respective roles. And ultimately, it was one of the most-discussed moments of the season so, in the end, it was probably the right call. Hopefully, we will get to see a Hader/Jennifer Lawrence Lawrence collaboration someday, though. Maybe the Hunger Games actress can star in Hader’s eventual horror film?

Barry is currently streaming for those with a Max subscription. And of course, take a look at the 2023 TV schedule for details on upcoming premieres, in case they need to fill the void after the HBO hit's conclusion. Also, fans who think they missed out on JLaw’s cameo can see the actress flexing her comedic chops in her new film No Hard Feelings, which hits theaters on June 17. 

Minor spoilers for the fourth season of Barry lie ahead, so read at your own risk.

The fourth season of the Bill Hader-led Barry is an absolute hit for HBO. The dark comedy is full of twists and turns, and many would probably agree the latest season is the best (and possibly most "radical") yet. However, if it was apparently up to Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, the acclaimed show wouldn’t have gotten a fourth season at all. Hader recently revealed that David had expected the show to end after the third, which is a hilarious hot take I just can’t seem to get behind. 

The Emmy winner recently sat down with pal Conan O’Brien on his podcast Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, where he shared how he approached writing the last two seasons of Barry. He also explained why he decided to end Season 3 the way he did. It was during this conversation that Bill Hader revealed that fellow HBO showrunner Larry David assumed that the show was over after the third season. Hader explained:

This is quite the take, especially considering that the comedian's own shows have had long lifespans. His signature series, Curb Your Enthusiasm, has been running for over 20 years, while Seinfeld aired for nine. Conan O’Brien’s co-host theorized that the writer might be comparing Barry to the latter of those aforementioned shows, which ended with its characters in jail. For context, Season 3 of Barry ends with its titular protagonist getting caught by the police, and Season 4 begins with the titular character in jail. While I understand where Larry David is coming from, I can’t imagine a world without a fourth season of this show, especially considering shocking decisions central characters have made this year.

While the season may have begun with the hitman in prison, the show has taken some massive turns. A major time jump mid-season shocked audiences and completely changed the direction of the show. The new setting allowed Bill Hader, as a director, to experiment visually and thematically and pepper in surrealism and horror elements that have sent Twitter into a tailspin. The show is ending with its fourth season, decidedly not having a Curb Your Enthusiasm-length run. Nevertheless, this latest batch of episodes proves that the series still has a lot more story to tell.

Larry David and Bill Hader are clearly good enough friends where David can give the SNL alum writing advice. Hader was even a guest star during the 11th season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, where he played three characters. The episode is hilarious and even earned Hader an Emmy nom for his performance. While Barry has certainly become more dramatic as it’s progressed, Hader’s comedic chops are still top tier. The dark comedy has featured welcomed many big names during its run, including Hollywood figures like Guillermo Del Toro Fred Armisen and Joe Mantegna. And who knows, maybe we'll get a surprise cameo from David in the finale.

Barry airs its series finale this Sunday on HBO at 10 p.m. ET. Fans can catch up on the show ahead of its conclusion by streaming it with a Max subscription. For more information on other series streaming this year, make sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule.

Warning! The following contains spoilers from the Barry Season 4 episode called "The Wizard." Read at your own risk!

Barry Season 4 is getting closer to its finale, with a grand ending that Bill Hader conceived and motivated him to wrap this adventure up before the network was ready. So far, those with HBO or an HBO Max subscription have seen an unlikely reconciliation between Barry and Fuches and even Hank's shocking decision to kill Cristobal. None of that was as wild as Sally fighting for her life against a home invader in "The Wizard," which Bill Hader directed. As bonkers as that sequence was, the scene does have fans excited for the possibility of Hader making a horror movie. 

Bill Hader has plans for a horror movie, and it's possible that the Barry episode "The Wizard" offered a taste of what he can bring to the genre. Sally was home alone with their son John when she heard a threatening comment from the next room. The camera then followed Sally around the home as she checked all of its nooks and crannies but, somehow, she failed to spot the man dressed in all-black clearly in the camera shot. 

Viewers watched the man follow Sally all the way back to her room before slamming the door and trapping her in. The man then proceeded to ransack the area outside Sally's room where John slept and then rammed their home with his truck with such force it knocked Sally across the space into a dresser. The culprit fled, and the scene ended without Sally or the audience having any clue what it was all about. Twitter was creeped out by the entire scene, and fans had some choice words for the star of the show: 

I don't have any obscenities to hurl at Bill Hader for this scene, but I can agree with the general sentiment that it was such a stressful scene to witness. The tension of the man following Sally was off-the-charts intense, and I was anxiously waiting to see if he would strike. Twitter user @edgorteg gave just as much credit to actress Sarah Goldberg for the scene, and had a request for Hader:

Others didn't have much to give in regards to a request for a potential horror movie but did want to give Bill Hader props for scaring the hell out of them. It looks like if he does make a horror movie, @incognito_prem will be there to get a ticket: 

We shouldn't be surprised by now by anything that Bill Hader does with Barry given the awards and critical acclaim it has amassed, but here we are once again. This series has certainly helped the actor gain some additional credibility across multiple genres after his tenure on Saturday Night Live, and it's even getting people excited about hypothetical projects. How many Hollywood directors have audiences predicting a film worthy of an Academy Award based on a TV show? One fan wrote:

It may be a bit much to put that kind of pressure on Bill Hader, especially since anxiety factored into him having a hard time on SNL. At the end of the day, however, this is a huge vote of confidence in the actor/director and whatever he has coming up after Barry:

I'm definitely excited for what's next, and glad that Hader decided to end the HBO series before the show started to dip even a bit in quality. Here's hoping he does get to make a horror movie, and that it's every bit as good as this creepy episode of Barry. 

Barry airs on HBO on Sundays at 10:00 p.m. ET. Whether or not the series can finish Season 4 as strong as it has been so far remains to be seen, because I honestly can't tell how it'll all shake out given all the wildness we saw in this latest episode. 

Bill Hader’s critically acclaimed HBO series Barry is ending with its fourth season. The show has picked up a loyal fanbase since its 2018 debut, and has futher established Hader's cred as both a writer and a director of various genres. The show is a unique blend of comedy, action and character-building drama that creates a very individualistic tone. With the show ending, many may have been wondering what’s next for the showrunner, and Hader’s answer will likely excite fans of Barry's darker tones, as he is eyeing a potential turn to the horror genre.

Bill Hader Shares Details On Multiple Films He's Planning

In a recent interview with Deadline, the Emmy winner opened up about his approach to the final season of Barry, and why he decided to end the popular HBO series with a "radical" Season 4. He also opened up about his career plans with the premium cable series in the rear-view, and creative projects he is interested in pursuing. Surprisingly, Hader is looking to experiment with the horror genre, and has multiple projects that are in the midst of development. Hader explained that one even involves a Barry writer, saying:

While fans are definitely excited to see him back behind the camera and the metaphorical typewriter, many are also hoping that the 44-year-old will come back into the acting spotlight. His spectacular performance in Barry has earned him two acting Emmys, and has been the center of much of the praise the series has earned to date. Thankfully, Hader hasn’t given up acting just yet, and seemingly wants to direct himself again. He went on to say:

If Barry is any indication, these potential projects could be surefire hits and critical darlings. Hader’s direction has proven to be unique and well informed so far, and seeing him tackle different genres is an exciting proposition. This would be his second brush with the horror genre, as he starred in 2019’s Stephen King adaptation, IT Chapter 2. While these projects are all in very early stages, it definitely gives fans insight into what Hader is turning to when it comes to his career trajectory, even if he doesn't end up directing all or any of what he's writing.

What Barry Season 4's Tone Might Tell Us About Bill Hader's Horror Movie

For fans curious as to what a Bill Hader-crafted horror movie might look like, turning to the latest season of Barry is a good indication. Hader has hinted that the horror flick would take inspiration from Barry tonally, which presumably means hyper-intense sequences balaned by moments of levity and humor. For example, in the first two Season 4 episodes, we see Barry losing it in prison in incredibly dark scenes of emotional turmoil, in which the audience is fully witnessing the power of the title character’s inner demons. Which are then followed by scenes exploring the relationship between NoHo Hank and Cristóbal, a dynamic that offers pure comedic relief. A horror movie written by, and potentially directed by, Hader will likely be terrifying and intense, while also still finding ways to keep audiences laughing.

In addition, Season 4 of Barry experiments heavily with surrealism, and imagination-fueled sequences that communicate what the characters are thinking and feeling. This kind of technique could be used in a nightmarish way in a horror film, to terrorize audiences and make them question what is real and what’s imagined. Hader's use of wide shots and scenic imagery also gives the show a sense of mystery that could be employed well in a horror project. 

It may be a while before Bill Hader’s horror film comes to fruition, but this tease gives fans a lot to look forward to. In the meantime, you can catch him directing and starring in the fourth season of Barry. New episodes air Sunday on HBO and are available to stream with an HBO Max subscription. For more information on other horror films coming to audiences in the near future check out our feature on all the horror movies coming out in 2023 and beyond and the old reliable, best horror films of all time.

Superbad, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age film by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, remains a highly influential and quotable modern comedy, more than 15 years after its release in 2007. The movie has stood many tests of time, if not all of them, and that is in part thanks to some of its unforgettable characters. One of the most memorable characters is Bill Hader's half of the chaotic police duo (with the other cop played by Seth Rogen) who find themselves looking after Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s Fogell “McLovin.” In a recent interview, the Barry actor revealed the inspiration for Officer Slater actually invovles a pretty wild story. 

During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, on which he was promoting the fourth and final season of HBO’s Barry, Bill Hader shared that his Superbad authority figure was inspired by a real-life bespectacled police officer who'd personally arrested the eventual SNL star in his youth after a prank went awry. According to the IT: Chapter 2 alum, that bit of influential trouble came about when his father shared an anecdote about a trick he pulled off in his own younger days. Hader told Kimmel:

The actor then recounted a story about his father's past pranks, in which he and his friends would place a fishing wire between two trash cans across the street from each other, hoping to cause passing cars to speedily run into the wire and send the cans careening into the automobiles. Hader found his father's anecdotes amusing, and though he was strongly advised against attempting the same trick, he ignored the warnings and attempted to pull off the same gag. Only he forgot a crucial detail from his dad's experience, as he explained:

Unfortunately, whenever their prank actually worked out successfully, the target was a police car, appropriately enough for this story. Hader amusingly recalled trying to act nonchalant in front of the unnerved officer, only to be reprimanded with expletives before being ordered to pick up litter. As he put it:

The SNL vet shared that the officer who caught him and his friends during their prank made him pick up beer cans under a flashlight's glare, and he credits the unforgettable incident as the inspiration for his character in Superbad. He continued:

The amusing story that Bill Hader shared about the creation of Officer Slater adds another interesting aspect to the already beloved comedy, showing how reality can be even more unique than fiction. The incident adds a hilarious depth to the movie, which has been cherished by audiences for the past two decades. You can see the entire amusing interview in the video below.

Hader can be seen flexing his comedic (and dramatic) chops when Barry Season 4 premieres on HBO and for those with an HBO Max subscription on Sunday, April 16th. Let's hope that the show can maintain its high quality until the end and not suffer from a disappointing finale, which has been an issue with some HBO series in the past. Fans of the comedian may also want to check out our compilation of his top movies and shows, as well as where to watch them.

It's always terrible when a show unexpectedly ends, even when it's a deliberate decision by the people who make it. HBO's Barry has celebrated a three-season run full of acclaim and awards, but the ride is ending with Season 4. Some fans may see that as a bad thing and perhaps even unnecessary. While I'm definitely disappointed, I also honestly think it's for the best that the show is coming to an end. 

It may seem silly, especially given that Bill Hader and Alec Berg made a story about an assassin becoming an actor an amazing show. You'd think they'd want to ride that wagon until the wheels fall off, but they are content with letting it come to a natural conclusion before the viewers decide for them. That's a great idea for more reasons than one. 

I Don't Want Barry To Jump The Shark

Barry has some pretty wild stuff happen. Throughout its run, however, it's played out about how I'd expect it to in real life. While Barry got away with a lot of murder for a while, the house of cards came crashing down when he was finally arrested for the murder of Janice Moss at the end of Season 3. Season 4 picks up with him behind bars, and frankly, that's exactly what I want to see. 

Had Barry went on for several more seasons, it would've likely had to continue the storyline of him constantly evading accusations of being a murderer. Much like what Dexter showed late in its first run, that premise can get stale. Barry was captured before the series ever had that chance, and now we're headed into Season 4 with Barry adjusting to life in prison. 

I won't champion Barry as the most realistic series on television, but it did always tend to ground things enough so that its most ridiculous parts were viewed as such by those outside of Barry's day-to-day criminal activities. Pushing the show further would've run the risk of jumping the shark. Ironically enough, that phrase was coined thanks to Happy Days, in which Henry Winkler's Fonzie jumped over a shark on water skis. It's a good thing Barry is ending before Gene has to do something similar. 

Bill Hader Found The Natural Ending For Barry

Bill Hader recently talked about how he figured out the ending for Barry, and while he could've padded things out with more content and storylines, he felt that what he created for the ending is what moved the show forward. That's my favorite argument for ending the HBO series because it's what I've loved about Barry since the very beginning. Should any series just run indefinitely in 2023 just because it can? 

Barry shouldn't because that's never how the show has operated. Every single episode of this series has progressed the story forward and featured meaningful development for each character. There's not a single episode you can skip in the series without missing some key bit of information that will become relevant later in the story. 

So imagine if Bill Hader had suddenly decided to fluff out the story despite knowing he had the ending ready to go. The odds of fans getting more forgettable and unnecessary episodes would undoubtedly increase, and the show could even take a dip in quality. A terrible final season can tarnish an entire show's legacy, and HBO knows that well enough already. 

I'd much rather see Barry end before I'm ready for it to do so, as opposed for it to dip in quality by stretching things out.  Of course, there are plenty of shows that have managed to stretch out their endings with success, but few have had as much forward progression as this show. As such, I just don't think it would feel normal for the show to take detours now if it doesn't have to. 

Barry Ending Will Allow Bill Hader And The Cast To Make Other Series

As sad as it will be for Barry to end, I'm absolutely ready to see what's next for Bill Hader after it's over. Sure, he's done some voice work and smaller roles, but he has been pretty committed to Barry since its inception. That's worked out pretty well for him, as his portrayal of Barry Berkman has earned him two Emmy awards for Best Actor over two seasons. 

The same can be said of Sarah Goldberg, who celebrated a breakout role in Barry as Sally. No doubt her next career move following the show's end will be a big one, as she's given a great and nuanced performance of Barry's love interest. I'm eager to see what she'll do next, and I will definitely check it out. 

And while I primarily knew Anthony Carrigan through his creepy role as Gotham villain Victor Zsasz, I don't think I'm going to see him any other way than NoHo Hank going forward. In fact, I'm hoping that while Barry has to end, we'll still get a shot at a Hank-centric spinoff. I guess that'll depend on where things end up for his character at the end of this season. 

I'm Still Very Sad That Barry Is Ending

I can rationalize the decision to end Barry and why this is best for everyone all day long, but at the end of the day, I'm still sad to see it go. It's not often these days that we get a show as creative and as unique as this one, and it could be a while before we get another like it again. On the one hand, I will definitely not miss the anxious feelings I had watching Season 3, but on the other, I do wish Bill Hader would've found the ending for the series sometime closer to Season 7. 

Season 4 of Barry will premiere on HBO Sunday, April 16th. Now would be a great time to binge the entire series right now, but you'll need an HBO Max subscription to make that happen. I know that I'm definitely going to re-watch Seasons 1 and 2 immediately but I may need to pace myself while going through the chaos that is Season 3 again. 

Bill Hader's Barry has been a gem since its first episode on HBO, but unfortunately, all good things come to an end. Season 4 will be the last season of the acclaimed and award-winning series, which may disappoint its fans. Hader recently commented on the ending of the series, and his reasoning behind wrapping it up may comfort anyone hoping for more episodes. 

Barry Season 4 is premiering on HBO on Sunday, April 16th, and Bill Hader recently spoke to Variety about the upcoming final season. After explaining how he realized a clear ending to the series presented itself to him, Hader talked about how he settled on the decision to conclude Barry despite its acclaim: 

As someone who was initially iffy on the premise of a hitman wanting to become an actor but was won over, I'm willing to defer to Bill Hader here. As much as I would love to see Barry continue on for many more seasons, he and the creative team have done a solid job with the series so far.  I have no reason to doubt them now, and am excited to see how it all wraps up. 

For anyone curious on whether the series simply ran out of ideas, Bill Hader admitted they could've just continued to stretch out the series with additional storylines if he wanted to. The actor ultimately decided against it, though, and explained why: 

Season 3 of Barry ended with him finally being caught by the authorities for the murder of Janice Moss, and it was thanks in large part to his mentor and former friend, Gene Cousineau. Barry spent the majority of the season trying to maintain the close relationship he formed with Gene and his girlfriend Sally but found himself struggling to maintain a grip on reality.

With Barry in custody, it seems like this season could be a lot different than previous ones. That much is clear based on the trailer released for Season 4, in which we see Barry hallucinating Sally in prison, among other things: 

Even though Barry is behind bars, it looks like the final season will follow NoHo Hank and everyone else we've seen in these first few seasons. I'm especially curious as to why Gene is holding a gun in that one scene and who might be targeting him. Would Barry really go after Gene?

It's also interesting to see that Barry's locked up with Fuches after he asked for a lawyer when authorities realized his connection to various crimes. One would imagine Barry would love to exact revenge on his former handler and might do that at some point during the final season. Then again, it's also possible that Fuches is as imaginary as Sally undoubtedly was in the prison scene. There are just so many questions I have, but fortunately, I won't need to wait long for the answers. 

Barry Season 4 premieres on HBO and for those with an HBO Max Subscription on Sunday, April 16th. Here's hoping the show can finish as strong as it has gone so far, and we don't have another infamously bad ending of an HBO series on our hands.  

2015’s Inside Out remains among the best Pixar movies the animation studio has ever made. So when we heard a sequel is in the works a few months back, we weren’t at all surprised Pixar might want to play with emotions again. However, when it comes to casting, only Amy Poehler has been confirmed to be returning to voice Joy in Inside Out 2, with it being rather up in the air regarding the rest of Riley’s core emotions. One actor has now confirmed their lack of involvement in the Pixar sequel. 

It was rumored prior that Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling, who played Fear and Disgust in the 2015 movie, reportedly declined due to pay discrepancies to reprise their roles in Inside Out 2. Poehler apparently was offered $5 million whilst Pixar offered Hader and Kaling $100,000 each. When recently asked about her involvement in the sequel, Kaling said this: 

Kaling’s words come via an interview with The Wrap before it was stressed by the actress that she is not part of Inside Out 2 “right now.” It’s possible this could change down the road as the movie continues through development. Animation projects like Inside Out 2 take a variety of forms during production, and before the upcoming Disney movie, perhaps Kaling and Pixar could still find a compensation agreement. 

From what we know about Inside Out 2, the sequel will follow Riley as a teenager following the original movie having us in her head at 11. There will be new emotions introduced that have yet to be announced yet. Even still, it just wouldn’t make sense for the feelings of Disgust and Fear to be eliminated from her head. Perhaps if Mindy Kaling and Pixar do not reach a decision, they will be recast by new voice actors. 

The actress is currently getting ready for her animated series, Velma, which she co-created and voices the titular role for, to premiere on HBO Max on January 12. Kaling got her start as a staff writer and actress in The Office (which she thinks wouldn’t work today) before creating and starring in The Mindy Project for six seasons. Kaling has continued to be a successful writer, producer and actress in Hollywood, also creating series like The Sex Lives of College Girls and Never Have I Ever. Surely her name and voice on Inside Out 2 is worth more than $100,000 to the production? 

On the other hand, it’s been a while since Pixar had a big hit movie. Since 2020, only one of the studio’s movies have released straight in theaters rather than premiering on Disney+, and Lightyear wasn’t a major winner in the 2022 box office. Perhaps the company is scaling back on its actor budgets? Questions aside for Inside Out 2, the movie is set to be released on June 14, 2024. There’s plenty of time for Pixar to illuminate what’s going on with the sequel, but for the time being, Kaling is not part of it. 

Saturday Night Live vet Bill Hader has been riding high off the success of HBO’s Barry. He received back-to-back Best Actor Emmys for playing the anxiety-filled hitman Barry Berkman, and despite the vast differences between the two shows, his days on SNL informed his HBO work. Early in his career, Hader lived for viewers’ and critics’ reactions after every episode. Doing so led to the SNL vet and others learning an important lesson about pleasing viewers.

Working on the late-night sketch show helped the Barry actor to navigate the high praise and Emmy love that he has received over the last few years. He admitted to THR that receiving awards is a huge honor but not the motivating force behind crafting the HBO dark comedy, which is a perspective the he gained during his first two seasons on SNL. Hader recalled how reading weekly reviews and reactions changed him:

With as polarizing as the late-night sketch show can be (particularly when lampooning real-life people and events), Bill Hader learned that ignoring the naysayers and just creating what you love was the best strategy he and his cohorts could adopt. Luckily, Hader learned this early in his career. 

That doesn’t mean that the comedian’s time wasn’t regret-free like certain of his Stefan “Weekend Update” moments or an unaired Justin Bieber sketch. Of course, the Documentary Now! star left a major impression as one of the show's best performers, even after fellow SNL alum Kate McKinnon surpassed his sketch record. (Both are well behind longtime SNL star Kenan Thompson when it comes to sketch total, however!)

If you watch Barry, you can tell that the comedy is just about exploring every avenue when it comes to telling the hitman-turned-aspiring actor’s story. In this era of his career, it appears that Hader takes critiques with a grain of salt. The SNL alum admitted that he and the show’s writers just laugh at the negative responses. Thankfully, Season 3 of Barry was well-received with talks of Hader scoring another Emmy nom.

If you want to watch every season of Barry, you can find the HBO black comedy by subscribing to HBO Max. With Season 3 in the can, you can see what new and returning shows are premiering this summer.

Celebrities meeting celebrities can provide some amazingly fun stories that prove that anyone – no matter their level of fame – can get starstruck by stars bigger than them. But sometimes, it’s not the celebrity who does the most to get close to other Hollywood stars but their family members. That recently happened for Barry's Bill Hader, as he recalled the adorable prank that his daughter pulled to meet Guardians of the Galaxy’s Chris Pratt.

The SNL alum opened up about the prank on Jimmy Kimmel Live! He spoke about his daughters teasing him about his Barry billboards. According to Hader and the late-night host, his children believe Kimmel is a sweatshirt shop owner as the actor brings home swag every time he visits the show. But it was a family dinner with his three daughters that stole the late-night show. For the dad of three, everything started normally.

It’s one thing to see another celebrity in the LA scene, but it’s another thing for family members to freak out from the sighting. That appeared to be the moment where the Barry actor’s middle daughter started implementing her plot to meet Pratt. After they spotted the Jurassic World: Dominion actor, she claimed an unknown connection between her and the MCU star to her father.

After being left out in the cold by his offspring, Hader tried apologizing to the movie star. While he was apologizing, his daughters began touching Pratt’s wife Katherine Schwarzenegger while asking if she was a princess. He admitted to being torn over the prank. He jokingly said that he wanted to strangle his daughter while being a proud dad at the same time. After collecting himself, the It actor couldn’t do anything but ask her why she did it.

At least he saw a lucrative future for her! Maybe the SNL alum can turn this family moment into another show or film for him to star in. Right now, he’s busy promoting the much-delayed third season of Barry, and it's safe to say that Barry isn't exactly inspired by a family moment, as Hader plays a hitman-turned-actor.

Of course, there are multiple TV shows and movies other than the Emmy-nominated series to watch Hader flex his different acting skills, which are much better than his Barry character's. You can also catch new episodes of the HBO dark comedy every Sunday at 10 p.m. EST. You can watch Seasons 1 and 2 by getting an HBO Max subscription. It is just one of the multiple returning shows premiering new seasons this spring.

For many years, Bill Hader was one of the undisputed kings of Saturday Night Live. The talented comedian and impressionist achieved several milestones that now sit within the history of the sketch show, including having one of the highest total number of sketch appearances. After last weekend’s episode, however, it looks like the king has to move over: there’s a new queen in town, and her name is Kate McKinnon. 

SNL vet Kate McKinnon now sits in sixth place all-time when it comes to skit appearances, per Deadline. She now outranks Bill Hader, who previously held the spot and is now sitting pretty in seventh place. According to the trade, last weekend’s episode of the show, hosted by John Mulaney, feature McKinnon’s 806th sketch on the show, which gave her an edge over Hader’s tally of 805. Add in the fact that she’s been flitting in and out of 30 Rock to star in other movies this season, and it just makes her achievement all the more impressive. 

The sketch that secured the star's spot was another installment in John Mulaney’s series of musical parody skits, which skewer New York’s signature inconveniences. This time, it was the dreaded F local train, which may or not be stopping at your station ,and the questionable churros that may be sold on the platform. The Ghostbusters star assumed the role of “a puddle of unidentifiable origin” that slowly but surely ruins your shoes. 

Playing a gross puddle may not be what Kate McKinnon had in mind when she originally joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2012 (and yes, that is indeed a full decade ago, and time is an illusion), but that’s just an indication of her comedic genius. She started out on the show as a featured member, but her improv chops and spot-on impressions quickly convinced the producers to promote her to main cast member status after just one season. 

The actress has played a bevy of memorable characters, many of whom reside in the political sphere. Her impersonation of Hillary Clinton became even more legendary than SNL vet Amy Poehler’s, and she’s also cracked up audiences with likenesses of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Fox News pundit Laura Ingraham. She’s also lampooned celebrities like pop singer Justin Bieber, talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, and actress Jane Lynch. Her impersonation abilities could arguably be what landed her a gig playing Carole Baskin on Peacock's Joe vs. Carole. 

It was rumored a while back that Kate McKinnon might be leaving SNL but, so far, those whispers have been unfounded. Lucky us - hopefully, we’ll get to enjoy her bizarre brand of hilarious comedy for another 806 skits. And as she continues, she'll further cement herself amongst the show's other greats like Bill Hader.

The current season of Saturday Night Live is now airing on NBC on - you guessed it - Saturdays at 11:30 pm EST. You can also catch up with previous seasons, including episodes from the 80s and 90s, with your Peacock subscription, or check out more movies that feature Kate McKinnon. 

In a stunning piece of news that we definitely did not expect to see gracing our computer screens this week, Anna Kendrick, of movie musical fame, and Bill Hader, impressionist extraordinaire, are dating. And it’s not even a new thing, either. The pair has reportedly been shacking up for at least a year. How did they avoid spilling the beans? The pandemic may have lent the couple a hand. 

People has reported in an exclusive feature that Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader have allegedly been dating. Yes, you read that correctly. The former Pitch Perfect star and the Saturday Night Live veteran have been going steady for a little over a year, but the pandemic has helped them keep a lid on their relationship. People’s source claims that they’re both ‘very private people’ and that the pandemic ‘made it easy’ to keep everything under wraps. The source added that they’re both ‘hysterical’ and that Kendrick is ‘really, really happy.’ Representatives for the actors have not yet commented on the situation, and none of the stars’ social media accounts have any photo evidence (although the same could be said of Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson, whose relationship has been all but confirmed by paparazzi photos). 

They may have been dating for a while now, but Bill Hader and Anna Kendrick actually seem to have met in 2019 when they filmed the Disney Christmas adventure Noelle. Bill Hader was dating Rachel Bilson at the time, who he met on the set of The To-Do List in 2013. Don’t worry everyone, it’s all above board: Bill Hader and Rachel Bilson ended their relationship on amicable terms in July 2020, and he wouldn’t reunite with Anna Kendrick until sometime in 2021. Kendrick actually hosted Saturday Night Live in 2014, but that was right after Hader had vacated his dressing room at Rockefeller Plaza. 

While Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader might seem like an odd pairing at first glance, the duo actually makes perfect sense upon closer inspection. Both actors are comedic powerhouses: Anna Kendrick has starred in several humor-driven projects, and no one with even the faintest knowledge of industry funnymen needs to be told about Bill Hader’s incredible contributions to the medium. In addition to spending several years as a main cast member on Saturday Night Live, Hader has also scored multiple Emmy Awards for his hit dark comedy series Barry. The relationship may have come as a surprise, but here’s hoping the talented twosome continue to make each other laugh for a long time to come. 

Anna Kendrick’s next onscreen appearance will be in Alice, Darling, a Canadian thriller directed by Mary Nighy. Season 3 of Barry doesn’t have a release date yet, but we’ll be sure to keep all of our Bill Hader fans here on CinemaBlend updated. 

Betty White definitely left a lasting mark on TV, as she delighted multiple generations of viewers with her legendary comedic chops.  Though she was best known for her roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls (and its spinoff), she's also remembered for her impeccable work as a host on Saturday Night Live. The late actress hosted the variety show in 2010, and it was definitely an episode to remember. Now, SNL alum Bill Hader has recalled a sweet exchange he had with White after one of the sketches. 

One of the best moments to come out of Betty White’s episode was the “Scared Straight” sketch, in which White and Kenan Thompson played a grandmother and grandson who attempt to steer some bullies straight. Though they attempt to do so by telling stories that are eerily similar to movies like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. In celebration of what would've been White's 100th birthday, Vanity Fair spoke with Saturday Night Live stars who worked on the beloved episode, including Bill Hader, who played one of the bullies. During the chat, he revealed the sweet and nostalgic words the actress gifted him:

At one point in the sketch, the It star's character noted that a story that was being told sounded like The Wizard of Oz. With that, Betty White and Kenan Thompson's character sat him back down in a chair, where White kept hitting him. Hader tried to keep his laughter in, but that's definitely a difficult task when working with such comedy experts. But White's words were definitely sweet and the fact that she compared the experience to the ones she'd have with her legendary collaborators is even more special:

Don't believe how funny the sketch was? Well, check it out for yourself down below, and try not to laugh:

Betty White, who appeared as host at the age of 88, became the oldest person to ever host the show. Following her death, NBC re-aired her episode from Mother’s Day weekend 2010. It was just one of many tributes that quickly poured in for the iconic actress. Many flooded the Internet with funny clips of White, whether they'd be from interviews with Joan Rivers, promotional videos or roast sessions at Sandra Bullock's expense. Needless to say, the actress lived quite a life.

When it came to the NBC staple, the star was also vocal behind the scenes. In 2020, SNL writer Mike O’Brien revealed that she rejected a unicorn sketch due to her manager not wanting any animals (the actress was a known animal activist). Though the segment never made it to air, things seemed to work out for the best, especially considering the other sketches on the episode were pretty hilarious as well.

It’s still hard to believe that Betty White is no longer with us, but fans can always honor her by watching her slew of movies and television appearances in her memory.

One of my favorite comedies is Superbad. While it’s been more than a decade since its release, it still finds ways to make me laugh over and over again, just like comedies starring legends like Adam Sandler or Chris Rock. From iconic lines to hilarious moments, Superbad has cemented itself into the comedy hall of fame. 

With a cast as long and large as Superbad, several of its stars have gone on to have major careers, and you might be wondering where they are now. From Jonah Hill and Michael Cera, to Emma Stone and Seth Rogen, these are what the Superbad cast has been doing in Hollywood. 

Jonah Hill (Seth)

Seth, played by Jonah Hill, was the first half of the iconic duo in Superbad, and ever since one of his biggest films, Hill has had quite the career in movies. Starting out, he was in several comedies like Knocked Up, a part of the Forgetting Sarah Marshall cast, Get Him to the Greek, and even teamed up with Channing Tatum in the 21 Jump Street cast, a role he would reprise in the sequel. 

Hill stepped into the drama world a little bit, as well, with starring roles in films such as Moneyball, and the Leonardo DiCaprio-led film, The Wolf of Wall Street. The actor was nominated for the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for each of those films.

Hill has also dabbled in television as well, with a starring role in the Netflix miniseries, Maniac. He has also stepped into the world of animation, voicing several roles. This ranged from parts in the supervillain movie, Megamind, to the adult animated comedy, Sausage Party (alongside many of his Superbad co-stars), to the How to Train Your Dragon series. Truly, Hill is a man of many talents and I can’t wait to see what he does next. 

Michael Cera (Evan)

The second half of the iconic duo, Evan, was played by Michael Cera in Superbad. Since then, he’s been in quite a few movies and TV shows. In film, Cera went on to star in the coming of age movie  Juno, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, This is the End, and several others. He’s also stepped into animation, as well, like his former castmate, voicing roles in the Lego Batman Movie, Sausage Party, and Between Two Ferns: The Movie. 

Cera has also had a prominent career in television as well. His biggest role thus far has been having a main role on the iconic comedy, Arrested Development. He also voiced Sal Viscuso, the voice of the announcements in Children’s Hospital, and had a recurring role in Burning Love. 

Christopher Minzt-Plasse (Fogell ‘McLovin’)

Who could ever forget McLoving’? Played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Fogell is a character that was unforgettable in Superbad and remains that way to this day. Mintz-Plasse has gone on to act in several projects in both television and film. 

He starred as Augie Farcques in Role Models, and as Chris D'Amico in the Kick-Ass superhero series. He rejoined Seth Rogen for Neighbors, as well as its sequel, made an appearance in the comedy movie, Tag, and was in Promising Young Woman. Mintz-Plasse also stepped into voice acting as well, voicing Fishlegs Ingerman in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, as well as King Gristle Jr. in the Trolls cast.  

With television, he continued to voice Fishlegs in the Dreamworks Dragons series, was Clark in The Great Indoors, and has voiced various roles on When Nature Calls with Helen Mirren.

Bill Hader (Officer Slater)

Bill Hader was most certainly a scene stealer in Superbad as Officer Slater, and because of that, he’s gone on to have a great career. Bill Hader has starred in plenty of movies, including comedies like Adventureland, Trainwreck, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and many others, but has also done movies like It Chapter 2, showcasing his dramatic acting ability. 

Hader is also a prominent voice actor, voicing the main character in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Fear in Inside Out, working on Monsters University for Pixar, had a role in Sausage Party, and many others. 

Hader’s career in television has also been great. At first, he was known for his iconic sketches on Saturday Night Live, but since then, he's expanded into his own territory. His HBO comedy will soon see Barry Season 3 arrive very soon, and he created Documentary Now!, a series that is all about mockumentaries. 

Seth Rogen (Officer Michaels)

Another scene stealer in Superbad was Officer Michaels, the partner to Officer Slater, played by the loveable Seth Rogen. Since his appearance in the comedy, Rogen has not only expanded his acting career, but his ability as a writer, director, and producer. 

In terms of movies, Rogen has starred in animated films like the Kung Fu Panda series, Sausage Party and more, but has been in a series of hilarious live-action films. This includes, but isn’t limited to, Pineapple Express, The Guilt Trip, This is the End, Neighbors (and it’s sequel), Long Shot, The Disaster Artist, the live-action version of The Lion King, and many, many others. 

Rogen has also appeared in several television shows as well, such as appearances in Arrested Development alongside Michael Cera, the Netflix original series, Big Mouth, Future Man, and more. He also has recently had a small voice role in the Amazon original series, Invincible as one of the chillest aliens ever. He also executive produced those last two shows, along with The Boys, Preacher, Black Monday, and several other series and movies.

Emma Stone (Jules)

If we’re talking about stars that shot up to stardom after Superbad, there’s not a better example than Emma Stone, who played Jules. After her role, Emma Stone became a Hollywood A-lister.

At first, she appeared in many comedies, such as being a part of the Zombieland cast (a role she would reprise in Zombieland 2), the teen comedy, Easy A, Crazy Stupid, Love, and others. But soon, she would expand her acting skills into movies like The Help, The Favourite, Birdman, and La La Land, for which she won an Academy Award. As of recently, she took on the live-action role of Cruella, sporting that iconic black and white hairstyle. 

Stone also had her time in a superhero film series, portraying Gwen Stacey in the Amazing Spider-Man series alongside Andrew Garfield, and voiced the lead character in the Croods animated movies. 

Emma Stone even reunited with Jonah Hill from Superbad for their miniseries, Maniac. If only we could see them together again. They work so well together. 

Martha Maclsaac (Becca)

Playing Becca in Superbad was Martha MacIssac, who has made a name for herself in the voice-acting world. While she’s been in movies like The Last House on the Left, Dead Before Dawn, Battle of the Sexes, and more, MacIssac has mainly kept her talents to television. 

She voiced Melosa in Di-Gata Defends, Edwyn and Bisiwog in Magi-Nation, Sarah in Friends and Heroes, and many other voice roles. She’s also had plenty of live-action appearances as well, including Dana Stockwell in the TV series, Greek,  Becca Gilchrist in 1600 Penn, and played the lead, Kate Warne, in The Pinkertons. Currently, she voices Patty and the Airport Announcer on Family Guy. 

Aviva Baumann (Nicola)

Aviva Baumann played Nicola in Superbad, and after her role, she appeared in a few projects and movies. She had a recurring guest role on NCIS, was in Saint John of Las Vegas, The Closer, Party Down, and a couple of other movies. 

However, Baumann has since retired herself from the spotlight. 

Joe Lo Truglio (Francis)

Moving on, we have Joe Lo Truglio, who played Francis in Superbad. Ever since his part, Truglio has had a prominent career in television. His biggest role thus far has been playing Charles Boyle as part of the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, as well as a member of Reno 911!, Burning Love, the Wet Hot American Summer franchise, and several other series, along with many guest appearances. Truglio also portrayed Jeff Sessions on the political series, The Comey Rule. 

Truglio has also been in many movies that might sound familiar, such as Pineapple Express, Role Models, I Love You, Man, Gulliver’s Travels, Someone Marry Barry, A Futile and Stupid Gesture, and many more. Recently, he was in the comedy, Mark, Mary & Some Other People. 

Kevin Corrigan (Mark)

Next up, we have Kevin Corrigan, who played Mark in Superbad. Since his role, Corrigan has appeared in many films, such as the mafia flick, American Gangster, Pineapple Express, The Dictator, Seven Psychopaths, Winter’s Tale, the Judd Apatow movie, The King of Staten Island, and more. 

Corrigan also appeared as Sam Weiss in the TV series, Fringe, Professor Sean Garrity in the hilarious sitcom, Community, Agent Bob Kirkland in The Mentalist, Milkshake in Dice, Jackie Moreno in The Get-Down, and many other TV shows. It’s only a matter of time before we see him on our TV screens once again. 

Dave Franco (Greg)

Last up, we have Dave Franco, who played Greg in Superbad. While his time in the movie was brief, we’ve still seen Franco everywhere in movies since his role.

Franco has been all over the place. He appeared in the Zac Efron-led film, Charlie St. Cloud, the 21 Jump Street, Neighbors, and Now You See Me franchises, starred in The Disaster Artist with his brother, James Franco, portrayed Levy in If Beale Street Could Talk, and so many other fantastic movies. 

Franco has had some time in television, as well. He played Gonzo in Greek in a recurring role, Zachary in Privileged, Cole Aaronson in Scrubs, Jeff in Easy and a few others, showing off how capable he is as an actor. Soon, he’s going to be in two upcoming series, called The Now and The Afterparty. 

You know, after writing this, I’m starting to see a trend with these actors often starring in the same movies as their actor buddies - but honestly, who minds that when their films are always so hilarious? While Superbad is iconic and could never be replaced, I’m always down to see these actors collaborate and make great projects together again. 

Now, if I could just get Jonah Hill and Michael Cera in the same movie once more, that would be a dream come true. 

Some of the cast members from Saturday Night Live over the last 20 years have really seen success in Hollywood, such as Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Seth Meyers and many others. One who's had a large amount of success is Bill Hader, a talented actor and voice actor. 

From his time on Saturday Night Live to some awesome voiceover roles, Bill Hader has truly become a staple in the industry, especially in comedic roles. Here’s where you can watch some of the best Bill Hader movies and TV shows, streaming right now, from some of the best movies on Netflix to the best movies on Amazon Prime. 

Saturday Night Live (2005-2013)

I can’t have a Bill Hader list without mentioning his time on Saturday Night Live, otherwise known as SNL. In this primetime sketch series that’s been on air for more than 40 years, SNL features a variety of comedic cast members who put on regular sketches parodying pop culture, politics, and more. 

Bill Hader is one of my personal favorites. Some of his sketches have truly lived on and become so popular through re-runs and postings on YouTube. But, my all-time favorite character of his - and I’m sure it might be yours too - is Stefan, who often appeared on Weekend Update. If you haven’t seen any of Bill Hader’s hilarious skits from SNL, be sure to watch some of them now if you haven’t. 

Stream Saturday Night Live on Hulu. 

Hot Rod (2007) 

Next up, we have Hot Rod, a comedy starring Andy Samberg as Rod Kimble, an amateur stuntman who is continuously mocked by his stepfather. But, when his stepfather becomes ill, Rod decides to raise money by executing one of the largest stunts he's ever done. 

In one of his first ever film roles, Bill Hader is, honestly, hilarious in Hot Rod. His timing is great and he has great chemistry with Samberg. Even so, Hot Rod has a stellar cast, with big stars like Danny McBride, Isla Fisher, Will Arnett, and more, creating a comical experience that is sure to entertain comedy lovers. 

Stream Hot Rod on Amazon Prime. 
Rent Hot Rod on Apple TV+.

Superbad (2007)

Superbad is one of those films that I feel everyone has seen if you like comedy movies. Starring Michael Cera and Jonah Hill, Superbad is about two high school seniors who are planning to lose their virginity to the prettiest and coolest girls at school before they graduate, causing hilarity to ensue. 

Bill Hader stars as one of the cops in the movie, Officer Slater, and his chemistry with Seth Rogen? Masterful. I love watching their scenes all the time. Regardless, the Superbad cast just has a tone of awesome stars. Talent like Emma Stone, Dave Franco, Martin Starr, and several others are in the cast list - and of course, no one can forget McLovin’, played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse. 

Rent Superbad on Amazon. 

Documentary Now! (2015-Present)

This mockumentary style television series, Documentary Now!, is hosted by Helen Mirren, and spoofs celebrated documentary films by parodying several real ones with a similar, but fictitious, subject. 

Bill Hader actually co-created by the show with fellow SNL alumni, Fred Armisen and Seth Meyers, as well as Rhys Thomas. Hader and Armisen both star in the show, and while there aren’t that many episodes, they’re worth every second it takes to watch. As someone who enjoys documentaries, I also love the way that they parody them. They’re so much fun and hilarious. 

Stream Documentary Now! on Netflix. 

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a fantastic romantic comedy starring Jason Segel, telling the story of Peter Bretter, who is a music composer for a TV show that features his future girlfriend, Sarah Marshall, in the lead role. But, when she suddenly breaks up with him, he takes a vacation to try and move on with his life, creating endless problems. 

While Bill Hader doesn’t have a super big role in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, his scenes as Peter's step-brother and best friend stand out, often with him trying to help Peter navigate heartbreak. The Forgetting Sarah Marshall cast is great as well, with big names such as Kristen Bell, Russell Brand, and more. 

Stream Forgetting Sarah Marshall on Starz. 
Rent Forgetting Sarah Marshall on Amazon. 

Adventureland (2009)

Next up, we have Adventureland, a comedy-drama that is set in the summer of 1987. When a recent college graduate wants to go to Europe to continue his career in grad school, he realizes that money is tight and takes up a job at Adventureland, a local theme park in Pennsylvania, where he meets a co-worker whom he develops a relationship with. 

As someone who grew up not too far from the actual theme park this movie is loosely based on, I can say that Adventureland is a lot of fun. Bill Hader is great as the assistant manager of the park, from his support of his employees, to his obsessiveness over littering in the park. He and Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenburg, Kristin Wiig, and several others work wonderfully together and create such a fun, hilarious movie with plenty of laughs. 

Stream Adventureland on HBO Max. 
Rent Adventureland on Amazon. 

Barry (2018-Present)

The popular HBO original series, Barry, is a dark comedy starring Bill Hader that tells the story of a hitman from Cleveland who travels to L.A. to kill someone, but finds himself joining an acting class, where he starts to meet people and question the choices he has made thus far in his life. 

Barry is fantastic. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about that. It’s a great comedy with plenty of twists and a lot of dark moments that make it so good. Bill Hader’s performance as the titular character is one of his best character moments so far, creating a complex individual that you want to root for, even if he’s done bad things. Henry Winkler’s character, as well, is also a fantastic addition. With Barry Season 3 on the way, one can only hope that maybe, we’ll get to continue this story soon. 

Stream Barry on HBO Max. 

Inside Out (2015)

One of my personal favorites of Bill Hader’s library of work is Inside Out. This Pixar film follows Riley and her emotions - Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear - as she goes through a big change in her life by moving across the country to San Francisco, and the feelings that come along with it. 

Bill Hader voices Fear in Inside Out, and personally, I don’t think any other actor could have done it better. His version of Fear feels so real, showing how small things can scare us sometimes, as well as the larger moments of doubt in oneself. Inside Out is a spectacularly animated film with a great cast, wonderful visuals, a good score - you really can’t go wrong with it. Check it out if you haven’t already. 

Stream Inside Out on Disney+. 
Rent Inside Out on Amazon.

Trainwreck (2015)

In this popular Judd Apatow film, Trainwreck stars Amy Schumer and Bill Hader, and tells the story of “trainwreck” Amy Townsend, who ends up having her first serious relationship with an orthopedic surgeon, named Aaron. 

Now, I’ll be honest - I’ve never really been a huge fan of Amy Schumer’s comedy in general. However, Trainwreck is one of her works that I do enjoy thoroughly, and I believe that’s from two things - the brilliant direction and entertaining story from Apatow and Schumer, and Hader’s chemistry with her. The two work very well together, creating this funny duo that definitely has their problems, but also care deeply about each other. Their relationship feels like a real one, rather than one made up for a movie. It’s authentic and sweet. 

Stream Trainwreck on Peacock. 
Rent Trainwreck on Amazon.

IT Chapter 2 (2019)

Next up, we have everyone’s favorite clown, Pennywise, in IT Chapter 2. This follow-up to the 2017 movie, IT, features the same characters all grown up, traveling back to Derry to fight the creature known as IT 27 years later, before it attacks and kills more children. 

While I will always have a special place in my heart for Tim Curry’s IT, I do think these versions are much better, and a big reason is that the casting for these characters is on point. Bill Hader’s adult Richie matches up with the kid version perfectly, and he provides some excellent comedic moments, while also participating in some terrifying ones as well. I get chills every time during one of his scenes, in particular. If you’re a fan of best horror movies, check this one out, as well as the first IT. 

Stream IT Chapter 2 on HBO Max. 
Rent IT Chapter 2 on Amazon.

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009/2013)

Lastly, we have Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, both the first and the second installment. This duology tells the story of Flint, an aspiring inventor who makes a machine that can convert water into food. But, when the machine gains sentience and begins to develop food storms, it’s up to him and some of his allies to destroy it and save the world. 

Listen, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is adorable and worth the watch on Netflix. I could watch this family film over and over, and not get bored. Bill Hader is an awesome voice-actor and really brings that certain quirkiness and charm to Flint, creating a dorky character who you really want to root for in his inventions. The animation is also fun, too. I mean, if you ever wanted to envision what it would look like for meatballs to suddenly rain down from the sky, here you go. 

Stream Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs on Netflix. 
Rent Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs on Amazon. 

I know I’m going to have to check out the new 2021 movies, because I can’t wait to see what Bill Hader does next. Even so, it’ll still be just as fun as all of his other movies and shows have been. Now, if the third season of Barry could just come out, I’d be happy.  

Bill Hader's Barry has been a big hit for HBO, and with over two years since Season 2, it's long overdue for a return to television. The dramedy is finally in production for Season 3, and Hader and co-star Henry Winkler look as excited as fans probably feel at the coming return of the series.

HBO announced that Barry is in production for Season 3 on social media and celebrated the event with a picture of Bill Hader and Henry Winkler (who won his first Emmy on the series) smiling ear to ear. Those are certainly not the types of smiles you'd see on Barry and Gene in the show, so get a good look and continue on for more on the upcoming episodes.

Bill Hader and Henry Winkler are cheesing it up in this picture, but one has to think there will be no smiles shared between Barry Berkman and Gene Cousineau in Barry Season 3. Season 2's finale featured Gene's arrest after he was wrongfully accused of killing his girlfriend and detective Janice Moss. Barry was actually responsible for killing Moss, something we learned Gene was made aware of thanks to Barry's old handler from his hitman profession, Fuches.

The final moments of Barry Season 2 featured Gene's realization that Barry Berkman was indeed responsible for the murder, which will no doubt play a massive role in Season 3. Barry will presumably struggle to justify the fact that he had to kill Janice after she correctly pegged him as the killer the LAPD had been looking for. Barry, hoping to put his life of killing behind him, thought that if he just disposed of Janice, he could resume his newfound passion and career in acting.

Obviously, things haven't worked out that way. Things going wrong in Barry's attempt to leave contract killing behind has been unavoidable, and his secret life keeps being exposed to people he attempts to get close to. One can imagine his amateur theater career is over if Gene has anything to say about it, though viewers didn't really get a read on what Gene planned to do after his discovery.

Barry didn't win six Emmys for being a series that serves up predictable twists and endings, which makes it impossible to guess with any degree of certainty what could happen in Season 3. One thing that does seem likely is that Barry will look to keep Fuches from meddling in his life by any means necessary, though at this point, it's hard to say whether the damage Fuches did to his new life is unfixable. Hey, if nothing else, at least Barry still has a friend in NoHo Hank, right?

Barry Season 3 doesn't currently have a release date but will arrive on HBO when it is ready. Speaking of HBO, there's been a lot of fallout following HBO Max's streaming deal for Warner Bros. pictures, but there could be even more following this latest deal the studio inked for 2022.

Saying goodbye to a longtime TV staple is never a fun thing to deal with, but it certainly helps when that TV staple supplies big laughs and manic glee like TBS' Conan does. Conan O'Brien's talk show is indeed ending this week, but not before the host welcomed back SNL alum and social media avoider Bill Hader, whose interview was gloriously derailed by a "surprise" appearance from everyone's favorite person, Paul Rudd, and everyone's favorite movie footage, Paul Rudd's infamous Mac and Me clip.

For those who aren't longtime fans of Conan O'Brien's talk shows, from Late Night to The Tonight Show to Conan, Paul Rudd's appearance in the video below will be rather baffling. But it's very, very, very clear that Bill Hader knows exactly what's going on, and that he could NOT be more amused by any of it, which is probably the most endearing thing that'll happen on TV this week. Check it out!

The interview kicks off with an already A+ Bill Hader anecdote about what is apparently the worst attempt at a sketch that Saturday Night Live's Lorne Michaels had ever seen in his life, which was largely based around Hader's squawky impersonation of filmmaker Ed Burns. Because that sketch also involved Paul Rudd, it only made sense for the actor to pop out and crash the interview with style, charisma, and a 25-year-old gag. (It would have been cool to see him do the same thing for the Friends reunion, but I digress.)

In one of the longest-running talk show traditions out there, Paul Rudd's visits to Conan O'Brien's series are always marked by the actor promoting a clip from a big new project that inevitably turns out to be a clip from the 1988 family flick Mac and Me. Every. Single. Time. And it never gets old, as proven by Bill Hader's infectious laughter throughout the entire second half of the video above. It's the kind of childlike and unbridled laughter that shows he not only appreciates the bit in and of itself, but also that he appreciates seeing it all happen on the stage around him. Like being in the same room with Jimi Hendrix as he improvises a guitar solo, only slightly less impressive.

Just listen to that unfiltered laughter in the clip below and everything in life becomes slightly easier to deal with.

The most serious event in the world could have taken place just after that, and I'm pretty sure Bill Hader wouldn't have been able to pull back on the laughs in order to deal with it. Such is the power of Paul Rudd and Conan O'Brien's epic relationship, not to mention the power of the alien Mac.

It wouldn't have been the same had Conan ended on TBS without Paul Rudd making a final appearance, and it was truly sad when his name wasn't part of the final guest list. Thankfully, Conan O'Brien & Co. knew the deal and delivered the goods in full. To actually get an explanation and a story behind the Mac and Me clip was more than fans could have even hoped for. Now here's hoping Rudd finds a way to keep the bit going when O'Brien's HBO Max series starts up.

It's hard to think of how Conan can top either that or Bill Hader's glee, but the talk show will continue airing its final episodes throughout the week on TBS at 11:00 p.m. ET. Thankfully, there are lots of 2021 Summer TV shows to help fill the void.

While the late night talk show scene hasn't changed all that much in recent years, TV viewers will soon be saying (a temporary) goodbye to the longest-running host in the game, with Conan O'Brien's TBS series Conan coming to an official close after eleven zany seasons. So you know what that means: quite a few big and noteworthy celebrities will be popping by to bid farewell to the show with style and comedic grace, and several of them are SNL vets.

TBS has revealed the nearly full list of awesome Hollywood stars that will serve as Conan's final batch of guests during its last two weeks on the air, while also sharing the awesome news that live studio audiences will finally be allowed back into the studio for those eight episodes. Let's take a look at the famed folks who will stop by during his penultimate week of episodes.

Not a weak link in that group, that's for sure, especially with Conan O'Brien as the ringleader. He's kicking things off with comedian and M.O.D.O.K. star Patton Oswalt, who has shared the talk show stage with O'Brien more than three dozen times across the latter's various shows (which also include Late Night and The Tonight Show). Following that up will be the iconic Martin Short, the rare Conan guest who can stand toe-to-toe with the host when it comes to manic silliness. Curb Your Enthusiasm's JB Smoove will presumably have fans rolling with laughter during his Wednesday night episode. And then that Thursday will cap off with a guest appearance from Family Guy's Mila Kunis, who possibly has the fewest Conan-related appearances of anyone in this two-week stretch.

Things get a little more interesting in the actual final week of episodes, whose guests are noted below:

First, I think Conan fans can all agree that Bill Hader, Dana Carvey and Jack Black are a superb trio of comedy giants that deserve the honor of serving as Conan O'Brien's final guests. The three have a combined total of over 40 appearances across the host's various shows - which basically equals Patton Oswalt's appearances - and they're always enjoyable no matter what talk show they're on.

The wild card here is the Tuesday night episode, whose guest hasn't been announced yet. That could mean anything from a major surprise guest like David Letterman or The Rock to another longtime Conan regular like Timothy Olyphant or Will Ferrell. Granted, Olyphant just appeared in the last month, but Ferrell hasn't been around since last year, so he could be the mystery option. Or maybe Dax Shepard will pop up to recreate his notoriously ripped appearance from Late Night in 2004.

Viewers can likely expect more fun and mildly organized chaos during Conan's final two weeks on TBS, too. Especially now that it's been confirmed that live audiences will be allowed again after more than a year of pandemic-set episodes that went without. Not that the host is going away forever or anything. The end of his current show is coinciding with a big move to HBO Max, where O'Brien will take a slightly different approach to the talk show format, on top of creating other specials and comedic content for the streaming service. I'm betting we'll see quite a few of the names listed above during his first year of episodes on HBO Max, too.

Get as much Conan bingeing in as you can, as the TBS talk show will bow out for good on Thursday, June 24. While waiting to hear more about his upcoming project(s) with HBO Max, don't forget about all the great shows hitting the 2021 Summer TV schedule!