The Michael Jackson biopic recreates several iconic moments from the late pop star’s run in the ’70s and ’80s, so fans are already experiencing déjà vu as they watch it unfold on the 2026 movie calendar. That feeling wasn’t just coming from what’s on screen, but also what happened behind the scenes. Director Antoine Fuqua found himself dealing with a different kind of whiplash, the kind that had nothing to do with choreography or recreating "Thriller". As he explains, directing Michael came at a very unfortunate time, as it was practically a repeat of what he faced after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock ahead of his last film, Emancipation.

In a recent interview with Deadline, Fuqua opened up about one of the toughest moments during production on Michael and how it mirrors what he went through while finishing his previous film, Emancipation, starring Smith. As he tells it, when he found out there would be legal ramifications if they got into the 1993 allegations against Jackson, it was the "exact same situation" he'd been in before.

The fallout from the 2022 Academy Awards slap incident dominated headlines for weeks, inevitably overshadowing Emancipation, available to stream with an Apple TV subscription. The historical drama arrived under a cloud it didn’t create, and the conversation around it shifted almost overnight. So to find himself in a nearly identical moment while finishing Michael? Yeah, you can see why he calls it a gut punch.

This time around, the issue wasn’t a viral moment on live television, but a major behind-the-scenes complication. The film had to undergo significant reshoots after it was discovered that certain real-life allegations tied to Michael Jackson couldn’t legally be depicted, forcing the production to rethink where it wrapped in the timeline and shell out for extensive reshoots. The movie ultimately ended with a "story continues" card, leaving the door open for more to be told, maybe, one day.

That kind of last-minute pivot would throw any production off balance, and for a while, it did. Fuqua continued:

Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, Fuqua and his team refocused the film around the core of the story: Michael Jackson himself. The performer and the person. It’s a shift that, in hindsight, sounds obvious, but in the middle of a production scramble, it’s not always that easy. Especially when you’re dealing with a figure as complex and polarizing as Jackson.

The film ultimately moved forward with that approach, leaning into the earlier parts of his life and career while setting up the more controversial chapters for potential future installments. Despite the turbulence, it paid off. Michael went on to post a massive opening weekend, proving there’s still a huge audience for the King of Pop’s story.

Twice now, Fuqua has found himself at the exact same stage of the filmmaking process, handing in a director’s cut, only to have something completely outside of what he made threaten to reshape how the project is received. Most directors deal with production headaches, but not all of them have to deal with déjà vu like that.

Michael is currently in theaters as part of the April 2026 release schedule.

Those who watched the winners get handed out at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022 will not soon forget the sight of Will Smith storming the stage and slapping presenter Chris Rock. It was a shocking and upsetting turn of events that resulted in widespread industry chatter and consequences: Smith was forced to resign his membership to the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences, and he was banned from attending the Oscars or any other Academy event for a decade. In the aftermath, Wanda Sykes (one of the three co-hosts that night) was one of the most outspoken critics of the moment, and in recent reflection on what happened, she explained that it wasn't just the slap that upset her but also the immediate reaction to it at the ceremony.

Sykes recently appeared as a guest on an episode of The Breakfast Club, and the subject of Chris Rock came up in conversation with co-host Charlamagne Tha God because of the significant role that he had in her career: one of her first big breaks in the industry was writing for The Chris Rock Show in the late 1990s.

The two comedians remain close. So, when asked about her reaction to the notorious Oscar slap, she explained that she was "sickened" to see to first see the assault and then watch everyone pretend that things were normal. Said Sykes,

As noted by Sykes, Will Smith ultimately went back to his seat after slapping Chris Rock, and the incident was very shortly followed by Smith winning the Academy Award for Best Actor. There was no real interruption to the proceedings, and it wasn't until after the show that consequences were handed down.

In the aftermath, Wanda Sykes did get a call from Will Smith, but she was sick at the time and he left a message. She responded with a text thanking him for reaching out.

Sykes has since said that she would never host the Academy Awards again, but she is doing just fine otherwise: in addition to regular acting work in film and television (both live-action and animation), she is a hugely popular standup, some of her recent work including the 2023 Netflix special Wanda Sykes: I'm an Entertainer.

For decades, Chris Rock has been one of the most popular comedians in Hollywood. However, his upcoming movie Misty Green, which may hit the 2026 movie schedule later this year, looks like a big swing in a new direction from the legend. It’s billed as a straight-up drama that Rock wrote, directed and stars in. Rock has dabbled in drama in the past, but this seems much more than that.

Rock Has Used Serious Moments In Previous Comedies

Misty Green is certainly not the first time Rock has written and directed a movie. The first was Head of State in 2003. I Think I Love My Wife is a romantic comedy that he wrote and directed (and starred in) in 2007. Both of those are straight comedies. In 2014’s Top Five, he started to dip his toes into a more serious side. This upcoming A24 release, however, looks like it ditches the comedy altogether.

The logline for Misty Green reads:

That sure doesn’t sound very funny, but it does sound very intriguing. Comedians have made the jump from comedy to drama a lot in the past. Jim Carrey and Robin Williams are probably the best known for going back and forth between the two. Comedians often have a dark side, too, and bringing that out can lead to some excellent results. We’ve never really seen that side of Rock, fully, but I’ve always had a lot of respect for Rock’s intellect and insight. So I’m very interested in this kind of story from him

The Cast Is Full Of Stars

The second thing that has me interested, naturally, is the Misty Green cast. For starters, it looks like it will mark the first time in four years that we’ll see Daniel Kaluuya on screen. His last acting gig was in 2022’s Nope, and so that is very exciting. Rock will also be joined by Rosalind Eleazar, who is slated to play the lead. As a huge fan of Slow Horses, I’m always excited to see her in a new role.

That’s hardly it for A-listers. Adam Driver is also appearing, along with Anna Kendrick, Topher Grace and Anthony Anderson. Kelli Garner, Amy Landecker and Mad Men’s Rich Sommer round out the cast that has been announced so far. Talk about stacked! For me, the cast and the fact that A24 has picked up the movie bode well for the prospects. Chris Rock has always had a lot to say, and finding a new, different voice to say it with is exciting.

We don’t know when Misty Green is going to come out; there has been nothing officially announced, but I’ll be watching for a release date.

Over the last 50 years, Saturday Night Live has produced some of the biggest stars in the world of comedy. The original Not Ready For Primetime Players alone produced numerous movie stars. One member of that group who is often overlooked, however, is Garrett Morris. He was the only Black member of the cast when Saturday Night Live debuted, but 50 years later, he clearly understands just what kind of an impact he had on those who came after him.

In a recent conversation with People, Garrett Morris talked about his experience of being cast on Saturday Night Live originally, following a performance in the movie Cooley High, which Lorene Michaels had apparently seen at the urging of other members of the SNL cast. It led to him breaking new ground on the show, which led to him inspiring multiple generations of Black comedians that came after him. Morris said:

Garret Morris did some great work on Saturday Night Live, and he had a solid career when he left the show, but he never became a star on the level of Chevy Chase or Dan Aykroyd. It’s certainly possible that Morris himself had not previously understood the impact he had.

Morris left SNL in 1980. Eddie Murphy would then join the cast the same year. It’s not difficult to draw a line between the two comedians. Murphy would be followed by the likes of Chris Rock and Tracey Morgan. According to Morris, when he saw each of them at the SNL 50 event, they said something that made him realize what an impact he had. Morris said:

Garrett Morris has been open about the fact that being part of the Saturday Night Live cast at the beginning wasn’t easy. He has talked about the racism that he experienced, including having writers on the show who he says refused to write anything for him. Considering that, it must have been wonderful to have people who Morris clearly respects tell him how important he was to them.

It's great to see that a talent like Garrett Morris is being told what an impact he had. He paved the way for those other stars while being an incredibly funny comedian himself. Any comedy fan owes the man a great debt.

Since making his debut on Saturday Night Live back in 2022, Marcello Hernández has carved out a solid lane for himself. The actor and comedian has headlined some excellent sketches and has become widely recognizable for playing the recurring character Domingo. With Hernández’s star growing, he now has a comedy special that’s available for Netflix subscription holders. Before he set foot on stage to film that production, though, Hernández received some keen advice from SNL legend Chris Rock.

Marcello Hernández: American Boy was just released this month amid the 2026 TV schedule, and it marks the young comedian’s first filmed special. The SNL breakout recently discussed the production while appearing on The Today Show. During that conversation (which is on YouTube), Hernández was asked about the advice he received from Chris Rock. As the Florida native explained, he spoke with Rock not too long before he was set to shoot the special, and he provided keen words of caution that sparked a big change:

So it seems Rock’s biggest piece of advice for Hernández was to take some more time to sharpen his set before filming the special, and that makes sense. Considering that Hernández was only just coming off Saturday Night Live at the time, shifting gears so quickly could’ve been counterproductive for him. Those are some words of wisdom that only a seasoned comedian – and someone who’s worked at Studio 8H – would know to dish out.

Chris Rock was a cast member on NBC’s long-running sketch comedy show from 1990 to 1993 and, even today, he remains heavily linked to the series’ history. Rock has also returned to SNL from time to time to host and has done so four times at this point. Additionally, Rock returned for the SNL50 special and, apparently series creator Lorne Michaels shelled out a lot of cash to get him and other stars to appear.

As for Marcello Hernández, his level of recognition appears to be growing, and that’s not just because of those Domingo sketches with Sabrina Carpenter. Hernández is starting to pick up additional roles, and one of the biggest feathers in his cap right now is his role as Fergus in Shrek 5. He’s also starring in the Netflix film 72 Hours with Kevin Hart as well as The Angry Birds Movie 3. 2025 also saw Hernández appear in the long-awaited Happy Gilmore 2.

With a burgeoning number of movie credits and a comedy special now under his belt, Hernández seems to be moving up in his career. I look forward to seeing how his trajectory progresses and, also, kudos to Chris Rock for helping out a fellow comedian.

Check out Marcello Hernández: American Boy on Netflix now, and see him on Saturday Night Live, which airs weekly at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Also, grab a Peacock subscription to stream episodes of SNL, which include some fine work from Hernández.

Live TV giveth, live TV taketh away. Leslie Jones has plenty of killer Saturday Night Live moments on her résumé, but she recently revisited one that went spectacularly sideways, a 2014 sketch with guest host Chris Rock that she now calls a full-on misfire. In a new interview, the Ghostbusters star reveals the honest 5-word response Lorne Michaels and Co had for her after the bomb.

On Vulture’s Good One podcast, host Jesse David Fox even framed the infamous sketch as “one of the biggest bombs in modern SNL history.” The Tennessee-born funny woman didn’t argue, but instead, she unpacked the story, adding a bit of context most fans never see. Jones recounted:

The premise itself wasn’t the problem. The sketch in question casts her and Rock as a couple who’ve been together so long their constant bickering has become its own love language, to the horror of their kid. On paper, it’s a classic relationship farce. But for whatever reason, the alchemy of a great sketch did not materialize in Studio 8H this particular Saturday night, and the sketch curdled like spilt milk on a summer day.

After the show, the Coming 2 America star was crushed, but the room didn’t let her sink. Castmates rallied; Vanessa Bayer sat with her and delivered an “it happens to everyone” reality check. Then Lorne stopped by with the most succinct note in show business:

Five words and zero judgment. And who would know better than Lorne Michaels, as the man has been at the helm of the popular sketch show for more than fifty years. The creator has seen it all, and if anyone can soothe the nerves after a bombing, it's the man who began it all.

Jones’ candid retelling lands because it shows how much invisible machinery performers juggle at 11:30 p.m.: color codes, prop hand-offs, quick changes, marks, sightlines, a live audience, and a clock that will not stop. It’s a miracle we don’t see more wipeouts. And yet that risk of collapse is exactly why SNL still crackles more than five decades in.

Leslie Jones left the show in 2019, but moments like this explain why she became a fan favorite—fearless on camera, honest about the hits and the bruises. Some sketches soar; others thud. But if we’ve learned anything, it’s this: it’s live. It happens. You can watch the sketch below—fair warning, it’s a pretty uncomfortable ride.

Saturday Night Live is currently in its 51st season. Catch it live Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET (10:30 p.m. CT), then stream episodes with a Peacock subscription.

If you mention the 94th Academy Awards to someone who watched the ceremony back in 2022, chances are the first thing that will come to mind isn’t one of the wins, but rather Will Smith slapping Chris Rock onstage. This unexpected violent moment quickly grabbed attention from everything else that happened that night, including Wanda Sykes, Regina Hall and Amy Schumer hosting as a trio. In the aftermath, though, Smith did reach out to Sykes to apologize for what happened… eventually.

The comedian mentioned the Men in Black star contacting her while speaking with Variety about her current standup tour, “Please & Thank You.” After interviewer Selome Hailu mentioned that her hosting work got “overshadowed” by the slapping incident, Sykes had this to say about whether she still celebrates that night as an “achievement” or if the “memory is soured”:

This whole thing started when Chris Rock, who was presenting the Best Documentary Feature category, made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, being in a sequel to G.I. Jane. This was in reference to her shaved head, which she’d done in response to being diagnosed with alopecia. Moments later, Will Smith walked onstage, slapped Rock, went back to his seat and told the Madagascar actor to keep his wife’s name out of his “fucking mouth.”

Will Smith later won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in King Richard and apologized for what happened earlier, and while he didn’t reference Chris Rock during the speech, he did apologize to him the next day. Though Wanda Sykes had once said Smith never apologized to her about the moment that “traumatized” her, she shared during the interview that he did eventually reach out, saying:

It’s unclear if Will Smith and Wanda Sykes ever had a full conversation on the subject after she got better, but at least he made the effort to apologize. Sykes also had a more personal tie to the incident given her friendship with Chris Rock, stretching back to when she opened for him in the mid ‘90s, then later both wrote for and appeared in The Chris Rock Show. Smith was ultimately expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and banned from attending the Oscars or any Academy-related event for 10 years.

You can see Wanda Sykes in “Please & Thank You” until the tour concludes in March 2026, and Will Smith’s production company, Westbrook, recently signed a multi-picture deal with Paramount. The 98th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 15, 2026, with Conan O’Brien hosting again.

Comedy is a lot harder to pull off successfully than it's often given credit for. It makes sense that some of the best filmmakers in history began their careers as comics, or at least comedic actors, given how a great comedian's mind works. They see the world in completely different ways, and that way of looking at things often means great movies, like some of the best rom-coms of all time, but they aren't always comedies. Here is our list of great comics who became great filmmakers.

Mel Brooks

You really couldn't have this list without Mel Brooks. His movies, which he's been making for an astonishing seven decades, never fail to disappoint. His career stretches back to the 1940s! He reinvented comedy on film with his early movies like The Producers, Blazing Saddles, and Young Frankenstein, and while he doesn't do as much directing these days, he's still killing it when he does.

Jordan Peele

Of all the comedians-turned-directors on this list, the biggest departure from his acting career to his directing career has to be Jordan Peele. He first entered our collective consciousness with his legendary sketch comedy show Key and Peele, but starting with Get Out in 2017, he's become one of the premier horror directors in modern Hollywood.

Amy Poehler

Like so many comedians over the last 50 years or so, Amy Poehler got her big break on Saturday Night Live. She left the long-running comedy show in 2008 to work on her next hit show, Parks & Recreation. In 2019, she directed her first movie, Wine Country, and followed that up with 2021's Moxie.

Christopher Guest

Some of the most quotable movies of all time have come from the collective minds of the ensemble casts that Christopher Guest has assembled for his movies, like Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and A Mighty Wind. He serves as the director, but he gives great leeway to his fellow cast members in all of the movies.

Paul Feig

Though he's best known as a writer and a director these days, Paul Feig started as a stand-up comedian when he first arrived in Hollywood in the 1980s. He struggled as an actor before scoring a role in Heavyweights in 1995. While working on that movie, he met writer Judd Apatow and the two co-created Freaks and Geeks. The rest is history.

Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller's biggest early break came in the Ben Stiller Show on MTV, which blended sketch comedy with music videos. From there, Stiller basically took over Hollywood to the point that it seemed like he was making a dozen movies a year! Okay, maybe not that many, but he was in a lot of movies, including many that he directed, like Reality Bites, The Cable Guy, Zoolander, and Tropic Thunder.

Mike Nichols

EGOT winner Mike Nichols directed some of the most iconic movies in Hollywood history. Movies like The Graduate, Working Girl, and The Birdcage. Nichols started his career as part of the comedy duo Nichols & May alongside Elaine May, who also became a filmmaker of some renown.

Charlie Chaplin

There are few people in Hollywood history who are as important to the growth of the industry as Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin wrote, starred, and directed almost all his major hits from the silent era up until A Countess from Hong Kong in 1967. He even scored many of his movies. He started in show business in the very early 20th Century in comedic roles on stage before movies were even invented.

Rob Reiner

As the son of the great Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner has comedy in his blood. His biggest fame early came as Mike "Meathead" Stivic in All in the Family, but for most of the last half-century, he's been known for his writing and directing, creating such movies as This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally..., among many others.

Chris Rock

Like many SNL alums, Chris Rock has had an incredible career in Hollywood. He started acting as a teenager in New Jack City, but he quickly became known for his stand-up act and his work on SNL. He's long been a writer and producer, and he started directing in 2003 with his directorial debut, Head of State. He's been busy directing ever since, in addition to everything else he does.

Judd Apatow

One of the most successful comedy directors in the last few decades is Judd Apatow. He's a one-man show, in many ways, writing, producing, and directing hits like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, The King of Staten Island, and This Is 40. He's also produced a whole slew of successful comedies, like Bridesmaids, Anchorman, Step Brothers, and Pineapple Express. That doesn't even get into the TV shows he's produced or co-created, like Freaks and Geeks, Girls, and Crashing.

Harold Ramis

Without question, Harold Ramis belongs on the Mount Rushmore of comedy writers and directors. The list of movies he's directed and written (or co-written) is amazing. Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation, and Groundhog Day are just the tip of the iceberg. Like so many in his generation of comedians, he started in sketch comedy at Second City in Chicago.

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais gained worldwide fame when he co-created, co-wrote, and starred in the original version of The Office in the U.K. He's created a slew of shows since, and could even be credited with helping create podcasts with his early podcast, The Ricky Gervais Show. The stand-up comedian started directing films in 2009 with The Invention of Lying.

Penny Marshall

We lost a lot when Penny Marshall died in 2018 at age 75. She began her career in comedic roles, most notably as Laverne DeFazio, first on Happy Days, then in her own spin-off, Laverne & Shirley. Before long, though, she transitioned to directing. Her first movie, Jumpin' Jack Flash, introduced the world to Whoopi Goldberg as a comedic actor (her lone previous credit was in the drama The Color Purple) and went on to direct beloved hits like A League of Their Own and Big.

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane started mostly as a comedy writer, which is hardly a surprise. He then created the animated shows Family Guy and American Dad for Fox. He made his directorial debut with Ted in 2012.

Albert Brooks

The legendary Albert Brooks started his career in sketch comedy in collectives like The Credibility Gap and appeared on variety shows in the late '60s and early '70s as a stand-up. His first directing gig was as part of the first season of SNL, before directing his first feature, Real Life, co-written with his buddy Harry Shearer. His later movies include classics like Defending Your Life, Mother, and The Muse.

Keenen Ivory Wayans

The Wayans brothers have certainly left a huge mark on Hollywood over the years, and the oldest sibling, Keenen Ivory Wayans, is the one who got them all started. He created and directed In Living Color, which made him a household name, but he had already directed I'm Gonna Git You Sucka before that. His biggest success, of course, is the Scary Movie franchise.

Carl Reiner

Carl Reiner got his start as a writer and actor in comedy sketches on two shows starring Sid Caesar, Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour. He then teamed up with fellow writer from the shows, Mel Brooks, and together they released comedy albums in the early 1960s. By the end of the decade, he was directing movies, with his two most notable hits, The Jerk and Oh! God, coming in the late '70s.

Cheech Marin

One of the biggest comedy duos of the '70s is, of course, Cheech & Chong. Before long, Cheech Marin was directing movies without his partner, including his directorial debut, Born in East L.A., in 1987.

Woody Allen

WE couldn't have this list without Woody Allen. Setting aside any personal feelings people may have towards the actor for his questionable personal life, Allen is, hands down, one of the most successful comedy film directors in Hollywood history. The list of movies he's written, directed, and starred in is far too long to list here. He developed his famous persona while working as a stand-up comedian in New York in the 1960s.

Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton was one of the most successful comedic actors of the 1980s with movies like Mr. Mom, Beetlejuice, and Johnny Dangerously. He started taking on more dramatic roles as the decade came to a close, and of course, he starred as the Caped Crusader in Tim Burton's Batman. He made his directorial debut in 2008 with the drama The Merry Gentleman and, more recently, directed the underrated Knox Goes Away in 2023.

Bob Odenkirk

Along with David Cross, Bob Odenkirk first broke big on Mr. Show with Bob and David, but that was after years in sketch comedy on shows like SNL and The Ben Stiller Show. He has gained his biggest fame more recently as the character Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and the spinoff Better Call Saul (which somehow never won an Emmy).

Jerry Lewis

His comedy might not have been for everyone, but you can't argue with Jerry Lewis' incredible success over decades in Hollywood. Of course, he started as part of a duo with Dean Martin, but he soon took off on his own with movies like The Nutty Professor and The Bellboy. He directed both those movies as well, and would continue to direct his own movies throughout the '60s.

Donald Glover

While still in college, Donald Glover started doing sketch comedy in New York City. After graduating, he became a writer on 30 Rock first came to the public's attention in Community on NBC. His biggest critical success came with the show he created and produced the show Atlant,a in 2013. His first feature film directing gig came with Bando Stone & the New World, which is a companion piece to his album of the same name.

Jeff Garlin

For most people, Curb Your Enthusiasm is where they first saw Jeff Garlin, but his career goes back further than that. He also starred in The Goldbergs before abuse accusations led him to leave the show. Over the years, he's directed a number of movies, like the indie rom-com I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With and 2017's Handsome, which you can watch with a Netflix subscription.

Buster Keaton

Like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton was a huge figure in the silent era of Hollywood. Also like Chaplin, the comedian started in theater at the dawn of the 20th century and then began writing, directing, and starring in his own films in the teens. He was one of the biggest stars of the early film industry, making more than a dozen hits in the 1920s.

Bob Saget

Not only is one of the dirtiest comedians of all time (and his version of The Aristocrats joke proves it), Bob Saget was also so beloved TV dad and wholesome host of America's Funniest Home Videos. Saget's first directorial credit came in the hilarious and underrated Dirty Work, working with Norm McDonald and Artie Lang on what must have been just a wild film shoot.

Aziz Ansari

Aziz Ansari had his breakout role as a member of the cast of Parks and Recreation, but he was already an experienced stand-up when that show took off. He directed his first film, Good Fortune, which he also wrote and stars in.

Jerrod Carmichael

Jerrod Carmichael is one of the most popular stand-up comedians in recent years and got his first major exposure with The Carmichael Show on NBC in 2015. He made his directorial debut in 2021 with On the Count of Three, which he also stars in alongside Christopher Abbott and an ensemble cast that includes Tiffany Haddish, J.B. Smoove, and Henry Winkler.

Bo Burnham

Bo Burnham made his name as literally a one-man show with his musical comedy YouTube channel that he started in 2006 (the very early days of YouTube). His first job as a director came in 2018 with Eighth Grade, which he wrote and stars in, as well.

Robert Townsend

Robert Townsend was groundbreaking as a Black comedian-turned-filmmaker in the 1980s when he wrote, directed, and starred in movies like Hollywood Shuffle, The Five Heartbeats, and Meteor Man, which is a comic book movie that deserves a reboot.

Bobcat Goldthwait

Without a doubt, one of the strangest movies mentioned in this list is Shakes the Clown, which was the first film directed by legendary stand-up comedian Bobcat Goldthwait. He's directed seven independent films since Shakes and they are always unique and funny.

You know, there are some movies that you rewatch as an adult, and you wonder, “Why the heck did I enjoy that when I was a child?” There are plenty that I could name right here alone.

From some of the silly Barbie movies I used to watch to ridiculous Scooby-Doo straight-to-DVD films to some comedy flicks that had no substance whatsoever, our tastes change as we grow older. And often, when we revisit things that made us happy as kids, we don’t feel the same way.

But what movie did I actually feel the same way about? Grown Ups. And I’m tired of people making fun of the film. I recently rewatched it just for fun – on a day where it felt like I had nothing to do and wished to revisit a movie that I absolutely loved as a kid, and now, I still don’t get why people don’t like it more. Here is my reasoning.

Yes, It’s Not Like Adam Sandler’s Classics

Now, am I going to sit here and tell you that Grown Ups is one of Adam Sandler’s best films? No, I am not, and I’m pretty sure if I did, I’d get whatever imaginary license for entertainment journalism I have taken away from me. I’m not that protective of this film.

It’s not a Sandler rom-com. It’s not Happy Gilmore. It’s not The Waterboy. It’s not The Wedding Singer – and it never will be. I think there is an inherent charm about a lot of Adam Sandler’s earlier films, even if they most certainly did not age super well with time. And nowadays, it’s challenging to pull something like that off with how the political climate has shifted over the last several decades.

While Grown Ups was released in the early 2010s, even then, the culture was far different from how it was when Sandler first began making movies, so of course, it’s not going to be the same.

Even so, there is still a lot to love about this movie.

But That Doesn’t Mean It’s Not Funny

I think my biggest issue is that a lot of people don’t find this movie that funny – or, at the very least, most highly ranked critics don’t. The 10% rating on Rotten Tomatoes speaks for itself. And I think that’s a load of BS.

Look, I’m going to be honest with you – do I sometimes want a very clever comedy film where the jokes are highly thought out, and you sometimes need to rewatch the movie again to understand? Sure. Occasionally, I need a film like that, one that really tests my comprehension skills as a movie and TV journalist. Without those, I wouldn’t be able to advance as a writer.

But I also sometimes don’t want that. There are great comedy movies out there that define the definition of what comedy can be, but Grown Ups is the type of film where it’s not looking to do that – it’s looking to make you chuckle with the most simplest of humor, and at the end of the day, that’s all you need.

The Five Comedians Have Such Fun Chemistry

You can’t have a good comedy film if you don’t have chemistry, and the Grown Ups cast is the definition of chemistry, which is why it astounds me to see that Rotten Tomatoes score so low.

These five comedic actors – Adam Sandler, Kevin James, David Spade, Chris Rock and Rob Schneider – work so well off of each other and create moments in this film that genuinely have made me snort out my morning coffee even now as an adult. Granted, I am my father’s daughter – most things very easily amuse me, and I think that’s a great way to live life.

But I wouldn’t get to that point in this film if the comedians didn’t already have that inherent energy. And you want to know the best part? They’re all friends in real life, which is what makes the chemistry so good.

At a certain point, you’re not watching the characters on the screen – you’re watching Sandler and his buddies rip on each other, and you love that aspect of this comedy. It’s like you’re back in high school with your teenage cohorts, and you’re trying to do some ridiculous dare to prove yourself to the person you like. It’s reminiscent and makes you smile.

And The Kids Actually Work Well Together, Too

Something else that I didn’t realize as a kid but do now as an adult is that the kids in this film are actually perfect, too, comedic-wise. And to me, that’s one of the biggest compliments, and another reason it baffles me is that critics don’t at least enjoy this film. Heck, some of these child stars are acting today.

Do you know how hard it is to find an actually good comedic child actor who’s not cringy or trying to put too much energy into their role? I can’t tell you how many movies I have viewed where it’s nearly impossible because they have the worst child imaginable portraying a kid who makes me want to scream and not laugh because they are so stiff.

However, in Grown Ups, these kids are actually good. Like, really good. Their comedic timing is on point, and they have some hilarious one-liners that still make me snicker to this day. I mean, I still say, “I wanna get chocolate wasted!” now because I find that line hysterical. How many little girls can you get that will authentically say that with their whole chest and have it feel believable?

I mean, it makes sense in a way – these child actors have to keep up with Adam Sandler and his whole slew of buddies. They had to lock in tight to make sure they could keep up with them, and they did on a whole other level.

It’s The Kind Of Movie Where You Can Turn Your Brain Off, And That’s A Good Thing

My biggest gripe about people not liking this film, however, is that it’s okay to watch a comedy movie – or just a film in general – and turn your brain off.

Sure, there are so many notable films out there that display the brilliance of cinema. I just saw Sinners and fell in love with movies all over again because of how incredibly well-done that entire story and experience were. But sometimes, I don’t need a movie phenomenon such as that to make me enjoy the film as a whole.

Sometimes, I need a movie like Grown Ups, where I laugh at simple things, share a drink with a friend or a family member, and relax on the couch—no thoughts, just vibes.

And that’s okay. The film world, inherently, is filled to the absolute brim with lovers of cinema, where they feel the need to comment on every waking aspect of how a movie is shot, who is in it, and the quality of everything – from a single set all the way down to how a burger was framed in the lens of a camera. They care about their craft.

However, I feel that if we don’t take a second to have fun with these movies every once in a while and enjoy films like this one, where it is just there for fun, we risk losing parts of ourselves that we can’t get back. In fact, watching Grown Ups reminds me that there’s still a little piece of my childhood innocence that resides within my heart because I still laugh at the same jokes, and while to some that may feel immature, to me, that’s beautiful.

Most should watch Grown Ups, if not for the silly jokes, then for the fun that you experience watching five friends have fun with their families during the summer. It’s not Adam Sandler’s best, but it’s a fun film regardless – and that’s something I always value, and you should value as well, irrespective of what Rotten Tomatoes says.

Over three years after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, their televised encounter remains a topic of discussion. It actually just came up yet again, and it was Smith who brought it back into the public consciousness. The rapper-turned-actor referenced the incident on his latest album, Based on a True Story. Rock’s brother, Tony, is aware of this, and he didn’t hold back when talking about Smith’s album as well as the less-than-positive reception it’s received thus far.

Tony Rock has been highly protective of his older brother since the situation at the 94th Academy Awards. Not only has he spoken out against the man formerly known as the Fresh Prince, but he’s also promoted Chris’ comedy work in the interim as well. When it comes to this new album from the Oscar winner, Tony ripped into the music, which he admitted to not having heard himself. While speaking with TMZ, the comic also addressed what he seems to view as the irony in being told not to discuss the slap:

The slap comes up in two tracks on the King Richard star’s album, according to Variety. One of the songs, “Int. Barbershop — Day,” features a smattering of voices making comments and sharing opinions about Smith’s actions. The song even kicks off with someone making the declaration that “Will Smith is canceled.” More mentions of the slap are featured in “You Lookin’ for Me?,” as it includes the verses, “Took a lot, I’m back on top/ Y’all gon’ have to get acclimated/ Won’t stop, my shit still hot/ Even though I won’t get nominated.”

Based on a True Story marks the multihyphenate’s first album release in nearly 20 years and, thus far, critics have reacted to it negatively compared to the star’s past work. During his interview, Tony Rock went on to explain that much of what he’d heard about the new music had to do with the references to the rapper’s exchange with his brother. While Rock believes that to be a poor selling point for a record, he also did give the “Gettin' Jiggy wit It” some credit in one respect:

Will Smith formally apologized to Chris Rock via an Instagram post shared shortly after the 2022 Oscars, and he provided an even longer apology in a video shared to social media that summer. In it, Smith acknowledged the damage that had been done and admitted that his relationship with Tony would be "irreparable." (Tony and Smith worked together on the UPN sitcom All of Us.) Chris bluntly addressed the clip during a stand-up comedy show, where he referred to it as a “hostage video.” In his stand-up special, Selective Outrage, Chris further critiqued Smith as well as his wife.

Since the slap occurred, there have been varied reports in regard to whether or not some kind of Rock/Smith reconciliation can happen. Tony Rock was asked that very question, and he provided an answer that sounded quite definitive:

Anything is possible, of course, as something could theoretically bring Will Smith and Chris Rock back together. However, given that Tony Rock refuses to even listen to Smith’s music, at the very least, it seems that there’s no love lost here.

It’s been three years since Will Smith infamously slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, but that’s a scene that’s far from forgotten for those who were involved and for those who witnessed the moment. Even as Smith moves on with plenty of movies in the works, he released an album, Based on a True Story, that makes several nods to the scandal. The actor got candid about what these post-slap years have been like as he worked on himself.

Will Smith sat down with the Drink Champs podcast, where he really opened up about having to confront a part of himself that he hadn’t acknowledged or wanted to show people before. While fans knew him for light-hearted roles on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Men in Black, Smith has realized that public persona was a mask that he wore, and he’s taken time to look at what that means. In his words:

On March 27, 2022, though, Will Smith was very upset. While presenting the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head (the actress has alopecia), prompting Smith to walk up on stage and slap the comedian on live television.

That certainly wasn’t representative of the person Will Smith usually allowed the public to see, and to that point, he said:

Will Smith has said that the most painful part of dealing with the slap aftermath was coming to terms with the fact that he responded to hate with more hate. He’s realized since then that everybody’s going through pain, and he told N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN that there’s power to be found in confronting that pain within yourself. Smith said:

Will Smith went on to say he’s found poetry, power, patience, certainty and many other positive qualities since learning to accept the entirety of his humanity.

Chris Rock, meanwhile, has been dealing with it in his own way, including through his comedy. He addressed the Oscars slap on his comedy special Selective Outrage (available to stream with a Netflix subscription), where he had a lot to say about Will and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Ultimately, though, Chris Rock said he lives in forgiveness, and interestingly he didn’t shut down the possibility of hosting the Oscars again someday. However, he agreed with the general consensus that Conan O’Brien deserves to do it again after he crushed this year’s ceremony.

Even three years later, there’s no question that “the slap” remains as relevant as ever, and it seems Will Smith has really learned a lot about himself in that time.

Remember when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars and the internet exploded? Of course you do, it was one of the most shocking live TV moments in recent memory. Smith just released his first full-length rap album in 20 years, and he decided to address the elephant in the room regarding his career, not once, but multiple times throughout the album.

Will Smith’s fifth studio album, Based On A True Story, just dropped on Friday, and now that we’ve given it a listen, we can confirm the rapper didn’t shy away from referencing the big moment at the Oscars with his latest bars. The album even begins with the words “Will Smith is cancelled” in a song called “Int. Barbershop Day,” where a bunch of voices go back and forth discussing him post-slap. You can check out the song on YouTube below:

Will Smith has previously shared that after the slap happened, he “kooked out” for a couple of years, but suddenly “music started coming out” of him again and he began working on this album. Perhaps that’s why he starts Based On A True Story this way? Some especially notable lyrics in the song are “I heard he won the Oscar but he had to give it back/And you know they only made him do that shit because he’s Black” or this one: “Him and Jada both crazy girl, what you talkin’ bout?/ You better keep his wife’s name out of your mouth.”

To be clear, no, Will Smith didn’t have to give his Oscar back, but after the Chris Rock slap, he was banned from the Academy Awards for a decade and he resigned from the Academy as well. In the second track directly after the introduction, the song “You Lookin’ For Me” Smith also gets into the controversy with the words: “Took a lot, I’m back on top, Y’all gon’ have to get acclimated, Won’t stop, my shit still hot, Even though I won’t get nominated.”

In the same song, he also references his marriage to Jada Pinkett Smith with the lines: “Personal life with my wife, mind your business, it's complicated.” While that does it for direct references to the incident, Will Smith’s new album does offer some insight into his personal struggles and positive mantras with catchy hooks like “I’m bulletproof” and “I make it look easy.”

Since Will Smith’s viral Oscar moment, the actor has released two movies: Apple TV+’s Emancipation and last year’s summer box office hit Bad Boys: Ride Or Die. There are a bunch of upcoming Will Smith movies on the way, like the sequel to I Am Legend and a Plane, Trains And Automobiles movie with Kevin Hart. You can stream Based On A True Story on Spotify or wherever you listen to music now.

Have you ever gone out to dinner and the evening didn’t go according to plan? I think we’ve all been there before. Between the food, the service and the conversation, there’s a lot that can go wrong. Let the record show comedian David Spade can commiserate. The popular actor somehow found himself having a dream dinner following the SNL musical special a few weeks ago with a table full of absolute legends, but what should have been an all-time memory turned into a night of recurring frustrations.

Spade was apparently supposed to have dinner with Chris Rock, but at the last minute, Rock told him plans were changing and they were instead going to dinner with a bunch of other celebrities who also attended the SNL 50 event including Paul McCartney. Sounds great, right? Well, much to his frustration, Spade found himself several seats away from the former Beatle and spent the entire night trying to hear stories and getting distracted by waiters during every key punchline. Here’s his hilarious recollection…

One of my favorite things about David Spade is how both relatable and unrelatable he is. He’s done like fifteen seasons of network TV and has been the star of a bunch of memorable comedies, but he’s also less famous than a bunch of his friends like Adam Sandler and Chris Rock. He told the above story during a recent episode of Fly On The Wall, the podcast he hosts with Dana Carvey, and in a way, it feels like a microcosm of every episode. The two of them come off like normal dudes who somehow got famous and go about their lives having these amazing adventures but reacting to them exactly how most of us would, except with more wit.

Unfortunately for Carvey, he got sick prior to SNL 50 and wasn’t able to appear. He certainly would have given how often both he and Spade have been making cameos on the regular show lately, but sadly for him, he missed out on the chance to crank his neck and lean in to try and hear Sir Paul McCartney talk about the good old days. What could have been.

Spade, however, did not miss out on the festivities. He appeared in John Mulaney’s wild musical sketch (the same one where Jenna Ortega got her personal space invaded), getting a really funny line when he just went back to his seat before it was over, and he obviously got a ton of fun interactions with plenty of legends of the game. He’ll probably be telling that story for years too, just as the rest of us would.

The 2025 Academy Awards had its share of surprises, but certainly nothing on par with the 2022 ceremony, which included one of the most famous unscripted moments in Oscars history when Will Smith came on stage to slap Chris Rock in the face.

Rock wasn’t hosting the Oscars that night, but he has hosted in the past. Certainly any decision to host again would involve revisiting the scene of the moment, which would have people talking about it again... something Rock might not want. But when speaking with E! After last night’s ceremony, the comedian didn’t shut the door on the possibility of returning to host, saying…

It certainly sounds like Chris Rock is willing to move on from the Oscar slap moment, and if that’s the case, then seeing him return to the Oscars stage, as either a presenter or as a host, is at least possible. It's a bit of a change from him. Back in 2019 Rock said he had no interest in hosting again.

That being said, for the next few years if Rock did return it wouldn’t require him to interact with Will Smith in any way. Smith was banned for a decade from attending the ceremony, and so there are still several years left on that punishment.

Still, it doesn’t sound like Chris Rock is necessarily considering a future gig as Oscars host, at least not after last night. When asked what he thought of Conan O’Brien’s performance, Rock could not have been more complimentary, saying it was so good they hope he’s asked back every year. Rock said…

Rock’s comments seem to be on par with many who thought O’Brien’s first outing as Oscar host was solid if not fantastic. Considering there have been years when it has been seemingly difficult for the Oscars to find a host if O’Brien wants to do it again, it seems a strong possibility it could happen.

There have been some great hosts over the years who have done such a good job that they were asked to host multiple times. Johnny Carson hosted five times, Billy Crystal hosted nine times and the iconic Bob Hope did it 19 times. Perhaps, if O’Brien does become a frequent host going forward, he could find his own name on that list. He’ll only need to host a couple more times to have done it more than Chris Rock.

Many star-studded folks attended Saturday Night Live’s 50th Anniversary, reinforcing the notion that this was one of the biggest events on the 2025 TV schedule so far. With more details about the historic weekend surfacing daily, comedian Nate Bargatze added to the revelatory pile. He shared that he and other major stand-ups–including, but not limited to, Steve Martin and John Mulaney–performed at an NYC comedy club before Sunday’s show. Now, that alone is a crazy detail, however, what's even wilder is the fact that tickets for this show were less than $20.

As we saw, many comedian giants flocked to the Big Apple to honor one of the best sketch comedy shows. However, with a set and somewhat minimal itinerary for the big weekend, what do a bunch of comedians do in their downtime? According a TikTok Bargatze posted, they headed to one of the most well-regarded and iconic comedy clubs in NYC, The Comedy Cellar (it’s known for big hitters dropping in unexpectedly to tryout material).

That's right, theYour Friend, Nate Bargatze comedian revealed that SNL royalty filled out the evening’s lineup and each was as good as the last, as he said:

The roster the 45-year-old listed, included himself, David Spade, Chris Rock, Steve Martin, Martin Short, John Mulaney, and Leslie Jones. It is undoubtedly an unforgettable and A+ lineup. Big hitter after big hitter was likely a dream come true for its audience, especially if they are SNL lovers. I know I would’ve been on another level to see them all in one evening, and I bet many would have paid a pretty penny to be in the audience too.

To that last point, if you’re wondering what it cost to see these comedy heavy-hitters all in one show, the Hello World stand-up covered that detail, too. He shared that he believed the tickets that evening were less than 20 bucks, saying:

According to The Comedy Cellar's website, tickets for Thursday and Sunday shows are $18 while Friday and Saturday tickets are $25. So, no matter what day you are at this iconic club, it's cheap to see comedy. However, this audience really got a bang for their buck.

What an absolutely amazing show and evening that must have been for those in attendance. An A-Lister show for less than the cost of an NYC dinner that's not a slice of pizza? Talk about a dream come true.

I’m sure it was a great evening for the performers too, and a nice way to break up the weekend, between attending the SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert and the three-hour-long Anniversary special.

Now, as we move on from this historic SNL weekend, it’ll be exciting to see who gets added to the upcoming hosts and musical guests, post-Shane Gillis, Tate McRae and Lady Gaga. Hopefully, it continues to give the same energy as this comedy club evening, the reunion and the first half of Season 50.

Overall, if there's a moral to this story, I think it’s safe to say, thanks to Nate Bargatze, that if you’re in New York City for any reason, go to a comedy show. You never know if you’ll catch someone like John Mulaney or Steve Martin for a mere $18. However, if the Big Apple isn't for you, you can relieve SNL's historic events with a Peacock subscription.

In years past, Pete Davidson’s love life has had a bright spotlight on it. However, right now, it’s not his romantic relationships taking center stage, it’s his friendship with Kevin Costner. This is all because the two unexpected pals were spotted together at the Super Bowl a few weeks ago, and now, it’s been reported that they allegedly attended Chris Rock’s birthday together too.

A few weeks ago, Costner and Davidson were spotted sitting next to each other at the Super Bowl. The Saturday Night Live alum has been a vocal Eagles fan lately, and in the images of him with the Yellowstone star, he’s rocking some Philly gear. Meanwhile, his pal’s allegiances weren’t as well known, since he was wearing a simple white button-down. Regardless of the actual game, they seemed to have a great time, and the internet couldn't get enough of them hanging out together.

It would appear their friendship has extended past that moment too, as Page Six reported they were seen at Chris Rock’s birthday party together.

The event marked a milestone birthday for Rock, as he turned 60, and his party coincidently fell between the big game and Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary, per People. It sounds like it was a star-studded event too, as the outlet explained that stars like Eddie Murphy, Tom Hanks, Cher, Dave Chappelle, Adam Sandler and many, many more were in attendance.

Actually, the list of guests who were reportedly at Crane Club to celebrate Rock on February 15 had some serious overlap with SNL’s guest list for its 50th festivities.

That all brings this back around to Costner and Davidson. At SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, the pair were seen hugging on the red carpet before they went into the event. Then, they were also both in attendance at The Anniversary Special (which you can watch in full with a Peacock subscription).

Unfortunately, as these events aired on the 2025 TV schedule, we didn’t get to see the two together and they weren’t seated next to each other like they were at the Super Bowl.

However, they did appear in the same sketch! In “New York 50th Musical” Pete Davidson appeared in his typical role as the guy John Mulaney takes on a musical journey. Then, later in the sketch, Costner and Jenna Ortega got squished between Jason Sudeikis and Will Forte while Kristen Wiig stood above them dressed as the Green M&M. So, they both played very memorable roles in this hilarious sketch (even though the Horizon director said nothing during it, his expressions spoke volumes).

Overall, this budding friendship was unexpected, but it’s one I love seeing.

After the Super Bowl, it seems like Costner and Davidson continued to bond at Chris Rock’s birthday and they both appeared to have a great time at SNL’s events. Now, I can’t wait to see what these two potential besties do next.

There are a lot of things to love about the Saturday Night Live reunion specials, but I think my favorite random little one might be the A-list audience. Most SNL episodes are full of randoms absolutely stoked to be there, but SNL 40 and last night’s SNL 50 have crowds full of former hosts, massive stars and ex-cast members. It makes the crowd interaction bits that much more fun, as we saw last night with a Q&A segment, numerous audience cut-tos and my favorite, a ridiculous Jason Sudeikis and Will Forte song that trapped Jenna Ortega and Kevin Costner in the middle.

I have absolutely no idea if Ortega and Costner were in on the bit. People on social media were just as confused as I was, but watching the two Hollywood stars being bumped into and pushed together by Sudeikis and Forte, who were dressed up Times Square favorites a pimp and a cartoon character, was something else. Check out this madness below, which was part of a John Mulaney tribe to New York City musical sketch…

This clip is barely twenty seconds long, and it’s overflowing with things to discuss. Let’s just run some of them down real quick. 1) I love Jenna Ortega’s face when her personal space first starts to get invaded. She calmly moves her shoulders and head more to the center, thinking she solved the problem and having absolutely no idea Sudeikis is just gonna eat that space up like they’re playing Risk. 2) I love Kevin Costner calmly putting on his glasses like he doesn’t have a care in the world. There’s no rush or hurry. It’s like he needs to get them out to do a crossword puzzle on a lazy weekend morning.

3) I love Jason Sudeikis literally hitting Jenna in the face with the back of his hand. It’s like he decided to just take the bit as far as possible and literally push her face. He doesn’t do it hard, but it’s just flagrantly disrespectful and leads to some more fantastic facial reactions. 4) I love the various celebrity reactions you can see around them. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is just eating up every second of this sketch. Chris Rock is watching with his arms folded like a judgmental former cast member, wondering where the bit is going. Woody Harrelson and Jason Momoa look weirded out in a bemused way, which feels on brand.

You could go on and on. I’ve watched the clip like 10 times, and I’ve found new things to make me smile every single time. Fortunately, you could say the same thing about much of the rest of the night. SNL 50 was slammed with absolute legends of the sketch comedy game and Hollywood royalty having the best time. Some of them crushed their bits. Others flubbed lines in amusing ways, and some looked uncomfortable as they were crushed between Sudeikis and Forte who were so committed to the bit they didn’t even seem to notice.

SNL hasn't announced any of its upcoming hosts yet, but it'll return on March 1st with a regular episode. Fingers crossed they'll just keep rolling with all the fun cameos by former stars the rest of the season though.

50 years: that’s how long Saturday Night Live has been on the air, with the night of that first episode being recently chronicled in the biopic Saturday Night. It goes without saying that such a milestone needs to be commemorated in a huge way, and that’ll happen on the 2025 TV schedule when the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special airs this Sunday. But that’s not enough to celebrate SNL being around for half a century, as Season 50 has also brought in major names like Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney and Chris Rock to make special appearances or host. Evidently Lorne Michaels, the show’s creator, has spared no expense with recruiting this lineup of talent.

In a Vulture piece discussing Michaels’ work on SNL and what will happen to the series when he retires, it’s mentioned that he poured so much money into inviting back SNL “family members,” which also includes Andy Samberg, Dana Carvey, David Spade, Alec Baldwin and Martin Short, that an unnamed NBC executive called up an old colleague to complain about these “exorbitant expenses. This former executive responded:

Logic would dictate that the person who’s running Saturday Night Live ranks below these NBC executives, but this is Lorne Michaels we’re talking about.With the exception of the first half of the 1980s, he’s been leading the charge on SNL and made it into a comedy institution, not to mention been around much longer than most, if not all of these executives. So if Michaels wants to spend a lot of money to bring in so many familiar faces back to SNL Season 50, apparently it’s going to happen, even if he has to make a few of these special calls to get his way.

Along with the aforementioned names, SNL Season 50 also brought in Jim Gaffigan to play Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz during the election season. Also, the episode Martin Short hosted saw him and John Mulaney being joined by Tom Hanks, Paul Rudd, Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Emma Stone and Jimmy Fallon for Short’s induction into the Five Timers Club. Lucy Liu, Adam Sandler, Kyle Mooney, Pete Davidson and Lin-Manuel Miranda have also all popped by this season. So yeah, it’s no wonder so much money has been spent lately, and I imagine this will continue happening for the remainder of Season 50.

As for the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special, I could spent a whole other article going over who will appear there, with Sabrina Carpenter being one of the more recent additions. Suffice it to say it will be quite the event, and you can watch it unfold Sunday at 8 pm ET on NBC. You’re also welcome to break out your Peacock subscription to stream any and all of the hilarious sketches that SNL has delivered over the decades to your heart’s content.

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.

Over two years ago, Will Smith received considerable attention after he slapped Chris Rock on stage at the 94th Academy Awards. Smith was subsequently punished by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with a 10-year ban from its events. In the aftermath, rumors swirled around the actor’s career prospects, but he’s since bounced back. Smith isn’t forgetting that time in his life, though, as he recently reflected on the “most painful” aspect of the slap. Along with that, he also explained what he learned from the situation.

The King Richard star has been busy as of late, promoting his new music. While doing that, he recently made a stop at San Diego’s Observatory North Park theater. It was during that show that the A-lister discussed a number of topics (and distanced himself from the Diddy memes that have been making the rounds). Later, as shared by @SKTheKingYT on X, the Bad Boys star got candid about the slap’s aftermath and explained how he processed the incident:

Will Smith slapped Chris Rock after the comic made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Rock made a quip about Pinkett Smith’s baldness, which is due to alopecia areata, leading Smith to smack the comedian and later yell expletives at him. Later on, the Smith apologized to Rock in a video, while Rock himself blasted both of the Smiths in his 2023 Netflix comedy special, Selective Outrage. A number of other comedians, including Jim Careey Wanda Sykes and Steve Harvey, also chastised Smith for his actions.

The 56-year-old father of three went on to share more thoughts on the slap, at which point he revealed that the “most painful” part of it was that he “responded to hate with hate.” Nevertheless, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star also shared that he had an epiphany while thinking over the televised moment later:

Will Smith’s career has remained intact since his confrontation with Chris Rock at the Oscars. He starred in the moderately reviewed period piece Emancipation in late 2022, and 2024 has proven to be a major year for him, thanks in great part to the box office hit Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Smith also has upcoming movies in Brilliance and fellow sci-fi flick Resistor. On top of that, the star is set to return for an I Am Legend sequel, which will co-star Michael B. Jordan.

The comments that the Academy Award winner shared during his recent show seem to indicate that he’s been working on himself since the slap. Based on his sentiments, one gets the feeling that he’ll opt to hold onto the empathy-related lesson he learned moving forward.

Anyone who’d like to check out Will Smith’s latest film can stream Bad Boys: Ride or Die now using a Netflix subscription.

Chris Rock returned to Studio 8H last night to host Saturday Night Live for the first time since 2020, and much to the delight of fans, he brought with him an old coworker: Adam Sandler. The A-lister wasn’t billed for the episode, but about halfway through a medical sketch, the patient’s covering was pulled down to reveal it was Sandler. The audience, of course, exploded with excitement, and it wasn’t long before all the cast members were smiling, as the sketch got progressively more ridiculous.

The basic premise involved a surgery. Sandler, who was initially covered, was getting his appendix removed, except Sarah Sherman’s nurse accidentally wrote down gallbladder, leading to Chris Rock’s surgeon removing the wrong organ. She quickly owned her mistake, but it was later discovered one of her airpods fell into Sandler’s chest during surgery. And so on. Eventually, Sandler woke up, and all hell broke loose as he bled all over everyone. You can check out the madness below…

In a weird way, this sketch actually serves as a fitting explanation for why people loved the Adam Sandler and Chris Rock era of SNL so much. During the early 1990s, those two, plus other favorites like Chris Farley and David Spade, brought a lot of goofiness and irreverence to the show. Sure, there were still some political sketches and more serious subjects tackled, but what people remember the most is those guys just having fun with each other on screen.. and a lot of breaking character.

I’m not saying Sandler and Rock are among the worst offenders in the show’s history, especially given Jimmy Fallon exists, but you can point to a lot of early 90s sketches and find people barely keeping it together. It’s nice to add another one to the canon here, as the last half of the sketch is pure madness. First, Sandler can’t seem to get his blood splatter thing to work. Then, after he does, he just goes to town on everyone in the sketch, including Rock who gets blood intentionally shot into his mouth. In perhaps the sketch’s funniest moment, he also calls out Emil Wakim’s unnamed nurse and tells him he’s glad he’s in the skit, even if he doesn’t have a clear role and hopes his parents are proud of him.

Sandler, of course, is just the latest in a long series of nostalgic appearances we have gotten this season to celebrate beloved comedy show’s 50th anniversary. So far this season, we’ve gotten a host of favorites including Maya Rudolph and Andy Samberg, who did several election sketches together, and just last week, we got Dana Carvey and David Spade who joined forces for a Church Lady sketch.

That nostalgia will continue rolling next week as Martin Short is the next former cast member who has been tapped to host. He’ll appear alongside Hozier, and I can’t wait to see what surprises might come with them.

Saturday Night Live's 50th Season is ending this year with a bang! With two more episodes on the 2024 TV schedule, the sketch show is gearing up to close out the year with two mega alums, Chris Rock this weekend (December 14) and Martin Short the following Saturday (December 21). Rock’s promo just dropped last night too, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how silly and inaccurate the comedian’s Studio 8H spiel (which weirdly included a lot of talk about David Spade) is! While not factually correct, the hilarious energy of this ad is infectious, and I’m really looking forward to watching the comedian this Saturday night.

The Madagascar actor's SNL promo opens with new cast member, Jane Wickline, hosting a tour in the iconic studio for a small group. While sharing history about the comedy institution, Rock walks in. All are thrilled to see him and are okay that he jumps in to take over the talk. However, of course, it’s incredibly and hilariously inaccurate. Everyone except Wickline accepts what he’s saying, and when he's done he thanks everyone for their time and mistakes the current SNL actor for another Jane, OG cast member Jane Curtin.

Check the spot for yourself below and see how goofy it gets:

From Jackie Robinson being an intern to Tupac being shot on stage and the audience being captivated by it all, I’m loving this obviously wrong history lesson. And let’s not forget that David Spade bit about being bit on the ass by a llama, which was a weird, but relevant, joke to throw in since the comedian popped up in last week's SNL episode.

Honestly, I think Rock's episode could cement him as one of the best SNL hosts of all time if it’s anything like that 51-second promo. His vibe makes it clear that he's absolutely ready for this Saturday, and now I'm hopeful that he'll bring that high energy and nostalgia to his sketches.

As Saturday Night Live gears up for the holidays and ends the first half of its 50th Season, it’s no surprise they have Rock and Short hosting. Fans of the show know both comedians, and it’s a really smart move to combine these two with Christmas and holiday classics to encourage viewership. We already got a surprise Church Lady cameo from David Spade, so I am optimistic that more fun callbacks and guest stars are also on the way. And SNL's seasonal bits are always some of their most viral and long-lasting, so it should be a fun time.

So, be sure to tune in to NBC (or stream it with a Peacock subscription) on the titular night at 11:30 p.m. ET to catch Chris Rock and musical guest Gracie Abrams on Saturday Night Live, because this is bound to be a memorable episode!

For the last several weeks when celebrities and parties have come up in the same sentence, it’s been a discussion of the parties thrown by Sean “Diddy” Combs that are the subject of a federal indictment against the rapper and mogul. Considering all of that, it's extra sweet to hear about Leonardo DiCaprio’s 50th birthday party, which looks to have been quite the shindig. And it apparently had a guest list that would make the Governor’s Ball at the Academy Awards blush, as it truly featured a murderer's row of celebrities.

Leonardo DiCaprio turns 50 years old today, November 11, but he held his party over the weekend. The guest list was shared by deuxmoi on Instagram, and it's absolutely staggering. From DiCaprio’s fellow stars from his generation to some of the great directors that he's has worked with (and those he almost collaborated with), the guest list included:

• Brad Pitt & Ines de Ramon
• Mark Ruffalo
• Benicio del Toro
• Soleil Moon Frye
• Todd Phillips
• Kevin Connolly & Zulay Henao
• Chris Rock
• Jamie Foxx
• Guillermo del Toro
• Paris Hilton
• Lukas Haas
• Steven Spielberg
• Bill Maher
• Casey Affleck
• Emile Hirsch
• Katy Perry & Orlando Bloom
• Cara Delevingne
• Tobey Maguire
• Robin Thicke & April Love Geary
• Odell Beckham Jr.
• Teyana Taylor
• Edward Norton
• Chuck Lidell
• Dr. Dre

There may have been even more stars in attendance, but this list alone is truly a who’s who of Hollywood. Being there had to be an incredible experience. Leonardo DiCaprio's father and stepmother were the only non-celebrities reported to be in attendance. It must have been a pretty amazing night for them, I'd think.

A few of these names are potentially surprising, but it’s very interesting to see who the Wolf of Wall Street star decided to invite to the event. He and Edward Norton have been friends for a long time. The same goes for DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, who were part of the same real-life poker game that inspired the movie Molly’s Game.

It's also great that Leonardo DiCaprio invited his Catch Me If You Can director Steven Spielberg. The same goes for Guillermo del Toro, who almost directed DiCaprio, as he was originally attached to star in Nightmare Alley before he had to drop out and was replaced by Bradley Cooper. I would have loved to have seen those two meet up at the party. If there’s a chance they could work together down the road that’s a very exciting prospect that they probably talked about.

DiCaprio’s One Upon A Time…In Hollywood co-star Brad Pitt -- along with his serious girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, -- was there, as was his Shutter Island co-star Mark Ruffalo. The Revenant star also invited a couple of people who it looks like he may have gotten to know in his role as a producer. DiCaprio produced Out of the Furnace, which included Casey Affleck in its cast. He also produced Kid 90, the documentary film directed by former Punky Brewster star Soleil Moon Frye.

Needless to say, certainly looks like Leonardo DiCaprio’s birthday party was the hottest ticket in town. Now I just need to figure out how to become his friend before next year.

When a performer says goodbye to the Saturday Night Live cast, it does not necessarily mean forever. Often, the sketch comedy TV show will invite an esteemed alum to appear in an episode either as a special guest or as a headliner, sometimes resulting in a hall-of-fame hosting gig. The following are some of our favorite times a former SNL star made a grand impression when they came back to Studio 8H.

Eddie Murphy

After leaving SNL in 1984, Eddie Murphy came back to host (actually his second time, having hosted while still on the cast in 1982) for an episode later that year, on which he debuted, arguably, his best SNL sketch, "White Like Me." After being honored at the 40th anniversary special, the Academy Award nominee came back to host a third time, resulting in one of the most acclaimed episodes of Season 45.

Ben Stiller

You might have forgotten that Ben Stiller was a cast member since he only lasted four episodes in 1989, which he acknowledged when he first came back to host in 1998 after becoming a bigger name in comedy. He would return to host again 2011 in, followed by a series of recurring appearances as Donald Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, in 2018.

Norm Macdonald

Famously, Norm Macdonald was fired from the SNL cast in 1998 for, as the NBC executives at the time claimed, not being funny. Just a year and a half later, he came back to host an episode, during which he joked in his monologue that he had not gotten any funnier but the show had gotten "really bad" since his exit.

Robert Downey Jr.

Before becoming one of the most beloved A-list actors in Hollywood, Robert Downey Jr. was one of the most heavily criticized cast members from one of the most heavily criticized seasons of SNL from 1985 to 1986. He only came back to host once in 1996, during which he proved was the supremely talented performer we know and love and, eventually, became the first former SNL cast member to win an Oscar for Oppenheimer in 2024.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus would not become a comedy icon until after her three-year stint at Studio 8H from 1982 to 1985 when she joined the Seinfeld cast as Elaine Benes. In 2006, fresh off her Emmy win for The New Adventures of Old Christine, she became the first female former SNL cast member to return as a host, which she would follow with two more gigs.

Jimmy Fallon

After a successful six years at SNL from 1998 to 2004, Jimmy Fallon would return for three hosting gigs and countless cameos. Each time the late-night TV host comes back to Studio 8H tends to be a celebrated affair, especially because there is a good chance that his friend, Justin Timberlake, will show up to participate in a new edition of "The Barry Gibb Talk Show" or some other sketch.

John Mulaney

While he was never part of the SNL cast, John Mulaney would perform a few funny segments on "Weekend Update" during his five years on the writing staff. He would later become one of the biggest names in stand-up comedy and such a beloved host that he joined the Five-Timers Club within only four years.

Dan Aykroyd

Sometimes, for a cast veteran, the key to a memorable hosting gig is to wait an exceptionally long time to come back as an SNL host, much like Dan Aykroyd did. The legendary, Canadian-American comedy star, known for sketches like “The Coneheads” and “Super Bass-o-Matic ‘76” from his tenure as a Not Ready for Primetime Player, headlined an episode in 2003, more than two decades after leaving the show.

Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman is actually one of several SNL cast members who only lasted one season but still ended up becoming a huge success in the end. Two decades after she was let go from the series, the acclaimed comedian hosted a funny episode from Season 40.

Martin Short

It is hard to believe that a performer like Martin Short was only an SNL cast member for one season but he has, luckily, continued to demonstrate his dynamic comedic talents through memorable hosting gigs. His first hosting gig from 1986 was shared with his Three Amigos co-stars, Chevy Chase and Steve Martin – the latter of which he would co-host with again in 2022.

Adam Sandler

Surprisingly, despite making a couple of cameos over the years, Adam Sandler would not host SNL until 2019, which resulted in an instant favorite episode in which he sang two memorable songs. The former "SNL Bad Boy's" first tune (including a Chris Rock appearance) was during his monologue and discussed how he was fired after four seasons in 1995 and the other was a tribute to Chris Farley.

Kate McKinnon

After 10 wonderful years at SNL, the great Kate McKinnon would return a year and a half later to host the last episode of 2023, which proved to be a very successful episode, and not just because it featured cameos by Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and her Barbie director, Greta Gerwig. Also, in Season 49, she would also come back for one more appearance as alien abduction victim Colleen Rafferty to make host Ryan Gosling laugh uncontrollably once again.

Chevy Chase

Only two weeks after his final episode as an SNL cast member, Chevy Chase made a hilarious, self-mocking cameo in the cold open as himself, performing music for tips outside of 30 Rock. He would continue to return for more cameos and eventually became the first host to join the Five-Timers Club before the idea of it had been suggested by Tom Hanks.

Billy Crystal

In a unique twist on this topic, Billy Crystal was actually meant to appear on the very first episode of SNL in 1975 but was ultimately cut for time, as depicted in the 2024 movie Saturday Night. As his notoriety increased, the comedian was asked to host twice in 1984 before being hired later that year as a cast member, during which he lit up the screen with his impersonation of Fernando Lamas and other notable characters.

Tina Fey

Having served as both "Weekend Update" host and head writer near the end of her nine-year tenure, Tina Fey was a true SNL MVP but some of her most memorable moments on the show occurred after her 2006 exit. Prior to her Five-Timers Club induction, the 30 Rock creator and star made numerous appearances as Sarah Palin that earned rave reviews.

Dana Carvey

A key element to SNL's new golden era from 1986 to 1993 was Dana Carvey and his wonderful talent for impressions, which he would continue to lend to Studio 8H in the years since his exit. The Wayne's World star is one of the most frequent returning cast members, especially in Season 50 as President Joe Biden.

David Spade

Many of David Spade's funniest quotes originate from his six years on SNL in the early-to-mid-1990s. His blunt, sarcastic, and sometimes unapologetically brutal delivery of mockery at other celebrities' expense would serve him well in his hosting gigs – the first of which included a cold open featuring Brad Pitt as his therapist.

Kristen Wiig

The final episode of SNL's 37th Season was the final episode for a few notable cast members but it ended with a grand send-off purely dedicated to Kristen Wiig's esteemed seven years, which included some hilarious quotes. It was not long before the Oscar nominee was asked to bring back her famous characters as a host and her Season 49 episode saw her induction into the Five-Timers Club.

Chris Farley

After becoming one of SNL's most esteemed icons during his five-season run and proving to be a box office draw with movies like Tommy Boy, Chris Farley was at the height of his fame when he came back to host two years after leaving. However, his October 1997 episode is now remembered more somberly because, only two months later, he would pass away from a drug overdose at the age of 33.

Maya Rudolph

Maya Rudolph proved herself as an all-time great during her seven years on SNL in the 2000s. She would return for multiple hosting gigs and an innumerable amount of special guest appearances, most notably as her Emmy-winning portrayal of Kamala Harris.

Pete Davidson

For his clever "Weekend Update" commentaries, fascinating personal life, and title as the youngest SNL cast member on record, Pete Davidson was one of the series' most talked about performers when he left at the end of Season 47. He was initially meant to return as a host for the following season but, due to the Writers' Strike, he instead returned for the Season 49 premiere, which featured a viral pre-filmed bit poking fun at his post-SNL career inspired by Barbie's "I'm Just Ken."

Tracy Morgan

Impersonations of the likes of Al Sharpton and Oprah Winfrey and hilarious original characters like Brian Fellow and Astronaut Jones made Tracy Morgan a force to be reckoned with during his seven years on SNL. As a result, each of the 30 Rock cast member's returns to the Studio 8H stage as a host or guest have been warm celebrations of his best moments as a cast member.

Paul Shaffer

Starting off as a member of Studio 8H's house band, Paul Shaffer later made history as the first person to drop the F-bomb on SNL during his 1979-1980 stint on the cast. Of course, he bounced back from the incident without issue and would make cameos on the show and host an episode from 1987 after being David Letterman's bandleader greatly increased his notoriety.

Damon Wayans

One of the most infamous SNL cast firings is that of Damon Wayans, who changed the nature of a character on the fly in the middle of a broadcast in 1986. The comedian would find even greater success as a member of the In Living Color cast and, in 1995, was asked to come back as a host.

Phil Hartman

It is easy to understand why some argue that Phil Hartman is the greatest SNL cast member of all time and why, just two years after his exit, he was asked to host twice in 1996. We have no doubt we would have seen more of the Emmy winner gracing the Studio 8H stage again if not for his untimely murder in 1998 at the age of 49.

Chris Rock

The first "Bad Boy of SNL" to return as a host was Chris Rock in 1996, which was three years after his departure. At that point, the comedian had found decent subsequent success by making appearances on the show's biggest competitor at the time, In Living Color.

Jason Sudeikis

While he would make several post-exit guest appearances, Jason Sudeikis' first time hosting in 2021 was eight years after he left the show, which was actually a year later than he had intended. The gig was a big moment, given his Emmy-winning success on Ted Lasso at the time and his heartfelt opening monologue celebrating his time as a writer-turned-cast member.

Will Ferrell

Despite a hiccup or two in his early days on the cast, Will Ferrell became one of the most beloved SNL cast members of the 90s and early 2000s. His many appearances since, including five hosting gigs, have resulted in some of the show's most celebrated moments in recent years.

Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler's impeccable skills of impersonation and arsenal of uproarious characters made her seven years on SNL a one-of-a-kind era. Her many notable appearances since include co-hosting with her friend and one-time "Weekend Update" co-anchor Tina Fey in 2015 and making cameoing as Leslie Knope alongside her fellow former Parks and Recreation cast member, Aubrey Plaza, in 2023.

Darrell Hammond

One of the all-time longest-standing SNL cast members is Darrell Hammond with 14 seasons but his time at Studio 8H would not stop there after all. In addition to making special appearances – most notably in "Celebrity Jeopardy!" sketches as Sean Connery – the actor would succeed Don Pardo as the show's announcer when Pardo passed away in 2014.

Molly Shannon

Three-time Emmy nominee Molly Shannon is the driving force behind one of the most iconic SNL characters to earn their own movie, Mary Katherine Gallagher. The misfit Catholic high school student is just one character she has brought back for her numerous appearances on the show since leaving in 2001, including two hosting gigs.

Bill Murray

After Chevy Chase left in 1976, stepping in to join the Not Ready for Primetime Players was Bill Murray, who hilariously acknowledged his struggle to make an impression on SNL early on in a famous sketch. Of course, the Oscar nominee would quickly achieve wild notoriety in the 1980s, which made his subsequent five hosting gigs and additional cameos much-celebrated occasions.

Since the dawn of television, comedians have been around to bring the funny, but comedy greats don’t always have broad appeal. If you’re looking for some of the more divisive or perhaps cutting edge comedy programs out there, this isn’t the list for you. Instead I wanted to put together a list of programs both the critics and audiences can agree on, which means some names like Ricky Gervais – whom critics notably hate but audiences still love – did not make the final roundup. Nor did some who received audience love but not much notice from critics on an aggregator, given critics roundups are still a relatively new concept. (My apologies to Patrice O'Neal and George Carlin!)

I know it doesn’t happen totally often, but here’s a list of comedy specials in the modern era which both critics and audiences can agree are worth throwing on. There’s some greats that came around long before the Rotten Tomatoes era, and plenty more that comedy lovers enjoy but critics often ignore. Regardless, when there’s overlap amidst both groups, you can find some names with broad appeal.

Bo Burnham: Inside

Bo Burnham’s 2021 musical comedy special was filmed and taped during the COVID pandemic, and as such it has a very different feel than most other comedy specials. That’s a good thing, as both audiences and critics are bullish on the Netflix original. It also has one of the most similar audience and critics scores, with critics weighing in at 93% and 95% respectively.

Ramy Youssef: More Feelings

Ramy Youssef may not have brought in the biggest SNL ratings during his stint as host, but Youssef has really started making a name for himself in the industry. A lot of people tuning into his stand-up like what he brings to the table. His 2024 special More Feelings dives into a divided world and other topics that lots of people latched onto, including 100% of critics who reviewed, and a fairly similar 91% of audiences.

Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special

Norm Macdonald churned out conceptually hilarious comedy for years before the 2022 release of Nothing Special, taped just before his death at 61 (and originally planned to be recreated in front of a live audience). The run-through was released posthumously, and both critics and audiences latched onto it, with 100% of critics giving a thumbs up and 86% of audience members enjoying the unorthodox platform for joke-telling, too. Norm has plenty of other great content, but this is the standout in the review aggregator era.

Ali Wong: Baby Cobra

A personal favorite of all the recent comedy specials (at least on Netflix), Ali Wong’s Baby Cobra was taped while she was pregnant (and still married to then-partner Justin Hakuta). The comedy special really speaks to women in a particular time in their lives, but it’s also just great enough to be broadly appealing, landing a 100% rating with critics and a still positive 74% from the crowd.

Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel

You really can’t go wrong with Jerrod Carmichael specials. Both critics and audiences really like his bent, and he has multiple specials in this aggregator era that were liked by both. The HBO 2022 original Rothaniel edges out the others with a 100% critics and 84% positive Rotten Tomatoes scores.

Jim Gaffigan: Quality Time

Jim Gaffigan’s funny in almost any context, and he’s been rolling out comedy specials for more than a decade, many of which have landed him Grammy nominations. His 2019 special Quality Time has hit in the review aggregator era, and landed him 100% from critics and a solid 88% from the fans who watched. Not bad for his seventh at bat.

Patton Oswalt: Talking For Clapping

We have a tie here, ladies and gentleman. While Talking For Clapping didn’t quite push over the coveted 90% mark, both 86% of critics and 86% of audiences who tuned in enjoyed the actor and comedian’s 2016 Netflix special. Still a strong and notable score.

Wanda Sykes: Not Normal

Wanda Sykes’ 2019 comedy special hit the spot for many. While subsequent standup specials have lower audience scores than critics scores, Not Normal stands out with a high critics score of 100% and a relatively high audience score of 84%. Though I'd still recommend checking out older pre-aggregate era stuff, like I'ma Be Me.

John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous At Radio City

John Mulaney has a lot of must-watch comedy specials, including the outstanding New In Town special, but his later 2018 special Kid Gorgeous At Radio City came late enough that both critics and audience members weighed in on aggregates, and very positively (at 100% and 91% respectively). It's a great follow-up and much better reviewed than his most recent special Baby J.

Tig Notaro: Happy To Be Here

Tig Notaro's pace and tone is pretty unique, and her stand-up has not always been for everyone (critics love her but audiences are sometimes less enamored). But her 2018 special Happy To Be Here earned high marks from critics and audiences alike. Though, if you want to get away from just her TV specials, many fans would recommend Live, the viral performance she recorded after her breast cancer diagnosis.

Richard Pryor: Live In Concert

The first full movie to hit theaters that featured a stand-up special, Live in Concert is a notable show from an all-time great comedian. Coming in at a whopping 93% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and 92% from audiences, the movie has continued to draw eyeballs since its 1979 release.

Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American

Nate Bargatze's first TV special The Tennessee Kid was largely ignored by critics, but they'd caught on by the time The Greatest Average American came out on Netflix in 2021. With a 100% critics score and a 90%, there's no doubt there's a broad audience from the comedian, who often jokes about relatable topics like buying clothing and learning from his kids' homework.

Mike Birbiglia: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend

There are very few standup specials that came out more than 10 years ago that have an aggregation score, but Mike Birbiglia's My Girlfriend's Boyfriend has such an interesting theme -- about falling for women dating two men and finding the right priorities in life -- and format that it's been popular for years. With a perfect review from a small pool of critics and an 86% from a large swathe of audiences, it's one to watch.

Chris Rock: Kill The Messenger

Chris Rock's been around long enough that even some of his older specials were heavily watched and have been reviewed by critics and audiences alike. The most popular of these is Kill The Messenger, with a 100% critics score and an 89% audience score. This was Rock's fifth special and it was taped over the course of a few nights in a few different cities. The end result is nothing short of spectacular.

Anthony Jeselnik: Thoughts And Prayers

Given Jeselnik's often dark jokes, I actually wasn't sure if the audience and critics would be on the same page, but both seem to have gone in for Thoughts and Prayers, his 2015 standup on Netflix. It was his second special after coming to prominence on Last Comic Standing, and critics and 88% of audiences who watched gave it a thumbs up.

The Original Kings Of Comedy

An all-time comedy classic, Spike Lee's stand-up movie (that also features BTS footage) has an all-time murderers' row of comedy talent. Steve Harvey. D.L. Hughley. Cedric The Entertainer. Bernie Mac. While some of the jokes haven't aged as well, it's still an all-time classic, and it's no wonder 83% of critics and 79% of audiences enjoy it today.

Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh

While Sandler's amusingly titled 100% Fresh doesn't quite get that perfect aggregation score, it's pretty dang close. Coming in at a very similar 90% critics and 91% audience score, the Netflix special landed the longtime comedian an Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special nomination at the Emmys in 2018. And Dan Bull and his longtime comedy buddy Rob Schneider pop in to boot!

Eddie Murphy Delirious

Oft found on greatest standup comedy show lists of all time, Eddie Murphy's hour-long+ 1983 standup yet features some great jokes and a memorable fashion moment from the comedian. Intriguingly the audience score is a little higher on this one at 90%, but critics come pretty close, with 83% reviewing the special highly.

Rory Scovel Tries Stand-up For The First Time

Many people know Rory Scovel as an actor in shows like Robbie (Comedy Central) and Physical (Apple TV Plus). The funnyman is a good writer, too, and he's put together a slew of standup specials between 2015 and 2024. One of those is Rory Scovel Tries Stand-up for the First Time, a bit of a misnomer given his 2015 comedy special The Charleston Special is also standup. This 2017 one is a little zanier and keeps the audience guessing, ranking in at 89% of critics, and a less stellar but still solid 75% of audiences.

Hannah Gadsby: Douglas

Their first special Nannette won them a Peabody Award and a Primetime Emmy. But Hannah Gadsby's second special Douglas is one they toured extensively for after it blew up, selling out early in many cases. Douglas has a 93% rating from critics, and a 66% rating from audiences.

Bill Burr: Paper Tiger

Bill Burr's been on the standup beat a long time, but it's his pre-Covid comedy special that's drawn recent attention on Netflix. The 2019 special cracks jokes about anger management (and even jokes it's going to be his last comedy special), but he's still going strong. This one's a little higher with audiences, with 96% loving it and only 86% of critics getting down. Still strong scores either way.

Sincerely, Louis C.K.

You may have heard Louis C.K. got canceled, but he's been churning out his own content regardless. His two comeback standup specials Sorry and Sincerely have been well reviewed by both critics and audiences alike and are doubtless not the end for the comedian.

Jerry Before Seinfeld

Jerry Seinfeld's been doing standup for years, but even his more recent comedy sketches haven't been slouches, either. His 2017 special --and his first with Netflix -- Jerry Before Seinfeld landed him a whopping 95% with critics and a solid 75% with audiences too. It's cool, too, as he takes us back through his childhood and teen years before becoming the Seinfeld, and standup star fans know and love. It even landed him a Grammy nom.

Chris Rock: Bigger And Blacker

Chris Rock's Bigger and Blacker is an all-time classic in the realm of standup. I was actually a little surprised to see it at a similar 86% of critics and 89% of audiences still giving it a thumbs up. It's also worth noting it makes a lot of classic standup lists.

Iliza: Elder Millennial

Known for other Netflix projects like Spenser Confidential, Iliza Shlesinger also has some notable standup routines to her name. Elder Millennial is one with a great name and funny materials, landing both a positive review from critics and audiences.

Hasan Minhaj: The King's Jester

The Daily Show correspondent is known for a lot of TV work, but his stand-up is notable too. The King's Jester is his second Netflix special, memorable for jokes at Starbucks' expense and also just how active Minhaj is onstage. It's no wonder it has an 86% from critics and an 80% from audiences.

Kevin Hart: Laugh At My Pain

Many of Kevin Hart's standup specials seem to be liked by critics more than by audiences, but one exception is Laugh at my Pain, the comedian's 2011 standup film, with special appearances from Taraji P. Henson and RuPaul. Critics were at a reasonable 71%, but more than 5,000 audiences ratings mark this special highly at 84%.

Chris Gethard: Career Suicide

Chris Gethard's Career Suicide is part funny and part sad, exploring themes like depression, alcohol abuse and suicide attempts. HBO filmed a special after he debuted the material at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and critics were all over the material. In fact, it has 100% from them. The audience is at 74%.

Mae Martin: SAP

Mae Martin's comedy special SAP was their first. Hitting in 2023, the title comes from a reference in the special that involves a story about a man facing two beasts, finding an upside in tasting sap from a tree instead. The special nabbed them an 80% from critics, with a still-positive 62% from audiences.

Dave Chappelle: 8:46

Dave Chappelle famously has a no-phone policy at shows, but some of them still get recorded for audiences later. His special in 2020 is notable for being filmed outdoors during the Covid pandemic, and also for featuring a mix of comedy with social comedy, making it a hybrid of sorts. Reviews for both aspects were positive, with the special landing 90% from critics reviews and 85% from audiences.

Katt Williams: Great America

Katt Williams has created a lot of standup specials over the years, but his 2018 switched him from HBO to Netflix and attracted some new notice and fans. A solid 80% with critics, Great America was also 62% with audiences, and if you like what you see here, I totally recommend you go back in his specials list, as he's been churning them out since 2006.

Sam Jay: 3 In The Morning

SNL writer Sam Jay keeps very busy with gigs both writing and producing, but in 2020 she took time to film 3 In The Morning, a comedy special for Netflix. The special earned an 86% from critics and 62% from audiences. The shirt she wore is giving me early aughts vibes too.

It seems like every classic series these days is getting a revival, reboot or spinoff in this entertainment climate. Now, Everybody Hates Chris is the latest series to get a revival, and it’s animated. While the show features new actors voicing Chris, Drew and Tonya, Terry Crews and Tichina Arnold are back to playing their parents, Julius and Rochelle. Crews is now opening up about reuniting with narrator and executive producer Chris Rock, as well as more familiar faces from the original series.

Terry Crews starred on the OG UPN/CW sitcom for all four seasons from 2005 to 2009. Despite the fact that it’s been 15 years since the show ended, it's been promised that the animated series will seamlessly recreate the vibes of its predecessor. The Brooklyn Nine-Nine alum spoke to Entertainment Tonight about reuniting with Chris Rock, Tichina Arnold and original co-creator Ali LeRoi, who serves as an executive producer. And, by the sounds of it, Crews couldn't be more pleased:

It's disappointing, yet understandable, that Tyler James Williams and the other former child actors won’t be on Everybody Still Hates Chris, given that they're now adults. However, it is exciting that Terry Crews and other OGs are back in the fold. That reunion is even sweeter to me now after hearing the Killer's Game star's sentiments. I can definitely understand how surreal it must be for him to be working with his former colleagues again.

When the Everybody Hates Chris revival was announced in 2021, it was confirmed that Chris Rock would be involved, which wasn't so surprising since it is loosely based on his life growing up in Brooklyn. But, when Terry Crews and Tichina Arnold were also confirmed to return, that added a level of excitement for the production. It sounds like they were able to get back into the groove even with so much time having passed.

Of course, It'll be hard for the revival to top the standard set by its parent series, especially since it’s one of the best sitcoms of all time. However, considering the strong creative team behind it, Everybody Still Hates Chris could still end up being an enjoyable show.

There was a lot of uncertainty over the years, regarding whether and Everybody Hates Chris reboot/revival would happen. Considering the different variables that were at play, I'm so happy that the production is officially coming to fruition. And, of course, I also love that Terry Crews is once again working with the people that he made TV history with over a decade ago.

Luckily, it won’t be long until fans see how Everybody Still Hates Chris, as the new series premieres on September 25 on Comedy Central amid the 2024 TV schedule. In the meantime, you can check out classic episodes of the OG show by streaming them for free on Tubi and Pluto or with the use of an active Hulu subscription.

Sometimes, all it takes is one joint appearance in a movie or television show for two popular actors to become known as an acting duo, and sometimes they prove to work so well together that they go on to star in even more projects together. We’ve come up with a list of 32 acting duos who have worked together multiple times, so you can see if you’ve watched all of the times these talented stars have been on screen with each other.

Tina Fey And Amy Poehler

Obviously, this funny duo began their most famed time together while starring on Saturday Night Live, but Tina Fey and Amy Poehler didn’t let the good times end there. The women were both in Mean Girls, starred in the movies Baby Mama and Sisters, and used their talents to great effect when co-hosting the Golden Globe Awards for several years.

Robert De Niro And Al Pacino

Two legendary actors make for a legendary acting duo, and while Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are frequently mentioned in the same breath, they’ve only been featured in four films together. Two of those movies, however, are absolutely the reason people often talk about them together as they count The Godfather Part II, Heat, Righteous Kill and The Irishman as their joint efforts.

Julia Roberts And George Clooney

Now, these two actually have made quite a few movies with one another, and largely with both in on-screen roles. Of course, it’s hard to forget that George Clooney and Julia Roberts are in all three of the Ocean’s Eleven films, but they’ve also starred in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (which Clooney also directed), Money Monster and the 2022 rom-com Ticket to Paradise. The erstwhile Danny Ocean also produced August: Osage County, while Roberts starred.

Jane Fonda And Lily Tomlin

Frequently we see an acting duo together multiple times because they really are buddies in real life, and that’s true for Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. After first starring together in the 1980 hit 9 to 5 (with Dolly Parton, of course) they eventually re-teamed for the Netflix series Grace and Frankie (which ran for seven seasons), as well as the dark comedy Moving On and 80 for Brady.

Emma Stone And Ryan Gosling

This duo has produced some well-known and beloved comedies and dramas over the years, as Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling first starred together in Crazy, Stupid, Love in 2011, moving on to Gangster Squad in 2013 and the Oscar-winning musical La La Land in 2016. Stone even once said she couldn’t “imagine” her life without Gosling, so these two will probably be friends forever.

Salma Hayek And Antonio Banderas

Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas sharing the screen in Desperado caused considerable heat, along with igniting a very real friendship, so it’s no surprise that they’ve now worked together a number of times. They’ve also been in the casts of Four Rooms, Frida, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids 3: Game Over, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard and both Puss in Boots animated movies. That’s a lot!

Dwayne Johnson And Kevin Hart

We’ve already born witness to a rather lengthy history of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart ripping on each other during their (apparently) laugh and roast-filled friendship, and the two megastars have, indeed, brought that chemistry to the big screen multiple times. The duo counts Central Intelligence, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its sequel, Hobbs & Shaw and DC League of Super-Pets as the titles they’ve appeared in together.

Matt Damon And Ben Affleck

If this isn’t a classic acting duo by now, there are none. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have been “bizarrely close” friends since childhood, and they first joined forces to great effect by penning and starring in Good Will Hunting (after having both appeared in School Ties), which won them the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. They also worked on Dogma in the 1990s, then, after nearly 25 years, they joined forces again to write and star in The Last Duel, and since then have also worked together on Air and the upcoming RIP for Netflix.

Denzel Washington And Don Cheadle

If only these two powerhouse stars had already been in more movies together…Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle’s first pairing was as P.I. Easy Rawlins and his loyal but unpredictable friend, Mouse, in 1995’s Devil in a Blue Dress. While their work in the film garnered critical acclaim, it would be over 15 years before they teamed again for Flight.

Sanaa Lathan And Taye Diggs

We should never underestimate the power of a franchise when it comes to popular on-screen pairings. Sanaa Lathan and Taye Diggs appeared in The Wood together in 1999 and then went on to star in The Best Man, its sequel and the Peacock mini-series, The Best Man: The Final Chapters. The duo also played the lead couple in the rom-com, Brown Sugar in 2002.

Scarlett Johansson And Chris Evans

Co-starring in a franchise with the same people will take an acting duo far, but Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans have surpassed even the typical standard where that’s concerned. Thanks to their joint time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they’ve appeared in a whopping seven movies together (including their mid-end credits cameo in Captain Marvel), and prior to their time as blockbuster movie-making superheroes they starred in The Perfect Score and The Nanny Diaries, bringing their current total to nine.

Anthony Mackie And Chris Evans

If you did enjoy many of those MCU movies, then you know that Chris Evans rubbed elbows with Anthony Mackie quite a bit there. But, did you also know that the two have been in XX non-Marvel movies together? Playing It Cool, What’s Your Number, and Ghosted also star/feature both actors and if you add in all their shared time in tights on screen, their total is also at nine.

Emily Blunt And Dwayne Johnson

The first time was a hit, so why not join forces again, right? Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson famously delivered winning chemistry in Jungle Cruise, and are coming back together for the upcoming drama The Smashing Machine. The two are also said to be willing to return for Jungle Cruise 2, whenever that can finally get off the ground.

Chris Pine And Ben Foster

The third time has been the charm so far for Chris Pine and Ben Foster. The duo famously portrayed bank-robbing brothers in Hell or High Water, joined up for The Finest Hours, and made it a three-peat in 2022 for The Contractor.

Margot Robbie And Will Smith

If it seemed that there could have been a little something extra going on between Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Will Smith’s Deadshot when you watched 2016’s Suicide Squad, then it might have been because you picked up on the chemistry the duo first built in Focus from the year before.

Margot Robbie And Brad Pitt

This big screen coupling made quite a showing for themselves across less than a decade, as Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt have starred in The Big Short, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood and Babylon. 

Margot Robbie And Leonardo DiCaprio

Just imagine, had it not been for this pairing, we might not have the megastar who is Barbie actor/producer Margot Robbie right now. Her role in Wolf of Wall Street as the second wife of Leonardo DiCaprio’s corrupt fraudster propelled her career, and by the time they starred in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood together Robbie was a major star.

Halle Berry And Hugh Jackman

We, again, have a superhero franchise to thank for bringing two great talents together, as Oscar winner Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman both have four of the X-Men movies among their credits. The duo also starred in Swordfish and Movie 43.

Awkwafina And Michelle Yeoh

This duo counts two megahits in their joint credits, with Awkwafina and Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh both having starred in Crazy Rich Asians (and we’re still waiting for that rom-com sequel) and the MCU entry Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Michelle Yeoh And Jackie Chan

Michelle Yeoh has been a star for several decades, and part of that reason is because of her breakout role in the 1992’s Supercop, which also starred Jackie Chan. But, they’ve made a number of other films with each other, including Supercop 2, and Hong Kong action films Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars, Project S, and both voiced characters in Kung Fu Panda 2, along with having starred in a 1984 watch commercial together.

Angela Bassett And Laurence Fishburne

While Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne were famously nominated for Oscars for their lead roles as Tina Turner and Ike Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do with It?, the duo was actually first together on screen for Boyz n the Hood in ‘91. They then later teamed up for Akeela and the Bee in 2006.

Julia Roberts And Richard Gere

If this isn’t a famous acting duo, then none are, despite their only making two movies with each other. Of course, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere starred in the mega-hit classic rom-com Pretty Woman and teamed up again for Runaway Bride in 1999.

Jennifer Aniston And Jason Bateman

For a while there, Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman, who are friends in real life, were kinda on a roll. Their first joint film was The Break-Up in 2006, and since then they’ve filmed four additional movies with one another: The Switch, Horrible Bosses and its sequel, and 2016’s Office Christmas Party.

Kate Hudson And Matthew McConaughey

Who can forget the glorious chemistry created by Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey in How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days? No one, that’s who! This is why they made a second rom-com, Fool’s Gold, just five years later.

Kirsten Dunst And Jesse Plemons

It’s not unusual for an acting duo to become friends in real life, but Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons took that a few steps further after working on the TV series Fargo together. Not only have they since starred in the film The Power of the Dog (which netted each their first Oscar nomination) and the A24 drama Civil War, but they married in 2022 and have two sons.

Meg Ryan And Tom Hanks

We could hardly leave Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks off of this list, as the famed actors have co-starred in two of the biggest romantic comedies of all time. Everyone knows them for making Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail hits, but before all of that, they led one of the weirder rom-coms made with Joe Versus the Volcano, and reunited for the 2016 drama Ithaca, which Ryan directed.

Drew Barrymore And Adam Sandler

People often mention Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler as an acting duo they want to see more of and with good reason. The two have made magic in the classics The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates and Blended.

Adam Sandler And Chris Rock

This pairing goes back decades, to the time when Adam Sandler and Chris Rock starred on Saturday Night Live together in the ‘90s. Since then, the real-life buddies have appeared in seven movies together, with The Longest Yard, Grown Ups and its sequel, The Week Of and Top Five counted among that number.

George Clooney And Brad Pitt

Of course, George Clooney and Brad Pitt helped to make the Ocean’s Eleven franchise a hit, but the friends additionally teamed up for the live TV movie 8, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (which Clooney directed), Burn After Reading and the 2024 films If and Wolfs.

Keegan-Michael Key And Jordan Peele

The duo of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, who first became recognizable during their time on MadTV, eventually went on to their own acclaimed sketch comedy series, Key and Peele. But, while making names for themselves on other series and in a number of movies, they continue to work with one another on projects like Keanu, Toy Story 4 and Wendell & Wild.

Awkwafina And Simu Liu

It was the MCU that first brought Awkwafina and Simu Liu together in the hit film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and while we’re still waiting to see when that franchise will bring them back together, 2024 saw them team up again for the action comedy, Jackpot!.

Jane Fonda And Robert Redford

Dedicated film fans probably know that legends Jane Fonda and Robert Redford starred together in Barefoot in the Park and The Electric Horseman, but their joint movie appearances do go beyond that. They also starred in The Chase in ‘66 and reunited for Our Souls at Night in 2017, and both had their film debuts in 1960’s Tall Story.

As you can see, film history is packed with acting duos who’ve worked together more than once, and that will probably always be the case.

If you know me, you know I love animation. I’ve always been a fan, from the latest animated movies coming out as part of the 2024 movie schedule to classics that I could rewatch again and again. I also love animation on television, something that I grew up on and have come to appreciate even more. But there are just some characters voiced by actors that I genuinely could not imagine another actor voicing them – and today, we’ll be going over them. 

Robin Williams As Genie (Aladdin)

This is the obvious answer. Robin Williams as the Genie in Aladdin was honestly one of Robin Williams' best roles, and he wasn’t even on screen. He was able to give so much energy, wit, and fun to a character that was drawn, and it almost made you feel like Genie was a friend rather than some random side character.

Tim Allen As Buzz (Toy Story Franchise)

Toy Story is hands down one of the best Pixar films, and a big reason for this is the natural partnership between Buzz and Woody. Of course, I had to put Tim Allen as Buzz here. I’m pretty sure we can barely think of Buzz in any other way aside from Allen doing it, even if Chris Evans did give it his all in the Lightyear cast. 

Dante Basco As Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

“Hello, Zuko here,” is a line that has lived in my brain since I was literally a child and will forever be there. Dante Basco as Zuko is iconic. Not only is Basco basically the biggest Avatar: The Last Airbender fan out there, but he’s also voiced not one but two characters in the ATLA universe. However, he, like Zuko, can’t be beaten, and we will always love him voicing one of the best redemption arcs on television. 

Bryce Papenbrook As Eren Yeager (Attack On Titan)

Let me preface this by saying that yes, I know the primary voice roles for anime are the Japanese voice actors but have you ever heard an English dub actor who is just so good that it makes it almost impossible to watch it in Japanese? That’s Bryce Papenbrook with Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan. As one of my favorite anime, I started this series listening to Papenbrook, and I ended it with him, too, when I watched the finale again with the dub. He does Eren so well, and it’s hard to picture anyone else but him. 

Eddie Murphy As Mushu (Mulan)

Eddie Murphy is one of those actors where it feels like he plays himself in his voice roles, and he, as Mushu, is certainly one of them. I cannot tell you how often I quote this character. “Dishonor on you! Dishonor on your cow!” I mean, only Murphy could have that kind of delivery. 

Tara Strong As Timmy Turner (The Fairly Oddparents)

There are some voice actors out there who ultimately defined my childhood, and Tara Strong is one of them. I could put so many of her characters on here from multiple different TV shows, but I think the best one has to be Timmy Turner from The Fairly Oddparents. I couldn’t imagine Timmy having a distinct voice, and Strong brought so much character to his iconic kid. 

Seth MacFarlane As Stewie Griffin (Family Guy)

Family Guy has cemented itself as a show that just won’t stop, and the voice actors have pretty much stayed the same since the beginning. One that hasn’t changed is Stewie Griffin, who is voiced by the creator of the show, Seth MacFarlane, and obviously, he has to be here. I’m pretty sure Stewie is probably the most iconic character from the show, and it’s because of MacFarlane’s delivery and his hilarious lines. 

Tom Hanks As Woody (Toy Story Franchise)

Come on. You knew Tom Hanks would be here. Hanks is like the grandfather of our generation when it comes to voice roles, and his role as Woody will live on in our memories long after we’re all gone and Toy Story becomes a certified classic (if it isn’t already). Hanks is just that good, and I will listen to him voice Woody over and over again. 

Ellen DeGeneres As Dory (Finding Nemo)

Ellen DeGeneres isn’t exactly known for her movies, as she was mainly a daytime talk show host for many, many years, but her voice acting as Dory in Finding Nemo is top-notch. Dory wound up becoming just as big as the clown fishes that we followed in the movie and became a loveable character that children all around the world flocked to, and that’s because of DeGeneres and her voice skills. 

Jay Baruchel As Hiccup (How To Train Your Dragon)

Even though there’s a live-action How To Train Your Dragon set to release, you can’t beat the animated movies, and of course, Jay Baruchel is voicing Hiccup, the main character. Honestly, I think Hiccup would have been really tough to nail if the voice actor wasn’t right. Baruchel had to find the delicate balance between a surprisingly brave warrior and a kind of wimpy teenager and build on that for three movies straight – and he rocks it. 

Eddie Murphy As Donkey (Shrek)

Eddie Murphy as Donkey is everything. Look at me. Look at me and tell me you can picture someone else as Donkey because I surely can’t. This talking animal has cemented itself into pop culture with hilarious lines, memes, and so much more, and it’s because of Murphy’s delivery. Now I’m gonna go and make some waffles. 

Kaiji Tang As Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Kaiji Tang is an example of an English dub actor in anime who knocks it out of the park. I honestly love any version of Jujutsu Kaisen, and Season 2 was one of my favorite anime of 2023, but let me tell you, Tang, as Gojo, made it so much better. His line delivery is just phenomenal – it’s no wonder the character is, like, the anime community’s crush. With that smooth voice, it’d be hard not to crush on him.

Trey Parker As Eric Cartman (South Park)

There are so many outrageous episodes in South Park that make you squirm, and you want to know who’s behind most of them. Eric Cartman, because he’s a menace to society – so, of course, one of the creators is the voice behind him. Trey Parker is a naturally funny person, so he as Eric Cartman makes sense – only he could think of the most ridiculous and awful lines to say for a literal fourth-grader. 

Billy Crystal As Mike Wazowski (Monsters Inc.)

When making this list, I thought about putting maybe John Goodman as Sully, but then I really thought about it and realized that Mike is actually low-key more iconic. Mike, in general, is a great character with a good backstory and a hilarious sense of humor, but you want to know why he’s so funny? It’s because of Billy Crystal—I can almost feel him through Mike. Mike is Billy, Billy is Mike. 

Shameik Moore As Miles Morales (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse)

Miles Morales proved anyone can wear the mask in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, a film that became a huge hit and spawned a sequel and another movie coming out soon enough. However, a big reason why Miles is such a great character is because of the voice behind him, Shameik Moore. Since the first film, Moore has brought humility to Miles, but also that kind of smooth swagger that we know only he could have. He’s excellent, and I can’t wait to hear more from him. 

Tom Kenny As Spongebob (SpongeBob SquarePants)

How could I not include Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants from the SpongeBob SquarePants series here? This man is my childhood. Sure, there are impressionists out there who believe they can impersonate SpongeBob, but no one can do it like Tom Kenny, and I stand by that. 

Kaley Cuoco As Harley Quinn (Harley Quinn)

There have been multiple people who have voiced Harley Quinn in Batman TV shows and animated movies, but I’m sorry. Kaley Cuoco takes the cake, and I want her to be the animated version of Harley Quinn from now on. Her take on Harley in the TV show Harley Quinn is hilarious, on-brand, and unforgettable, and if you haven’t had the chance to watch her voice the heck out of his classic DC villain/antihero, then you have to. 

Mike Myers As Shrek (Shrek)

Obviously, I had to put Mike Myers on this list. While I do think Donkey is a little more iconic, Mike Myers as Shrek is pretty much the same as butter and toast, or Oreos and milk, or popcorn and movies—you get my gist. Myers as Shrek is pretty much the standard for celebrities voicing animated characters, and he’s quite hard to beat. 

Dakota Fanning As Coraline (Coraline)

Coraline is one of the best stop-motion films out there, and surprisingly, no matter how creepy it might be to others, it’s a comfort film for me. And, of course, I can’t imagine anyone else voicing Coraline other than Dakota Fanning. She was so young at the time but still brought so much sass and wonder to the character, and it made me love Coraline for the explorer she was. 

Dan Castellaneta As Homer Simpson (The Simpsons)

Oh, you know he would be here. The Simpsons is hands down the most iconic TV series of all time and has been around since the 1980s. Dan Castellaneta has voiced the patriarch of the Simpsons family since the very beginning and has cemented himself in television just as much as the rest of the cast. But you can’t get more iconic than Homer freaking Simpson. 

Christy Carlson Romano As Kim Possible (Kim Possible)

Kim Possible was a show from my childhood on The Disney Channel that made me want to be a spy. It likely led to a few injuries when I jumped from trees to show how cool I was. Either way, it was mainly because of Kim and how kick-butt she was while also being a remarkable teenager, and thanks to Christy Carlson Romano’s voice acting, she was made all the better. 

Christian Bale As Howl (Howl’s Moving Castle)

Howl’s Moving Castle is one of my favourite Studio Ghibli movies, and I have to admit that for this, I do like the English dub better because, come on, you can’t beat Christian Bale as Howl! That man has a voice as smooth as butter, and you will find yourself falling for Howl so quickly because of how he voices the character. Ugh, I’m getting butterflies just thinking about it. 

Antonio Banderas As Puss (Shrek 2)

Shrek has plenty of iconic voices, but you want to know who has one of the best ones? Antonio Banderas didn’t even show up in the Shrek franchise until the second movie. But Banderas’ voice was so popular that he spawned not one but two spin-off films – the second of which featured one of the best DreamWorks Animation villains of all time, so you know he’s iconic. 

Jeff Bennett As Johnny Bravo (Johnny Bravo)

Okay, so, if we’re being honest, Johnny Bravo is actually a pretty lousy person and very misogynistic, but man, is it funny to get his butt handed to him in so many situations? It’s because of Jeff Bennett and the way he voices him. He’s just so funny in a messed-up way. I love it. 

Matthew Mercer As Levi Ackerman (Attack On Titan)

Attack on Titan is a case where I tend to lean more towards the English dub than the Japanese because of some of the voice-acting choices, and Matthew Mercer as Levi Ackerman is just *chef’s kiss.* Don’t get me wrong, the Japanese voice actor Hiroshi Kamiya does a great job, too, but when I think of Levi, I think of Matthew Mercer’s voice, and that just means I literally cannot imagine anything else.

Jack Black As Po (Kung Fu Panda)

Po the Panda is one of those characters that has become a pretty big name for DreamWorks Animation. In reality, it’s really just Jack Black behind a microphone in the sound booth voicing some of the most hilarious moments ever. Sometimes, it feels like I’m almost just watching Jack Black on screen because Po is as funny as him.

Helena Bonham Carter As Emily (The Corpse Bride)

The Corpse Bride is an excellent stop-motion animated film that certainly has a specific group of people who watch it every year (me included during Halloween). I could talk about Johnny Depp as Victor, but I have to point out Helene Bonham Carter as Emily. She voices the character so well and gives so much life to a literal corpse. It’s one of Carter’s best movies. 

Chris Rock As Marty (Madagascar)

Chris Rock as Marty makes sense. While there were only three Madagascar movies, Rock voiced the zebra in each of them and killed it every time. I could literally watch an entire spinoff film on just Marty. I want more, Marty. Please give me more hilarious lines like “Oh, sugar honey iced tea!”

Bill Fagerbakke As Patrick Star (SpongeBob SquarePants)

You can’t have SpongeBob without his best friend, and Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick Star is a match made in heaven. Since the show’s beginning, Fagerbakke has voiced the sea star, and he’s perfect for the role. Honestly, I almost want to watch him and Kenny voiceover the Super Bowl again next year because he as Patrick and them together is just perfect. 

Matthew Lillard As Shaggy (Scooby Doo)

There have been many voice actors who have come and gone to voice Shaggy, but let’s be honest here – Matthew Lillard has become Shaggy. Ever since he did the live-action version of Shaggy in the Scooby-Doo films, we’ve loved seeing him as Shaggy, and then he began doing the animated version. He’s been voicing the character (except for Velma, but we don’t talk about that), and he’s fantastic. 

Oscar Isaac As Miguel O’Hara (Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse)

Oh, Miguel. TikTok’s boyfriend of Summer 2023. The man, the myth, the legend that somehow captured my heart and reminded me that I have a thing for fictional brooding men. Either way, Oscar Isaac voices Miguel, and yes, this man is Miguel, and I will not accept any other person voicing him. 

Idina Menzel As Elsa (Frozen)

I had to put Elsa here somehow. Frozen is one of the biggest animated franchises of all time, and it’s mainly because of Elsa, her ice powers, and the incredible force of Idina Menzel’s voice. There isn’t another singer/actress on the planet that could belt like that.

While there are plenty of other animated characters we could discuss, these were just some of the first ones that came to mind—and now I feel like having an animated movie marathon. 

It's hard to believe it, but it's been years since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars. That moment quickly went viral, with Smith banned from the Academy Awards and slowly stepping back into the spot light with new projects. That includes Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which performed well at the box office. And now we know how Chris Rock allegedly feels about the Will Smith slap joke in the Bad Boys sequel.

The conversation surrounding The Slap is still ongoing, with Rob Schneider recently blasting Will Smith for his actions. But the controversy didn't stop Bad Boys 4 from doing well, and its ending seemingly referenced the infamous incident by having Martin Lawrence slap Smith over and over again. An anonymous source who is allegedly close to Rock recently spoke with InTouch, revealing his thoughts about making light of The Slap in the new movie. In their words:

There you have it. If this report is to be believed, Rock isn't loving the not-so-subtle reference to him in Bad Boys: Ride or Die. And as such, the ongoing beef between he and Smith will likely continue for the foreseeable future. We'll just have to see how the story continues to evolve.

Rock's alleged feelings about the Bad Boys scene comes as the discourse around the Oscars incident continues. Recently, Jim Carrey said he was "sickened" by what went down at the Academy Awards, while Jerry Seinfeld reportedly wanted to book Rock for an Unfrosted scene that would reference it. Clearly that viral moment still has a chokehold of the public's attention.

Initially, Will Smith stepped away from the public eye for months after the Oscars, including dropping out of the Film Academy. But eventually Smith returned to social media and public appearances, promoting his movies Emancipation and Bad Boys 4. And there are a number of upcoming Will Smith projects on the way.

As for Chris Rock, he's been touring as a comedian in the years since that viral event occurred with Smith. Rock's special Selective Outrage was also a huge hit (and can be streamed with a Netflix subscription).

Whether or not Rock ad Smith ever actually meet face to face and talk out their issues remains to be seen. But it's clear that the chatter surrounding that pair isn't going anywhere. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

While there’s obviously nothing wrong with TV’s modern classics getting spunoff in different directions — such as Greg Daniels’ The Office offshoot that’ll be set at a newspaper or the Big Bang Theory spinoff being discussed for Max — there’s nothing quite like seeing an original cast back together again after a years-long gap. Or in the case of Chris Rock’s upcoming follow-up to the 2000s fave Everybody Hates Chris, one of the best sitcoms ever, there’s nothing like hearing actors taking on the same roles.

First announced back in August 2022, Everybody Still Hates Chris hasn’t exactly been prolific with new updates, but now we know exactly who will be returning for the new project to reprise their former roles, and who apparently won’t be. Let’s run down the returning stars before revealing the actors who’ll be introduced to audiences via the Comedy Central premiere (though the show will also stream via Paramount+ subscription at a later date).

Terry Crews (Julius)

The Rock family patriarch will indeed sound the same whenever audiences reconnect with big papa Julius in Everybody Still Hates Chris, with America's Got Talent host Terry Crews set to reprise his role, according to Variety.

Julius is described as being a "gentle giant" who cares deeply about providing for his family, given how impoverished his family was in his youth. Julius is the kind of guy who'd work for eight hours just to avoid being in a position where he might spend money during that time, and it'll be great to hear Crews' recognizable voice doing all the stressing.

Tichina Arnold (Rochelle)

Currently heading up a life-action family on CBS' The Neighborhood, Martin vet Tachina Arnold is confirmed to be returning to the role of Rochelle Rock for Everybody Still Hates Chris.

As fans will no doubt remember all too keenly, Rochelle is just as caring and parental as her significant other, though with a far different edge to her. And by edge, I mean attitude, since it doesn't take a whole lot to send the matriarch from doting to screaming whenever things go against her grain. She's the walking personification of "Aint' got time for that."

Chris Rock (Narrator)

While Chris Rock's return was pretty much solidified whenever the animated spinoff was first announced, especially after he publicly commented on it, the newest story does indeed confirm that the stand-up comedian will return to the narrator role that he originated (because he's playing himself) on the O.G. sitcom.

Though it'll be adhering to a new format and a new network, Everybody Still Hates Chris seems like it'll stick to the basics when it returns. to TV audiences. We'll still hear Rock talk about "growing up as a skinny nerd" and we'll see his younger self mixing it up with his siblings and his one school friend. Speaking of:

Everybody Still Hates Chris' New Cast Members

Here's a rundown of the four actors who are completely new to this franchise, as it were, with former live-action stars Tyler James Williams, Tequan Richmond, Imani Hakim and Vincent Martella all having grown out of their youth-skewing roles over the years.

• Tim Johnson Jr. (Fright Krewe, Saturdays) will be voicing the nerdy but cool-in-his-own-mind Chris
• Ozioma Akagha (Delilah, Marvel's Runaways) will be voicing baby sister Tonya, whose sweet face belies her mischievous intentions.
• Terrence Little Gardenhigh (Danger Force, Fright Krewe) is taking on the voice of ne'er-do-wrong middle child Drew, who manages to outshine his older brother in nearly every way.
• Gunnar SIzemore (Craig of the Creek, Ultraman) will voice Greg, Chris' best (and only) school friend, who is all about girls and keeping up his reputation.

More casting will likely be announced the closer we get to Everybody Still Hates Chris making its way to our televisions. It's unclear when the spinoff will pop up, but it's confirmed to be debuting on Comedy Central later in the 2024 TV premiere schedule, so stay tuned!

In the quirky world of Jerry Seinfeld's humor, even one of the Oscars' most jaw-dropping moments, the infamous time Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, is fair game for ridicule and parody.

During a revealing chat on Dana Carvey and David Spade’s podcast, the former NBC star shared an intriguing behind-the-scenes tidbit about his feature directorial debut, Unfrosted. The film on the 2024 movie schedule, which humorously delves into the slightly true but mostly fictional origin story of Pop-Tarts amidst a breakfast pastry rivalry between cereal giants Kellogg’s and Post, originally had a moment planned that would have directly nodded to Chris Rock’s infamous Oscars slap. The scene would have been a sort of redemption scene, but even the legendary comic isn’t sure it would’ve worked.

Talking on the Fly On The Wall podcast, the co-creator of arguably the greatest sitcom of all time described an unused bit that would have seen Rock playing an emcee at a fictional award show, engaging in a slapstick redemption of sorts. As he explained:

Unfrosted sets its comedic sights on the 1963 breakfast landscape, boasting an impressive cast that includes big names like Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, and Hugh Grant. The former NBC star also pulled a few strings from old friendships to land some mindblowing cameos.

Interestingly, Cedric the Entertainer appears early in the film as Stu Smiley, the cheerful host of the fictional Bowl & Spoon Awards, which celebrates breakfast food achievements. Seinfeld revealed that Chris Rock was imagined for this part, but the comedian's readiness to revisit the Oscar moment was still in question, and ultimately, he passed, leading to a change in casting and creative direction. Seinfeld continued:

The podcast discussion turned to whether such a scene would have resonated with audiences or simply rehashed painful memories. When the TV veteran turned to the hosts and asked if the bit would be funny, Dana Carvey suggested that the joke might have landed more effectively had the actual Oscars slap not occurred. The former SNL star pointed out:

Seinfeld, in response, pushed back. He asked the hosts:

According to Dana, if he had been in the writer’s room, he would have had his reservations. The Master of Disguise star continued:

Ultimately, Jerry said he didn’t know if the bit would have worked. The Bee Movie voice actor said:

This creative exchange underscores a significant aspect of comedy: its ability to confront and potentially defuse cultural traumas. Yet, the decision to cut the scene suggests a cautious approach to handling such a sensitive topic, especially when the real-life implications remain palpable.

Since the Oscars incident, Chris Rock has maintained a relatively low profile, while Will Smith issued a public apology and faced consequences from The Academy. As the dust settles, the Fresh Prince star is back to work with a ton of upcoming movies and TV shows on the horizon.

Jerry Seinfeld's insights about his movie reveal the intricate challenges filmmakers encounter when real-life events influence their creative narratives. Released on May 3, 2024, Unfrosted has sparked varied and strong opinions from critics. In CinemaBlend's review of Seinfeld's directorial debut, Mike Reyes pointed out that while the film strays from a factual representation of the Pop-Tart's history, it delivers a uniquely chaotic brand of comedy. He gave the flick a commendable 4 out of 5 stars.

For those interested, Unfrosted is available to stream with a Netflix subscription, allowing viewers to form their own opinions about this unconventional comedic venture.

Showrunner Michael Mann had a clear vision for Miami Vice when it debuted on NBC in 1984. He wanted an action show about two "cool" vice cops that showcased both the beauty of South Florida and its seedy underbelly. The show was incredibly popular and influential over its five-season run, and it starred some up-and-coming actors who would one day be huge. 

Miami Vice also crammed in an insane amount of wild cameos you'd never expect, most notably musicians, but also captains of industry, magicians, wrestlers, and comedians. Check out this incredible list that just scratches the surface! 

Bruce Willis

In the first season of Miami Vice, the show featured a young actor with no credits to his name, Bruce Willis. Willis played a gun runner in the episode, being pursued by Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) and Crockett (Don Johnson). It's not crazy to say that without this role, Willis would've never landed Moonlighting and maybe never gone on to have the incredible career he had. 

Gene Simmons

Newton Windsor Blade, played by KISS bass player Gene Simmons, was a long-time criminal antagonist to Tubbs and Crockett. Since the mid-'80s weren't great for Kiss, it makes sense that the legendary rocker, known for his wild hair and very long tongue, would branch out into acting. He's not the best actor, but it's crazy seeing him on the show. 

"Captain" Lou Albano And Afa Anoa'i

Professional wrestlers are pretty common to see on TV and "Captain" Lou Albano was also no stranger to TV, appearing in a Cyndi Lauper video in the '80s. Still, it's really fun to see Albano and fellow wrestler Afa Anoa'i playing henchmen to George Takai on Miami Vice in the show's third season. 

Little Richard

In the show's second season, Miami Vice really leaned into musicians as guest stars. One prime example is rock n' roll pioneer and real-life preacher Little Richard, who appeared in the episode "Out Where the Buses Don't Run," as a preacher on the beach. The episode also included up-and-coming actors Bruce McGill and David Strathairn in guest spots.  

Penn Jillette

Penn Jillette, the talking half of the legendary magic duo Penn & Teller, has a few acting credits in his career, usually as himself. His first acting credit, however, was playing a New York City criminal on Miami Vice. It is one of the rare times he didn't appear with his partner Teller at his side. 

Julia Roberts

Even the biggest stars in the world have to start somewhere. Miami Vice was one of the places that helped launch careers, and there may be none bigger than Julia Roberts. Roberts starred in one episode, as an assistant to a crime lord in the season finale of Season 4. It was only her second credited role, and two years before Pretty Woman made her an icon. 

G. Gordon Liddy

Perhaps the wildest guest star in Miami Vice history was former FBI agent and Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy. That's right, the ringleader of one of the most notorious political crimes of the 20th Century had a guest spot on the show. Liddy played a former colonel in the U.S. Army who, in a very meta way, was a great admirer of former President Nixon. 

Barbra Streisand

In a truly "what the heck?" moment, the legendary Barbra Streisand makes a literal walk-through cameo in the 18th episode of Season 4 of Miami Vice. She doesn't have a line, and it's a wide shot as Crockett and Tubbs get out of the car. They look twice at her, but she keeps walking. She was dating Don Johnson at the time, which explains why it happened, but still, it's wild. 

Miles Davis

Jazz legend Miles Davis has exactly three credits in movies or TV that are not playing himself or a musician. One of them is Miami Vice. Davis played a criminal being investigated by the vice squad and with that awesome, gravelly voice, he is actually great in the role. 

Teller

The quiet half of the magic duo Penn & Teller, Teller is a man of few words most of the time. When he appeared on Miami Vice – without his partner Penn Jillette – he had quite a few lines when he played a seedy lawyer in the fourth season episode, "Like a Hurricane." It's a rare opportunity to hear Teller speak on TV. 

Frank Zappa

Musician extrodinaire Frank Zappa was a true iconoclast. You never really knew where the guy might show up. One might think that Zappa would see Miami Vice as beneath him, artistically, or too commercial, but that's what made him so great. He wanted everything to be absurd on some level and showing up to play a criminal on a yacht on a network TV is definitely absurd. 

Sheena Easton

Sheena Easton is definitely underappreciated these days. The two-time Grammy winner was huge in the '80s. Not only did she have a slew of hits, working with the likes of Nile Rogers, Prince, and Kenny Rogers, but she sang the theme song to a Bond movie for For Your Eyes Only, and appeared on multiple episodes of Miami Vice as Sonny Crockett's love interest. 

Chris Rock

It's almost hard to believe that Chris Rock's career stretches way back to the mid-1980s, but then you see him with a guest spot on Miami Vice in 1987. It's one of his very first roles, before New Jack City and his bit part in Beverly Hills Cop II, but it's a decent role for a young actor. He plays a records clerk who understands the early days of the internet. 

Phil Collins

Not only did Phil Collins' music often appear in Miami Vice but the legendary drummer and singer also played a con man named...Phil in the second season of the show. Collins has played a few bit parts in movies over the years, but this was his biggest role as an actor. 

Lee Iacocca

Miami Vice was so good at getting guest stars, they even landed a captain of industry. Lee Iacocca was the CEO of Chrysler in the '80s and as such, he was somewhat famous, especially for not being in the entertainment world. When you talk about bonkers guest stars, Iacocca has to be one of the nuttiest. He plays (uncredited) the city park commissioner in the finale of Season 2. Weird. 

Willie Nelson

There are few more iconic musicians in the world than Willie Nelson. With a career that stretches eight decades, Nelson has done it all, including guest starring on Miami Vice. Nelson got to play a retired Texas Ranger who worked with Crockett and Tubbs on a case in the third season of the show.  

Eartha Kitt

Eartha Kitt is probably best known to TV audiences as one of the huge stars who appeared on the 1960s Batman show, where she played Catwoman in the third season. The actress, dancer, and singer, also made a guest spot in Miami Vice in the second season episode "Whatever Works." 

Ted Nugent

Rocker Ted Nugent is a polarizing figure. Known for his politics as much as his guitar shredding, he has thousands of fans and thousands of detractors. Like a lot of other musicians, he plays a bad guy in the second season of the show. 

Annie Golden

Beloved actress Annie Golden started her career in show business in the 1970s as the lead singer of the punk band The Shirts, who were part of the scene at the legendary CBGB's. Golden has gone on to star on stage and screen, including a recurring role in a couple of episodes as Crockett's Ferrari mechanic. Golden is best known these days for playing Norma in Orange is the New Black.

Don King

In a show as over-the-top as Miami Vice was, it only makes sense to have one of the biggest personalities of the decade appear as a guest star. Don King was larger than life in the '80s. The boxing promoter had Mike Tyson in his corner at the time, and Tyson was one of the biggest draws in sports, meaning King was everywhere. Naturally, he played a boxing promoter named "Don Cash" in an episode in Season 3. 

Bill Russell

NBA big men are no strangers to acting. Wilt Chamberlain in Conan The Destroyer, Shaquille O'Neal in Shazam, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Fletch and Airplane!  are a few examples. Celtics Legend Bill Russell was always a little more understated than those three, but he did find his way into an episode of Miami Vice playing a judge. 

Leonard Cohen

French-Canadian singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen had legions of fans for decades before his death in 2016. While his music was often featured in movies, he wasn't really an actor. Still, Miami Vice managed to score him for an episode in Season 2.

James Brown

One of the coolest things about most of the guest-starring spots on the show was that rarely did one of the stars play themselves. That even went for mega-stars like James Brown. The Godfather of Soul appears as a musician, but not himself, so that had to be fun for Brown and the rest of the cast. 

David Johansen

David Johansen will first and foremost always be known as the lead singer of The New York Dolls, but he's also played a few roles on screen, including the cab driver/ghost of Christmas Past in Scrooged. He also got to play a version of himself on Miami Vice before adopting the Buster Poindexter persona in his music career. 

Glenn Frey

Miami Vice was known for all its musician guest stars, and the first of those was the late Eagles guitar player and singer Glenn Frey. Frey provided a fair amount of music for the show, including his hit song "Smuggler's Blues" written for the show. He appeared in Season 1 playing a pilot who Tubbs and Crockett need for a smuggling bust, naturally. 

George Takei (And Melanie Griffith)

It's not that surprising to see an actor like George Takei on a show like Miami Vice but what makes it bonkers is that he's in a scene with Melanie Griffith and two professional wrestlers, "Captain" Lou Albano and Afa Anoa'i. It's a wild scene with the Star Trek vet playing a criminal overlord and the wrestlers as his henchman. Griffith was dating Johnson at the time, and they would eventually marry and become parents to Dakota Johnson. 

Frankie Valli

The show reached way back in the past when it cast singer Frankie Valli for an episode in its musician-laden second season. New Jersey boy Valli's career goes all the way back to the 1950s and he's had an astonishing 29 Top-40 hits. Still, his first acting role came in 1985 on Miami Vice.

Iman

Iman was one of the first supermodels of the '70s and '80s and she was on the cover of every fashion magazine out there. She didn't get into acting until 1985 when she first appeared on the show in the same episode as G. Gordon Liddy and Bob Balaban. Later she appeared in another episode in 1988 as a different character murdered by a serial killer. 

Rita Moreno

Talk about a legend! EGOT-winner Rita Moreno is Hollywood royalty and her role on Miami Vice is unique because she plays a crooked congresswoman, which is not something you would expect from her. She's brilliant, by the way, as you expect. 

Isaac Hayes

Soul singer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Isaac Hayes is no stranger to acting. For years he voiced Chef on South Park, and he had roles in legendary movies like Escape from New York, and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka. He also showed up in one episode of Miami Vice, playing a bad guy, which he was great at. 

The Fat Boys

Miami Vice oozed '80s cool so seeing 1980s hip-hop pioneers The Fat Boys on the show shouldn't be a surprise, but it is, and boy is it funny. Big Buff aka The Human Beat Box saunters up to Tubbs and Crockett on a street corner and makes them an offer that the two vice cops definitely refuse, but they don't bust him, because, come on, you can't bust The Fat Boys! 

Ben Stiller

Sometimes it feels like Ben Stiller has been around forever, and that's for good reason. One of his very first roles in Hollywood was on an episode in the show's fourth season. Stiller plays a criminal busted by Crockett and Tubbs and he's got some great lines, playing a real scuzzy kind of guy. 

A lot of shows over the years have brought in some interesting and surprising celebrities for cameos and guest spots, but when you look at this list from Miami Vice it's hard to argue that any show did it better. 

In 2022, the 94th Academy Awards show became synonymous with the slap that caused buzz around the Internet. Chris Rock, who was hosting the biggest night in Hollywood, was slapped by Will Smith after he made a joke about wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, referencing G.I. Jane. Following the incident, Smith won an Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in King Richard. Now, two years later, while Smith won’t be attending the 2024 Oscars due to his ban, there are reports that Rock is back in town, coincidentally over the same huge weekend for movies. But is he attending the event?

Well, neither Chris Rock’s representatives or the Academy have commented on whether he’ll be at the show or not. But if he does attend, it would be his first appearance back in the Dolby Theater since the 2022 incident. According to Page Six, he was spotted out and about in West Hollywood on Thursday afternoon outside of  the Sunset Marquis hotel. The news outlet's source claimed that he seemed to be in very high spirits. They said:

Reportedly, Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Melissa Etheridge was also at the West Hollywood hotel, and the comedian was nothing less than ecstatic about seeing her. The source went on to say that:

The singer seemed to be just as happy seeing Chris Rock and even posted a selfie of them together on X (formerly Twitter). It garnered dozens of positive comments from fans. They all either mentioned that they could hear Rock's unmissable voice in the songstress' caption or that they were just hyped to see them together.

Whether he attends the Oscars or not, just seeing his alleged more cheerful disposition shows that he might be in a better mind space than two years ago. Former Saturday Night Live star Leslie Jones, who is a close friend of his, said that the slap was humiliating enough that he had to go to counseling. Dave Chapelle also gave his honest opinion, revealing that he called Chris Rock right after the incident to discuss it with him because it just seemed so shocking and fake when he saw it on live television.

Despite this, this year’s ceremony should be a memorable one. The list of 2024 Oscar nominees proves that this past year was great for movies, including box-office dominant titles like Oppenheimer and Barbie, along with some of the biggest names that are being recognized for their work, like Lily Gladstone and Paul Giamatti. Still, I'm intrigued to see whether Chris Rock ends up being one of the stars in present amid the festivities.

We'll see if the comedian shows up when the 96th Academy Awards airs on ABC on Sunday, March 10, starting at 7 p.m. ET.

Hosting the Academy Awards is a tough gig, and it’s not for the faint of heart. However, these ten Oscar hosts stand out as some of the best to emcee one of the biggest nights in Hollywood. Spanning back over 90 years, many have hosted the iconic award show, but these are the top ten of the bunch.

10. Jimmy Kimmel

Hosting in 2017, 2018, 2023 and 2024, Jimmy Kimmel has proved himself as a formidable frontman for The Oscars. While the late-night host has called hosting “a fucking nightmare,” there’s no denying that he’s good at it, and he knows how to handle all the ups and downs of this ceremony. I mean, he is the man who had to deal with the La La Land and Moonlight fiasco. Now, Kimmel is hosting for the fourth time, emceeing the night for the 2024 Oscar nominees, and I’m sure this consistent king will kill it.  

9.  Jon Stewart 

While Jon Stewart hosted The Daily Show for 16 years (and recently came back to lead the Comedy Central hit), he also took a spin at hosting the Oscars in 2006 and 2008. During his first year leading the ceremony, they did a skethc where multiple of the hosts mentioned on this list turned down the job, and eventually they landed on Stewart.

Well, I’m happy they did, because he used his satirical humor, which is typically used to poke fun at politics, to make the Academy Awards audience laugh. Then he was asked back in 2008, where he used his talents to address the ‘08 writers’ strike in a funny, yet hard-hitting way while honoring that year's winners.

8. Chris Rock

Long before Will Smith slapped Chris Rock and that took over the internet, the stand-up comedian hosted the Academy Awards, and his work was met with love. Hosting in 2005 and 2016 – where he took on the #OscarsSoWhite controversy with lots of jokes and gusto – the actor brought his signature confident comedic style to the biggest stage in movies, calling out the people in Hollywood who hold the power while also making the crowd and viewers laugh.

7.  Steve Martin

We’re all aware of the fact that Steve Martin is one of the best to ever host Saturday Night Live. It turns out those skills are transferable, because he was also a fabulous Oscars host in 2001, 2003 and 2010 (when he co-hosted with Alec Baldwin). Beloved for his silly goofy movies and TV shows, Martin brought that energy to the Oscars stage as he helped lead the evening and make fun of the night’s nominees. 

6. Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson is undoubtedly one of, if not the best late-night host ever. However, he’s also a formidable Oscar host, unsurprisingly. The longtime host of The Tonight Show led the Academy Awards five times – in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1984. Poking fun at the nominated movies and himself, Carson brought the charm we knew and loved from late-night, and he used it to emcee the ceremony mastefully.

5. Hugh Jackman

What else is there to say, he “is Hugh Jackman,” and he brought all his charm, wit, good looks and dancing shoes to the 2009 Oscars. Best known at the time for being Wolverine, Jackman reminded everyone that he’s also a wickedly talented song-and-dance man, and his homemade opening number (which featured Anne Hathaway!) was super fun, bubbly and very memorable. 

It’s also worth noting that this gig helped Jackman land The Greatest Showman, which is one of Jackman's most beloved movies. 

4.  Ellen DeGeneres 

While Ellen DeGeneres hosted The Oscars for the first time in 2007, she cemented herself as one of the best when she led the ceremony in 2014. Along with a solid monologue and great quips, the big reason why the former talk show host is known as a great Academy Awards host is because of that epic Oscars selfie she orchestrated that broke the internet. 

3. Bob Hope

The first televised Academy Awards aired in 1953, and it was hosted by comedy legend Bob Hope, who had emceed the evening six other times before that. To this day he holds the record for hosting the most, as he’s helmed the show a whopping 19 times (radio: 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1954 and 1956, and televised: 1953, 1955, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1975 and 1978). 

Throughout his run hosting the Oscars, Hope shared the job with other legends, including Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Jack Lemmon and more. He also led the show by himself 14 times. It can be argued that he set the precedent for what is expected from an Academy Awards host, and let’s just say he set the bar very high. 

2. Whoopi Goldberg

Hosting The Oscars four times in 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2002, Whoopi Goldberg won over audiences with her charm and wicked sense of humor. Along with some of Goldberg’s best movies making a splash at the ceremony – like The Color Purple and Ghost – the actress and comedian also made her mark by hosting. The Academy Award winner is remembered for her over-the-top outfits, like the Moulin Rouge! outfit she wore in 2002 or the Queen Elizabeth I costume from 1999, and that mixed with her incredibly smart comedic style made her a great choice for the hosting job. 

1. Billy Crystal

Billy Crystal hosted the Oscars nine times (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2012), and there’s a reason he was asked back over and over again. 

For example, in 1997, he interacted with Yoda, and in 1998, he entered on the Titanic, and then proceeded to introduce the night’s nominees through song. The year 2000 brought a bit about looking back at 100 years of film, and 2004’s ceremony featured parodies of movies like Something’s Gotta Give and Seabiscuit. 

All this is to say that Billy Crystal’s best moments hosting the Oscars are some of the best overall, and that’s why he is number one on our list.

Overall, there have been so many legends to lead us through the Academy Awards, and from Billy Crystal to Whoopi Goldberg to Jimmy Kimmel and more, they all deserve their flowers. 

Mention the name Chris Rock, and our immediate thoughts likely are going to turn to his stand up routines, his short stint on Saturday Night Live, or that unfortunate event at the Oscars. In the filmmaking community, though, Rock also has established himself as a director over the years, primarily focusing on comedies such as Top Five and Head of State but willing to branch out. Rock turned heads when he starred in a chapter of the Saw saga, and when he signed on the dotted line to direct a film about civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. Now he’s lining up yet another directorial effort, one with an Oscar pedigree.

Deadline reports that Chris Rock has agreed to direct an American remake of the Danish hit Another Round. If the title sounds familiar to you, it might mean that you paid attention to the 2020 Oscar race, where the film competed in two categories (including Best Director for Thomas Vinterberg) and won for Best International Feature Film. That’s a fairly high bar for Rock to top, so he must see something in the material that makes him believe he can put a fresh spin on it. The original ranks as of of the best Mads Mikkelsen movies we’ve ever seen, so Rock has his work cut out for him. 

Casting will be key to the success of the film. The story follows four teachers who decide to test a theory that maintaining consistent levels of inebriation – even during your work day – stimulates creativity and resourcefulness. Mad Mikkelsen leaned into the role and found the dark humor woven into the text. Some in the comments under the Deadline article already worry that Denmark has a different tolerance for drinking that isn’t native to America, and that frivolity will get lost with an American director trying to translate. Mikkelsen himself weighed in on the remake after it was announced that Leonardo DiCaprio’s production house, Appian Way, was backing the remake.

Now there’s an idea. Would DiCaprio want to play the part that Mads Mikkelsen played? Another Round did earn Mikkelsen all sorts of recognition, including a BAFTA nomination. DiCaprio isn’t a straight-up comedian, but his work with Martin Scorsese – particularly in The Wolf of Wall Street – is the kind of comedic commentary that could fit Another Round. The part doesn’t have to go to DiCaprio. But I easily could see him in the Mads Mikkelsen role, if Chris Rock wanted to go in that direction. 

Before he gets to Another Round, it’s assumed that Rock will direct the Martin Luther King Jr. movie that he’s doing with producer Steven Spielberg, based on the book King: A Life. More than anything, I’m just thrilled that we are back to discussing Rock’s work, as the shadow of the Oscar slap heard ‘round the world hung over him for too long and affected everything he tried to do. We know that he has a comedy special with Kevin Hart that will be available with a Netflix subscription. And while you wait for Rock’s numerous movies, keep an eye on all of the other upcoming 2024 movies reaching a theater near you. 

Seeing A-list celebrities on SNL is certainly nothing out of the ordinary, considering there is a different one hosting the show each week, even including non-actors who end up nailing it. Lorne Michaels and company have still managed to shock the Studio 8H audience numerous times by bringing out a public figure whom no one could have guessed was going to be part of the show. The following are some of our all-time favorite Saturday Night Live celebrity cameos.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Season 39)

In Jonah Hill’s third SNL monologue, the Academy Award nominee is bombarded by questions about working with Leonardo DiCaprio before trying to convince the audience that the future Oscar winner was not even supposed to be in The Wolf of Wall Street initially. Just then, the Titanic cast member himself walks on to knock some sense into his co-star before agreeing to recreate the famous “We’re flying!” scene from the Best Picture Oscar winner. 

Barack Obama (Season 33)

In the cold open for SNL’s 2007 Halloween show, a spooky party hosted by Bill (Darrell Hammond) and Hilary Clinton (Amy Poehler) is crashed by an unexpected guest in a Barack Obama mask. The stranger removes the rubber face to reveal he is actually the future 44th President of the United States in the flesh.

Barbra Streisand (Season 17)

A recurring topic in Mike Myers’ “Coffee Talk” sketches was Linda Richman’s obsession with Barbra Streisand, who shocked the host and her guests (played by Madonna and Roseanne Barr) by briefly walking on the set to greet them in one sketch. According to Barbra Archives, Myers had been informed that the Oscar-winning Funny Girl star might show up, but Madonna and Barr’s shocked reactions were completely genuine.

Robert De Niro (Season 26)

Academy Award winner Robert De Niro never hosted SNL until 2002, but made multiple surprise appearances beforehand, such as the time he showed up on “Weekend Update.” The cameo was in response to Jimmy Fallon’s unfavorable review of 2000’s Meet the Parents, which Fallon tries to defend with his impersonation of the acting legend, who turns the tables by imitating him at the end.

Kel Mitchell (Season 48)

A pre-taped segment imagines a reboot of the classic Nickelodeon comedy, Kenan & Kel, but with host Keke Palmer as a new character named Kelly. However, the bit ends wonderfully with an appearance of Kenan Thompson’s original co-star, Kel Mitchell, who actually auditioned for SNL once before, to no avail

Judge Judy (Season 24)

Cheri Oteri made an impact on SNL in a short time with memorable characters and hilarious impersonations — especially that of Judge Judy. However, the honorable TV personality herself proved that no one “rules” like the original when she interrupted one of Oteri’s parodies of her court show.

Sarah Paulson (Season 48)

In a sketch poking fun at his internet persona, host Pedro Pascal plays a teacher whose students have made viral videos honoring him as a surrogate “daddy” and another teacher name Ms. Jenny as “mommy.” Entering the room to the crowd’s surprise as Ms. Jenny is the Last of Us cast member’s good friend, Emmy winner Sarah Paulson.

Taylor Swift (Season 49)

Even after her boyfriend — one of the funniest pro athletes to host SNL, Travis Kelce — made a surprise appearance in the same episode (hosted by Pete Davidson), no one anticipated Taylor Swift would show up in the Season 48 opener to introduce musical guest Ice Spice’s second performance. Reportedly, neither of these cameos were planned and were put together last minute when the Grammy-winning superstar and Kansas City Chiefs tight end happened to show up at 30 Rock.

Jason Momoa (Season 45)

In a courtroom-style sketch starring Chance the Rapper as a judge who rules purely by first impressions, one of the defendants is played by Jason Momoa, who already has the host in stitches with his ridiculous wardrobe. However, the Aquaman actor suddenly cannot stop laughing after accidentally referring to himself as a “paraplegic,” when he meant to say “paralegal.”

Eminem (Season 46)

Pete Davidson plays a young man named Stu who writes a series of increasingly erratic letters asking Santa Claus (Jason Bateman) for a PlayStation 5 in this holiday parody of “Stan” by Eminem. As we learn at the end of the bit (which original video star Devon Sawa loved), the Real Slim Shady is the one who ended up getting the PS5 under his tree.

The Property Brothers And Tony Hawk (Season 48)

Kenan Thompson plays the host of an international beauty pageant that is close to going off the rails when he makes note of the random selection of Property Brothers’ Drew and Jonathan Scott and Tony Hawk as the judges before introducing them. Much to the surprise of Thompson’s character (and the audience), the twin renovation reality show stars and the pro skateboarder are appearing as themselves.

Jeff Probst (Season 48)

At first, the only joke this wedding-set sketch has going for it is the repeated utterance of the word “Joker," in reference to the best man’s choice of Halloween costume, modeled after Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. What transcends the SNL sketch from terrible to amazing is when Survivor host Jeff Probst shows up to announce if the guests voted in favor of the best man (Andrew Dismukes) keeping on his makeup or in favor of the bride (Heidi Gardner), who thinks his costume has ruined the ceremony.

Conan O'Brien (Season 47) 

When John Mulaney’s induction into SNL’s Five-Timers Club doesn’t seem to be going well, with veterans like Steve Martin and Candice Bergen believing he doesn’t fit the quality standards, coming to his aid is none other than Conan O’Brien. The beloved late-night host-turned-podcaster’s surprise appearance was not only special because he starred in the first Five-Timers Club sketch while working as a writer, but because he previously severed ties with NBC after 2010’s embarrassing Tonight Show debacle.

The Hunger Games Cast (Season 40) 

After starting his third SNL monologue with a song about the year 1989 modeled after Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space,” Woody Harrelson is suddenly joined by his Hunger Games movies co-stars Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson. When Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence shows up, Harrelson initially mistakes her for “the real Taylor Swift.”

Eugene Levy (Season 46) 

Host Dan Levy offers a glimpse of what Studio 8H looks like backstage in a post-Covid environment. During the tour, he is shocked to learn his father and fellow Schitt’s Creek cast member, Eugene Levy, flew from L.A. to New York to support him, but pandemic protocols have forced the comedian to watch the show from a clear, protective case.

Matt Damon (Season 44)

Matt Damon is the face behind many of the most amazing celebrity cameos in movies, but the Oscar-winning writer and star of Good Will Hunting has worked his magic on the small screen as well. For instance: his surprise appearance on SNL as Associate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in a hilarious cold open recreating his senate hearing.

Julia Stiles (Season 49)

On “Weekend Update,” Chloe Fineman demonstrates her most romantic holiday gift idea: recreating the balletic performance from the end of one of the best dance movies, Save the Last Dance. Fineman and the crowd are suddenly starstruck when the film’s star, Julia Stiles, shows up to help bring the tribute to a grand finale.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Season 14)

When an overly excited Danny DeVito interrupts his monologue and requests to re-do the show’s opening, he asks his good friend and Twins co-star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to launch things with the famous catchphrase while he is sitting in the audience. The Terminator movies star would show up in the episode again to pay a visit to his cousins, Hans (Dana Carvey) and Franz (Kevin Nealon).

Bryan Cranston (Season 42) 

In a funny cold open, CNN reporter Jake Tapper announces that then-President Donald Trump has selected a new head of the DEA. The person in question is former high school chemistry teacher Walter White, played by former Breaking Bad cast member Bryan Cranston reprising his legendary, multi-Emmy-winning role.

Paul McCartney (Season 32) 

This sketch is already crawling with amazing cameos when Alec Baldwin, in the Platinum Lounge at SNL’s Five-Timers Club, runs into Martin Short (working as a server) and Steve Martin, who attempts to murder his It’s Complicated co-star under the impression he is tying his hosting record. However, the biggest surprise comes when Paul McCartney walks in, whom Martin initially mistakes for fellow club member, Paul Simon. 

Melissa McCarthy (Season 42)

One of SNL’s all-time best hosts, Melissa McCarthy, showed up to play then-White House press secretary Sean Spicer during an episode hosted by Kristen Stewart. While then-President Donald Trump did not care for the sketch, Spicer did not seem bothered by the impersonation (save McCarthy’s amount of gum chewing), and the big became one of SNL’s most popular YouTube clips, later inspiring the Oscar nominee to reprise the role once more.

The Office Cast (Season 44)

When an audience member interrupts Steve Carell’s third SNL monologue to ask if an Office reboot is in the works, he initially says the beloved NBC sitcom might be best left alone. However, fellow Office cast members Ellie Kemper, Ed Helms, and Jenna Fischer pop in to convince him otherwise.

Barry Gibb (Season 39)

Arguably Jimmy Fallon’s single funniest SNL sketch is “The Barry Gibb Talk Show,” in which he and Justin Timberlake, as Bee Gees members Barry and Robin Gibb, discuss pressing topics with public figures. One of the later editions featured Madonna appearing as herself, but when the real Barry Gibb shows up at the very end is an all-time classic moment.

Larry David (Season 41)

While he never was an SNL cast member (but did perform sketch comedy on Fridays), Larry David had a brief stint at Studio 8H as a writer years before returning to the show in a legendary way. In a cold open recreating the 2016 Election’s Democratic presidential debate, the Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm creator drove the crowd crazy with his first of many appearances as Bernie Sanders, who, it turns out, is a distant cousin of the comedian, as they would later discover (per Time). 

Brad Pitt (Season 24)

Brad Pitt is, surprisingly, one of many celebrities who have never hosted SNL, but he has popped in on the show a couple of times. The first time was in a cold open for an episode hosted by David Spade, as the Tommy Boy actor’s therapist, for some reason.

Alex Trebek (Season 27)

One of SNL’s best “Celebrity Jeopardy!” sketches comes from Will Ferrell’s final episode as a cast member, particularly for the surprise guest at the very end. After Ferrell’s Alex Trebek announces the “Final Jeopardy!,” the real, late Alex Trebek appears to bid his impersonate adieu.

James Gandolfini (Season 30)

When reporting on then-New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey’s scandal on “Weekend Update,” Amy Poehler and Tina Fey introduce a native to New York’s neighboring state to comment on the topic. The guest turns out to be played by the late James Gandolfini of the Sopranos cast fame, whose commentary turns out to be filled with stereotypes at the expense of his own community and others.

Chris Rock (Season 42)

A highlight of Dave Chappelle’s Emmy-winning debut hosting gig was the appearance of his friend and collaborator, Chris Rock. The ‘90s SNL icon shows up in a sketch set on the night of the 2016 Presidential Election to bond with Chappelle’s character over their anticipation of the inevitable results.

Jake Gyllenhaal (Season 45)

One of the most dazzling cameos in one of John Mulaney’s best comedy specials, John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch, was Jake Gyllenhaal as Mr. Music. The Academy Award nominee later reunited with the beloved comedian in one of Mulaney’s best musical SNL sketches as a pajama-clad traveler at LaGuardia Airport.

Janet Reno (Season 26)

Before Jane Lynch played Janet Reno in a true crime series, she was portrayed by Will Ferrell on SNL for years in “Janet Reno’s  Dance Party.” The final edition of the hard-partying sketch, amid the end of Reno’s sting as U.S. Attorney General, went out with a bang when the real Reno crashed through the wall to greet her doppelganger.

Mick Jagger (Season 49)

Musician and actor Bad Bunny’s SNL hosting debut was pretty cameo-heavy, including appearances by Pedro Pascal, former cast member Fred Armisen, and Lady Gaga. However, it was Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger who brought the house down with his bewildering parts in two sketches — first as a telenovela actor and later as a man posing as a nun.

Mark Zuckerberg (Season 36)

Host Jesse Eisenberg’s monologue is interrupted by Andy Samberg’s impersonation of Mark Zuckerberg, whom Eisenberg portrayed to Academy Award-nominated acclaim in the Social Network cast in 2010. Little do they know that the real Facebook founder is backstage, but goes against Lorne Michaels’ suggestions and joins Eisenberg onstage for an “awkberg” first meeting.

Sometimes what makes SNL really fun is waiting to see which celebrities might show up for a surprise appearance this time.

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.

Kevin Hart and Chris Rock are two talented comedians who have taken Netflix by storm with their comedy chops. Hart headlined one of the greatest Netflix comedy specials Zero F**cks Given and Rock made history by being front and center for Netflix’s first live-streaming comedy event Outrage. As both of these specials got praise and a lot of attention, why not have two of Netflix’s best comedians come together for a special of their own? As the documentary special Headliners Only dominates Netflix, the two comedians behind it reveal how their collab happened. 

What’s new on Netflix this month is Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only documentary that gives audiences a behind-the-scenes account of their tour. These two will reveal glimpses of their early lives, struggles, accomplishments, and their friendship with each other. Netflix is a Joke posted a hilarious video on X of Chris Rock and Kevin Hart revealing how the two decided to pair up for this special Netflix documentary as they were prepping for their tours.

• Rock: We were both gearing up and I’m smart enough to always check to see what Kevin’s doing before I go on tour. ‘Cause I’m not getting stomped by Kevin. It’s just not happening. So, I give him that respect. I go, ‘You know, Jay Z doesn’t drop– he checks with Drake before he drops a record. Yes, yes, he’s been around longer, but…he’s just a realist. 
• Hart: I said, ‘Why don’t we do something together? What do you think about doing New York? Like, destroying New York?

And the rest was history. When you watch Kevin Hart break out into laughter at everything his pal is saying, this makes you want to watch their dynamic more and more. With the Netflix documentary set during a week of four sold-out shows, audiences will get a breakdown of how these comedy newbies in New York came out on top and what the life of a successful comedian is like. So far, Headliners Only has become a leading hit with Netflix subscribers. It currently stands at the number six spot in the Top 10 Movies in the U.S. Today, leading in front of DC League of Super Pets, Holiday in the Vineyards, Suicide Quad, and Sharkboy and Lava Girl. It’s plain to see that audiences are looking for some laughs compared to action flicks.

Chris Rock and Kevin Hart have joined forces before to deliver laughs and chuckles from audiences. In the 2014 showbiz comedy that was written, directed, and starring Rock, Hart was added to the hilarious cast playing the lead’s Ivy League-educated agent. The comedy duo also plans to team up for a new Rock/Hart comedy film they came up with together called Co-Parenting. Based on the real-life bitter divorces and custody battles Rock and Hart have gone through, this upcoming comedy follows a stay-at-home day going through the same thing with his CEO wife. There have currently been no updates on their new movie, but I’m very curious about what these two have created together.

As for separate upcoming projects the two comedians have in store, Chris Rock played Civil Rights activist Roy Wilkins in Rustin. Based on the true story of gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, the drama biopic received two Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor and Best Original Song. The SNL alum also plans to join Steven Spielberg in making a movie about Martin Luther King Jr. Rock is in final negotiations to direct and produce the movie while Spielberg would be the executive producer. 

Kevin Hart has another project coming to the Netflix movie schedule called Lift with the heist comedy coming to Netflix on January 12th. He’s also psyched being part of the Borderlands movie with Jamie Lee Curtis getting to battle alien monsters and dangerous bandits. Outside of comedy shows, these stand-up guys have some epic projects for us to look forward to. You can watch the video of Hart and Rock talking about their Netflix collaboration down below:

Compared to checking with each other before going on comedy tours, Kevin Hart and Chris Rock decided to collaborate instead for a new Netflix project. You can see for yourself why Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only is presently at the streaming service’s number six spot by watching it on your Netflix subscription.

Usually, when you think of people who get their start in show business early, you think of famous child actors. However, the same could be said about SNL cast members — many of whom can say they first got hired onto the show when they were just in their mid-20s, or even younger. The following are some of the youngest performers to grace the stage Saturday Night Live yet.

Anthony Michael Hall

According to The Independent, when Anthony Michael Hall became an SNL regular in 1985, he set the record for the show’s youngest cast member at just 17 years old. By then, he was already a teen idol from starring alongside fellow Studio 8H vet Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s Vacation and standing out in now-iconic ‘80s movie classics like Sixteen Candles and Weird Science.

Dan Aykroyd

One of the youngest members of SNL’s original run from 1975 to 1980 was Dan Aykroyd, who became a Not Ready For Primetime Player at 23 years old. His high-energy performance style and bizarre ideas — he wrote beloved sketches like The Coneheads, among others — ensured a glorious Studio 8H tenure and his lasting legacy as an esteemed comedy icon.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Despite her unforgettable, Emmy-winning performances in the Seinfeld cast as Elaine Benes and Selina Meyer in the Veep cast, an actor you may have forgotten was on SNL is Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The sketch comedy series was the multi-Emmy winner’s big break in 1982 when she was just 21.

Pete Davidson

When Pete Davidson made his “Weekend Update” debut in 2014, the then-20-year-old was aptly referred to as SNL’s “Resident Young Person” and would frequently appear in sketches as a very convincing teenager. The comedian, who left the show in 2022, would soon grow up to be one of the biggest stars of his day, from co-creating and leading his own series, Bupkis, to joining blockbuster franchises like the Fast and Furious movies and the Transformers series.

Eddie Murphy

An often credited for coming to SNL’s rescue during its struggles in 1980 was Eddie Murphy, who was the first cast member hired while still under the age of 20 (19, to be exact). With unforgettable characters like Mister Robinson or his iconic take on Gumby, he showed a voracious talent way beyond his years that soon secured his place as one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. 

Joan Cusack

As she recalled to Terry Gross on the Fresh Air podcast, Joan Cusack did not have the best experience when she was cast on Saturday Night Live from 1985-1986 (not considered the show’s best season either) at age 23. Fortunately, after becoming the first SNL actor nominated for an Oscar two times (for Working Girl and In & Out), getting the chance to act alongside her siblings (including John Cusack) multiple times, and other memorable achievements, it seems things got better for her.

John Belushi

One of the first faces that most longtime fans picture when they think of SNL is John Belushi, whom you might assume already had decades of comedic work under his belt before being hired on the show in 1975 based on his staggering talent. As it turns out, the future star of The Blues Brothers — one of the greatest SNL movies ever made — was only 26 at the time.

Jay Pharoah

A then-22-year-old Jay Pharaoh quickly made a grand impression on Studio 8H when he appeared on “Weekend Update” with a spot-on impression of Will Smith in 2010. This would be only the first of many hilarious impersonations he demonstrated week after week until he, unfortunately, was fired from SNL in 2016.

Aidy Bryant

When Aidy Bryant was first hired in 2012, the then-25-year-old would often play teenagers, such as in one of SNL’s most popular sketches on YouTube in which she plays a high school student unaware she is an adult film character. The Shrill star would continue to play younger roles throughout her decade-long SNL tenure (which was actually longer than she had intended, due to Covid).

Robert Downey Jr.

Talk about starting early — Robert Downey Jr. earned his first IMDb credit at 5 years old when his father cast him in a bizarre avant-garde drama called Pound in 1970. Fifteen years later, after the future MCU star turned 20, he joined the SNL cast for just one season, during which he realized sketch comedy was not really his game, as he revealed to Sam Jones on Off Camera later.

Jimmy Fallon

Even as the host of The Tonight Show from 2014 on, Jimmy Fallon has, impressively, looked around 24 years old the entire time. However, that was actually the age at which the skilled impressionist, whose tendency to laugh often caused some sketches to not go as planned, joined the SNL cast in 1998. 

Sarah Silverman

With two Emmy Awards, a Disney franchise (the Wreck-It Ralph movies, as the voice of Vanellope), and an acclaimed stand-up career, Sarah Silverman has done a pretty good job navigating show business. According to her interview with Perri Nemiroff for Collider Ladies Night, she credits her brief SNL tenure, from 1993 to 1994, when she was just 22 as a great help in that area.

Kenan Thompson

Kenan Thompson got his start in sketch comedy even earlier than many can say, having been cast on Nickelodeon’s All That at age 15. About a decade later, in 2003, the then-25-year-old graduated to Studio 8H and went on to become one of the longest-tenured SNL actors in the show’s history.

Chris Farley

Chris Farley is a prime example of a showbusiness icon who achieved much in little time. The high-energy comedic talent, known for characters like motivational speaker Matt Foley and, later, movies like the fan favorite 1995 classic, Tommy Boy, was hired on SNL in 1990 at 26 and passed away just seven years later.

Laraine Newman

Arguably, one of the most underrated Not Ready For Primetime Players is Laraine Newman, who might be best known as Beldar (Dan Aykroyd) and Prymaat’s (Jane Curtin) daughter, Connie, from the “Coneheads” sketches. She was also one of the original SNL cast’s youngest members, having been hired in 1975 at 23.

Chris Rock

His blistering, hilarious satirical commentaries on “Weekend Update” made Chris Rock, easily, one of the sharpest ‘90s SNL cast members. Those appearances also stood as proof that he was wise beyond his years, having joined the cast in 1990 at age 25.

Gilbert Gottfried

Before the late Gilbert Gottfried became known for movies like Beverly Hills Cop II and 1992's Aladdin (as the voice of Iago), one of his first (and lesser-known) gigs was Saturday Night Live. The comedian started his 12-episode stint as part of the cast in 1980 when he was 25.

Abby Elliot

Abby Elliott was already 7 years old when her father — future Schitt’s Creek cast member, Chris Elliott — joined the SNL cast for the 1994-1995 season. Fourteen years later, in 2008, the future member of FX’s The Bear cast became part of Studio 8H's legacy at age 21.

Damon Wayans

Years before performing bits like “Homey D. Clown” and “Men on Film” in the In Living Color cast made him a comedy all-star, Damon Wayans was hired on SNL 1985 when he was 25. As he recalled in a Weekender interview, his stint only lasted 11 episodes because he decided to go off-script while a sketch was live in progress.

Andrew Dismukes

Andrew Dismukes is one of those SNL cast members who can be seamlessly inserted into a sketch set at a high school or as a family’s teenage son. One might even be surprised to learn that the actor — who also shined as a Joker-obsessed wedding bestman in a sketch that is somehow both terrible and amazing — was as old as 25 when he joined the show in 2020.  

Ben Stiller

Five weeks after joining the SNL cast, then-23-year-old Ben Stiller quit the show, wanting to just create short films instead of perform live sketches, according to an interview with Howard Stern from 2018. The actor and filmmaker later would do exactly that on the short-lived The Ben Stiller Show — also starring non-SNL sketch comedy performer, Bob Odenkirk — but eventually came back for a few SNL hosting gigs and a recurring role as Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen.

Yvonne Hudson

Yvonne Hudson officially became the first Black female SNL cast member (and third Black cast member overall after Garrett Morris and Eddie Murphy) when she was 25. According to a Vulture interview with fellow Season 6 cast member Mitchell Kriegmann, Hudson was actually Studio 8H’s receptionist before she was brought onto the ensemble in 1980, which may explain why she has no other acting credits to her name.

Marcello Hernandez

One of the underrated Marcello Hernandez’s most popular SNL sketches — which spawned a sequel featuring Bad Bunny — saw him playing a college student bringing his girlfriend (Chloe Fineman) home to his overprotective, Spanish-speaking mother (Pedro Pascal). The comic’s college days were actually not too far away from him when that bit aired during his introductory season, having been hired in mid-2022 when he was 25.

Adam Sandler

Before Adam Sandler’s movies started to really launch him toward icon status in his 30s, the comic was making a name for himself on SNL while still in his 20s. The actor behind characters like Opera Man and songs like “Lunch Lady Land” first came onto the show when he was 25 in 1991.

Ellen Cleghorne

Ellen Cleghorne, SNL’s second Black, female cast member, was hired in 1991 when she was 26 and stayed on until 1995. Outside of Studio 8H, she is known for appearing in blockbusters like Armageddon as well as several comedies featuring fellow SNL veterans, such as Little Nicky opposite Adam Sandler and Old School with Will Ferrell.

Jay Mohr

Highlights of Jay Mohr’s two-year SNL stint, which began in 1993 when he was 23, include his impressive impersonations of celebrities like Christopher Walken and Billy Idol. Highlights of the comic’s career since include his antagonistic role in Jerry Maguire, his Emmy nomination for executive producing Last Comic Standing (which he also hosted, originally), and appearing in the Air cast for Amazon.

Melanie Hutsell

Best known for playing Jan Brady in “Weekend Update” segments and Di for the Delta Delta Delta sorority, Melanie Hutsell came on to SNL as a featured performer in 1991 when she was 23. Some may also recognize her from her small appearance alongside the Bridesmaids cast, a recurring role on Netflix’s Lady Dynamite, and more.

Brad Hall

According to People, when Brad Hall joined the SNL cast in 1982, the then-24-year-old had already met his co-star and future wife, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, as students at Northwestern University. The couple would go on to work together again when he created her first follow-up to Seinfeld, Watching Ellie.

Laura Kightlinger

Laura Kightlinger was 25 when she joined the SNL cast in 1994, during the show’s 20th season. After a year, she found even greater success as a producer of sitcoms like Will & Grace and 2 Broke Girls, on which she also made guest appearances.

Gary Kroeger

Al Franken is not the only SNL cast member to go into politics later on. According to the Des Moines Register, Gary Kroeger, who was hired in 1982 when he was 25 years old, ran for Congress in his home state of Iowa in 2015.

Tom Davis

Tom Davis was actually hired at SNL as a writer during the first season when he was 23, but would not be brought on as a cast member until two years later in 1977. Before he passed away in 2012, he also made a cameo in the sort-of Christmas movie classic, 1983’s Trading Places, alongside Al Franken, helped write the Coneheads movie from 1993, and more.

Peter Aykroyd

When Dan Aykroyd and the rest of the Not Ready For Primetime Players left the show in 1980, his then-25-year-old younger brother, Peter, briefly joined the cast the following season. Also an Emmy-winning SNL writer and former member of the Second City comedy troupe, Aykroyd sadly passed away in November 2021 at the age of 66.

Sometimes the brightest SNL stars turn out to be among the youngest as well.

There is no genre more near and dear to my heart than comedy. The skills necessary to make others laugh -- whether live and in-person or through a screen -- are a unique and beautiful combination that should be protected at all costs. Some artists are able to do so without leaning in to touchy subjects or cursing, while others go all the way to really earn that R rating. The tactics may differ, but the end goal is the same, to bring others joy through jokes. 

Many comedians see movies as the apex of a potential career, but most don't start out their careers in Hollywood. Many grow first through either stand-up comedy or sketch comedy. This list honors them. Here's a look back at famous actors who started in either the stand-up or sketch comedy world and went on to bigger screens.

Rainn Wilson

Known as arguably one of the best characters on the hit show The Office, Rainn Wilson got his start in the arts in New York City where he studied acting at NYU. He went on to do theater both off and on Broadway as well as sketch comedy. He even did a post-modern clown show before getting his big break on the show Six Feet Under in 2001. 

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg got her start by studying drama in New York, where she landed a few stage performances before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. Like many others on this list, her comedy routine -- "The Spook Show" -- caught the attention of Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols, who helped get the young comedian to Broadway. She eventually landed her first film in Steven Spielberg's film The Color Purple, for which she earned an Oscar nomination in 1986. 

Steve Buscemi

The veteran character actor made his acting debut in 1985, but also tried his hand at stand-up comedy. Eventually, Busemi decided he "wasn't funny enough," and switched to acting instead. Buscemi has since starred in popular movies including Fargo, Resevoir Dogs, and the hit HBO Max show Boardwalk Empire.

Emma Thompson

If you're looking for a stand-up with some serious credentials, look no further than Emma Thompson. Winner of two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, a British Academy Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, the talented actor got her start in stand-up while in Cambridge. 

John Candy

Arguably one of the greatest comedy legends to ever live, John Candy led a fascinating life, getting his big break after joining the ensemble of SCTV — which is, essentially, the Canadian equivalent to SNL. In 1989, the star even added radio personality to his resume. The LA Times did a whole write-up of his syndicated, two-hour program, Radio Kandy, which sounds wild and apparently included rock music and comedy sketches featuring some of his former SCTV co-stars.

Mo'Nique

Mo'Nique started her comedy career with stand-up, heading to It's Showtime at the Apollo and Def Comedy Jam before eventually landing a leading role on TV's The Parkers. The comedian took her acting to the next level in 2009's Precious, for which she won an Academy Award.

Steve Carell

A versatile actor with numerous groundbreaking performances in both television and film, Steve Carrell was once a legend at Second City in Chicago who went on to land his dream job working on the ill-fated Dana Carvey Show, which you can learn about in Too Funny To Fail, one of the best comedy documentaries to date. Known best for his role as Michael Scott in the U.S. adaptation of The Office, Carell eventually went on to become a leading man in both comedies and dramas. 

Michael Keaton

To put himself through college where he studied acting, Michael Keaton worked as a cab and ice cream truck driver, and it wasn't until 1975 that he officially debuted on television. He did some stand-up comedy in his early 20s, which he recounted in an interview with Ellen, but he eventually found the right calling with movies.

Tina Fey

Known for her work on the smash hit show 30 Rock, Tina Fey got her start in acting at Second City which quickly led to a job at Saturday Night Live as notably one of the only female writers at the time. She got her break co-hosting Weekend Update and later went on to be a huge star in Hollywood. 

Jamie Foxx

It all started with a dare from a girlfriend to try his hand at an open mic. Flash forward some years and that performance led Jamie Foxx to multiple awards, including two Academy Awards, double digit Grammys, and three Golden Globe Awards, all while showing a versatile ability to crush performances across multiple genres and artistic art forms.

John Cleese

Coming from the United Kingdom, John Cleese is a British comic actor best known for his television work on Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers. Cleese began writing and performing in comedy revues at Clifton College in Bristol, England, and was a member of the renowned Footlights Club while a law student at the University of Cambridge. He is best known for his work with Monty Pythion, namely Monty Python And The Holy Grail. 

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais went to school at Ashmead Comprehensive School before going on to study at University College, London, where he gained a degree in Philosophy. After university, Gervais attempted to pursue a pop career with Seona Dancing, a synth-pop duo he formed with a fellow student. After forming a writing partnership with Stephen Merchant, he would go on to land his breakout role on The Office, premiering in 2001. In between all his acting gigs, he's performed plenty of stand-up and has multiple Netflix specials. 

Eddie Murphy

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, SNL star Eddie Murphy began performing his own comedy routines at 15. In 1980, the work of the soon-to-be comedy legend caught the attention of Saturday Night Live producers. In 1982, Murphy landed his first leading role in the film, 48 Hrs, which led to multiple leads in classics such as Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. He went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Dreamgirls and truly set the bar by playing six characters in the 1996 smash hit, The Nutty Professor. His '80s comedy specials are still discussed today. 

Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer is certainly better known these days for her work in numerous films including the fantastic Trainwreck, but most of those career opportunity doors opened through her stand-up comedy. She built a name for herself through her work on the live mic before mostly switching to movies.

Chris Rock

An SNL vet, Chris Rock's comedy career began in 1984 at 19 when he took the stage in the New York City club Catch a Rising Star. His performance ended up catching the eye of future comedy legend Eddie Murphy, who had been watching his act. Murphy would become a huge presence in Rock's life and served as a mentor, giving him his first break with a role in Beverly Hills Cop II.

Ron Perlman

Known for very courageous roles such as Clay Morrow on the FX show Sons Of Anarchy, Ron Perlman said his ventures as a stand-up comedian ended after a heckling exchange in the Bronx escalated and he retreated out of the venue through the back door, which seems like a strange move for such an intimidating man. 

Robin Williams

Arguably one of the best comedians of all-time, Robin Williams studied acting at the Juilliard School, which he later dropped out of to devote himself entirely to stand-up comedy before making the leap to television and movies. Known for his high energy and skillful impressions, he himself has inspired other actors to reenact some of his most dramatic real-life moments in honor of the late comedian. 

Patton Oswalt

The Prince of Queens, Patton Oswalt went from struggling in the comedy world to writing for the sketch comedy show MADtv and earning his own comedy special on HBO. He continued to impress critics and fans alike, with roles such as the voice of the lead character Remy the Rat in the Pixar film, Ratatouille. 

Richard Pryor

Unfortunately, tragedy and comedy often go hand-in-hand. Such is the case with arguably one of the genre's biggest icons, the late, great, Richard Pryor. The legend had a tough life growing up and eventually joined the military before playing nightclubs as both a musician and comedian at age 23. His comedy career was populated with milestones and achievements, as well as struggles and substance abuse before passing away in 2005 due to complications from M.S..  

Bette Midler

Bette Midler landed her first Broadway role in Fiddler on the Roof by 1966, four years before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. In 1972, she released the album The Divine Miss M, which earned her a Grammy Award, and she started making frequent appearances on late-night television shows and eventually a huge acting career. Along the way, she performed live comedy and even released an album.

Norm Macdonald

Norm Macdonald's first job was writing for The Dennis Miller Show and then Roseanne. While writing on the show, he was noticed by Lorne Michaels, who liked Norm's stand up so much that he offered the young comedian a job on Saturday Night Live in 1993.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey, who is easily considered one of the greats, was himself taken under the wing of another comedy legend, Rodney Dangerfield, who spotted the young comic in a Toronto nightclub. Carrey eventually made it to The Tonight Show which led to his role on In Living Color and parts in many comedy classics that we know and love today, such as Dumb and Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura. 

Tim Allen

Tim Allen started his career as a comedian in 1975 in a pretty peculiar way. On a dare from one of his friends, he participated in a comedy night at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, outside of Detroit. Following his release from prison in 1981 for a drug-related crime, he returned to comedy and went on to lead the hit show Home Improvement on ABC. 

Steve Martin

From community theater, to Disneyland, to the big screen, Steve Martin began his showbiz career as a teenager. After writing his own comedy routines, plays, and music, he went on to study philosophy and poetry before winning his first Emmy Award for comedy writing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour at the young age of 23.

Lily Tomlin

Initially studying biology at Wayne State University, Lily Tomlin decided to audition for a play which led to her changing her major to theatre and diving into stand-up comedy. Her stand-up was so impressive that it attracted the attention of the producers of Laugh-In, the notorious 1960s sketch comedy show. Tomlin went on to snag an Oscar nomination for her acting work.

Dana Carvey

One of SNL's most talented and beloved alumni, Dana Carvey absolutely dominated during his six seasons on Saturday Night Live, creating some of the show's most memorable characters. He never drifted far from stand-up though and has continued to take the stage and release specials.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks took the weirdest route to stand-up of anyone on this list. He was already in Hollywood and establishing a nice career when he decided to audition for a movie about stand-up comedy called Punchline. As part of that process, he developed his own stand-up routine and performed in clubs. There's even footage of it that trends every now and again.

Bob Odenkirk

Starting out as a D.J. in Illinois, Bob Odenkirk got his start in local improv workshops in Chicago, where he also did open-mic stand-up comedy for several years. In Chicago, he became friends with Robert Smigel, who would later help him become a writer for Saturday Night Live.

Larry David

Starting out in stand-up comedy, Larry David befriended Jerry Seinfeld and later went on to co-create Seinfeld. He also wrote for Friday's and Saturday Night Live and famously went on to create the all-time ridiculous show Curb Your Enthusiasm. 

Ed Helms

Ed Helms was studying improv with the Upright Citizens Brigade when he got his big break as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He later moved on to the hit NBC show The Office where he played Andy Bernard. From there, Helms went on to star in The Hangover trilogy. More importantly, he also acted in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.

Mel Brooks

There aren't many names in the world of comedy that stand larger than Mel Brooks. The legend started his career in stand-up before working as a writer for Sid Caesar's variety show Your Show of Shows from 1950 to 1954. After that, he, of course, took over Hollywood, winning an EGOT and directing classics like Blazing Saddles, The Producers and Robin Hood: Men In Tights.

Simon Pegg

A comedic force to be reckoned with in the U.K. before dropping smash hits like Sean of the Dead in the U.S., Pegg once told The Hollywood Reporter “I went into stand-up because comedy was something I enjoyed but also because it offered me a certain autonomy that I wouldn’t have if I was sitting and waiting for the phone to ring as an actor.”

Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd started performing comedy at 17 and later joined the main casts of Second City in Toronto and Chicago. Later, it was his work in the sketch comedy powerhouse Saturday Night Live that turned him into a huge name and opened the door for him to start in classics like The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters.

And those are some of the actors who also took the stage to perform stand-up or sketch comedy at some point during their careers!

Jada Pinkett Smith’s marriage to Will Smith has been the subject of consistent speculation for years now. The famous couple has weathered notable ups and downs in their professional and personal lives, and they’ve often not shied away from letting fans and the world at large get an intimate glimpse into their challenges and their victories, including what happened at the 2022 Academy Awards. More than a year and a half after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, Jada Pinkett Smith has revealed how shocked she was by the unscripted event. Now, she has opened up about the impact it had on her and how it felt for some fans to blame her for the event. 

Few Academy Award moments have been subject to as much commentary and controversy as the instance in which Will Smith, angered by a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair, walked onto the Oscar stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock. He then won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in King Richard shortly after the confrontation. But the consequences of the slap were felt long after the ceremony was over – and not just by Will Smith. 

In a recent interview with People, Jada Pinkett Smith discussed the fact that many people felt she was partially responsible for her husband’s reaction to the joke, and she explained what it felt like to be in the eye of the storm: 

The Matrix Resurrections actress is likely referring to the 2020 revelation that she had a relationship outside of her marriage to Smith in 2016. In the years since, more information has come to light, including the fact that the couple agreed not to be monogamous. But, that was not widely known until after the 94th Academy Award ceremony – and, Pinkett Smith pointed out, that meant many people jumped to conclusions that were not ultimately accurate. She told People:

The ramifications of Will Smith’s response to Chris Rock’s joke have been long-lasting for the other players, too. The now-embattled actor has seen the impact on his career. The King Richard star apologized to the comedian, but he was still banned from attending future Oscar ceremonies and resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Academy also later admitted they made mistakes in how they addressed the incident. 

Attention on Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s private lives has not calmed down, either. Chris Rock fired back at them in a recent comedy special, and both actors have continued to be open about their relationships with each other and their children. Even though they’ve felt the pain of scrutiny in the spotlight, it’s clear they are still committed to sharing their truth with the world. 

They remain, to this day, one of Hollywood’s most fascinating couples. Immensely famous, and yet, mysterious to the general public. Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith have been together since the 1990s – they met on the set of Smith’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1994 – and have endured more than their fair share of highs and lows. The most infamous has to be the moment when Will Smith defended Jada during the live Oscars telecast, slapping Chris Rock on stage after the comedian made a joke at Pinkett Smith’s defense. And now, in a new interview, Jada is opening up on the record about the evening, and her reaction.

Jada Pinkett Smith has a new book arriving in stores called “Worthy,” and as part of the promotional tour, she sat down with People magazine to trace a throughline through her career. In the interview, she touches on her Baltimore roots, the formation of her family, and a deep depression that led to suicidal thoughts. And yes, she addresses “The Slap,” telling People that she had no idea it was going to happen, or the full implications of it at the moment. Said Pinkett Smith:

That’s basically how most of us felt in the moment. I know, personally, that I thought it was a planned interaction. And it wasn’t until we watched Chris Rock try and recover, then Will Smith screaming obscenities during a live television broadcast, that I realized none of this was staged. Will Smith has opened up about the incident, and Chris Rock used it as fodder for a comedy hour that aired on Netflix. But hearing Jada Pinkett Smith admit that she, too, thought it was a skit is unusual, and more than a little honest. 

The rest of the conversation with People is brutally honest, as well. It’s admirable to read Jada Pinkett Smith’s admissions about her struggles with depression and her suicidal feelings. The way she tells it:

Will Smith has since apologized to Chris Smith following the incident, but he still has been banned from attending the Oscars, which likely wasn’t the outcome the King Richard star wanted following his anticipated Best Actor win. It led to a memorable acceptance speech, and an apology tour. And now we will see if audiences have moved on from the Slap when Smith reteams with Martin Lawrence for Bad Boys 4, one of many upcoming movies that we have on our radar. 

Chris Rock has been a major player in the entertainment realm, both in front of and behind the camera, ever since his time on Saturday Night Live. From movies like The Longest Yard and Amsterdam, to TV shows like Everybody Hates Chris and Fargo, as well as plenty of stand-up and stage work, the man has assembled an impressive resume, and it’s about to get even more stacked. Rock is set to direct a movie about civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., and it will see him working with Steven Spielberg.

As reported by Deadline, Universal Pictures has secured the film rights to the Jonathan Eig-penned biography King: A Life, and Chris Rock is in final negotiations to direct and produce. Steven Spielberg will contribute as an executive producer. This will mark the first time these two have worked together, although back in 2007, Rock told Collider that Jerry Seinfeld tricked him into joining Bee Movie by saying that Spielberg was involved with it. More than a decade and a half later, now these men finally have the opportunity to professionally collaborate.

This won’t be Rock’s first time in the director’s chair, as he previously helmed the comedy movies Top Five, Head of State and I Think I Love My Wife. Still, directing a biopic about one of the most important figures in United States history is a major step up, and having Spielberg in his corner will surely be incredibly beneficial when it comes to honing this aspect of his craft. Interestingly enough, this news comes  a little over a month after Rock’s next movie, Rustin, premiered at the Telluride Film Festival. In that flick, he plays civil rights activist Roy Wilkins, who helped organize the 1963 March on Washington D.C. where King gave his “I Have A Dream” speech.

Between this Martin Luther King Jr. movie, Rustin and delving into the horror genre in 2021 for Spiral: The Book of Saw, Chris Rock has really been stretching his creative muscle’s quite a bit. He and Steven Spielberg will be joined behind the scenes on the King biopic by Kristie Macosko Krieger, who’s producing through Amblin Partners, which Spielberg co-founded. King: A Life, which has become a New York Times bestseller and was nominated for the National Book Award. It stands out among other King biographies for utilizing information from recently declassified FBI files.

There’s no timetable on when Chris Rock will start shooting this Martin Luther King Jr. biopic, let alone when it will be released, so keep your eyes peeled on CinemaBlend for updates on this project’s progress. Meanwhile, Netflix subscribers will be able to see Rock in Rustin starting on November 3, and there are many other 2023 new movie releases lined up in these remaining months in the year. Steven Spielberg’s latest movie, 2022’s The Fabelmans, can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription.

At long last, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, one of the biggest animated movies on the 2023 release schedule, is finally here with the next chapter in the popular franchise’s cinematic journey. The movie, which is already setting Guinness World Records, will surely be a hit with audiences of all ages (and species) thanks to its exciting story, colorful animation, and all those fan-favorite characters and despicable villains.

Speaking of the Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie cast… there’s a good chance you’re wondering where you’ve seen and heard the actors who bring those iconic pooches (and all the other characters who grace the screen) in the latest Adventure City-centric story. Well, you’ve come to the right place because we’ve got you more than covered…

Mckenna Grace (Skye)

This time around, Skye, the pup that gains the ability to fly after coming in contact with a meteor, is voiced by Mckenna Grace in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie.

Grace, who is set to reprise her role as Phoebe Spengler in the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel in March 2024, has been on the rise the past few years thanks to memorable roles in movies like Gifted, Captain Marvel, and Troop Zero, as well as shows like Young Sheldon, The Handmaid’s Tale, and A Friend of the Family. 

Taraji P. Henson (Victoria Vance)

Taraji P. Henson shows up in the Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie cast as Victoria Vance, the not-quite-mad scientist whose invention brings the meteor that gives the pups and herself super powers crashing into Adventure City.

Henson has a long and notable career. She won a Golden Globe for her role on Empire. She was nominated for an Oscar for her work in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and she received a number of other accolades for everything from Hustle & Flow to Hidden Figures and Four Brothers to Ralph Breaks The Internet. She’s also in the running for a Primetime Emmy thanks to her guest appearance in Abbott Elementary. 

Marsai Martin (Liberty)

Marsai Martin is one of the returning members of the Paw Patrol: The Movie cast, once again playing Liberty, the newest member of the Paw Patrol and leader of the Junior Patrollers in the new film.

Martin, who got her big break as Diane Johnson on the popular TV show, Black-ish, has been on a roll the past decade, landing roles in movies like Little, Spirit Untamed, and Fantasy Football. She’s still busy on the small screen as well with appearances on DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Riders, Wild ‘n Out, and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

Finn Lee-Epp (Ryder)

Finn Lee-Epp is a new addition to the franchise with his portrayal of Ryder, the group’s human leader in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie. This is Lee-Epp’s second film appearance, with the first being as the young version of Diane Lane and Kevin Costner’s characters’ son in the 2020 neo-Western thriller, Let Him Go.

Christian Convery (Chase)

Chase, the police pup with special ability of super speed, is voiced by Christian Convery in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie.

Convery, who takes over the character voiced by Iain Armitage from the first movie, is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Gus on the Netflix original series, Sweet Tooth. However, fans of the streamer’s live-action One Piece cast may recognize him from his appearance as a young Sanji in the 2023 TV show.

Christian Corrao (Marshall)

Christian Corrao voices Marshall, the fire pup with the power to throw flames, in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie. Corrao has played the clumsy Marshall on the Paw Patrol TV series since 2022, which came after popping up on shows like Odd Squad, Esme & Roy, and several others in recent years.

Callum Shoniker (Rocky)

Callum Shoniker, who previously voiced Rocky in Paw Patrol: The Movie, returns to play the magnetic handyman pup in the new adventure. The past couple of years have been a busy stretch for Shoniker, as he appeared in various animated series like PJ Masks, Go, Dog, Go, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood to name a few.

Nylan Parthipan (Zuma)

Nylan Parthipan appears in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie as Zuma, the aquatic rescue pup with the power to transform into water. The young actor, who previously voiced a different character on the Paw Patrol TV series, has also voiced characters on shows like Firebuds, PJ Masks: Power Heroes, and Superkitties.

Luxton Handspiker (Rubble)

Rounding out the core pups in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie is Luxton Handspiker, who takes on the role of the wrecking ball that is Rubble. Handspiker previously voiced the character on the spinoff series, Rubble & Crew.

Lil Rel Howery (Sam Stringer)

Sam Stringer, the TV reporter who shows up throughout Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, is voiced by Lil Rel Howery.

Howery has been all over the place in 2023 with key roles in the Vacation Friends 2 cast and The Out-Laws ensemble. He's also set to appear in movies like Dashing Through the Snow and the highly anticipated Good Burger 2. This comes after years of being in everything from Get Out to The Carmichael Show and Judas and the Black Messiah to Craig of the Creek. 

Kristen Bell (Janet)

Kristen Bell shows up in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie as Janet, the owner of the junkyard saved by the pups in the film’s opening scene. From Veronica Mars to Frozen and countless other movies and TV shows in between, Bell is a very recognizable actress in Hollywood with and incredibly well-known voice.

James Marsden (Hank)

James Marsden portrays Hank, the other owner of the junkyard saved at the beginning of Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie. Marsden has appeared in everything from the X-Men movies to the video game adaptation, Sonic the Hedgehog, and dozens of other movies and TV shows throughout his career, including The Boss Baby: Family Business, and most recently Jury Duty.

Chris Rock (Kitty)

Chris Rock briefly appears in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie as Kitty, after one of Mayor Humdinger’s evil cats gains the ability to speak, as seen in the movie's official trailer. The incredibly successful SNL alum is best known for his various stand-up comedy specials and movies like Down to Earth, The Longest Yard, and the Madagascar film franchise.

Kim Kardashian (Delores)

Kim Kardashian briefly appears in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, reprising her role as Delores the poodle from the first movie. Kardashian, who is also a member of the American Horror Story: Delicate cast, is also well known for the reality series, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which was followed by The Kardashians on Hulu.

Serena Williams (Yoga Yvette)

Serena Williams is another celebrity to make a short yet noticeable appearance in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, in which she portrays Yoga Yvette, a fitness instructor. In addition to her historic tennis career, the younger Williams sister has appeared in movies like Pixels, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and Ocean’s 8.

Ron Pardo (Mayor Humdinger)

Ron Pardo shows up in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, once again portraying the evildoer Mayor Humdinger. Pardo is best known for his portrayal of the Paw Patrol’s nemesis, though he has lent his voice to shows like Totally Spies, Braceface, and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.

The Junior Patrollers (North West, Alan Kim, Brice Gonzalez)

And then there are the Junior Patrollers Mini, Nano, and Tot, three Pomeranian pups voiced by North West, Alan Kim, Brice Gonzalez, respectively. This is West’s first film appearance, while Kim has appeared in titles like Theater Camp and Minari, and Gonzalez has been in Flamin’ Hot.

You can check out Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie in theaters now. If you want even more from Adventure City’s finest, you can watch 2021’s Paw Patrol: The Movie and all the TV shows based on the pups with a Paramount+ subscription.

In the wake of 2017's Jigsaw putting up the third weakest box office numbers of any title in the Saw series, executives and producers at Lionsgate opted to try and take the horror franchise in a new direction. Intrigued by a pitch from Chris Rock (who ultimately starred in the film), the studio developed 2021's semi-spinoff Spiral: From The Book Of Saw... and it did not go well. Jigsaw's $104.2 million worldwide earnings represented a considerable drop from the IP's biggest release (Saw III made $163.9 million in 2006), but Spiral only made $39.5 million before it was done playing in theaters.

The franchise has now gone back to its roots, with Tobin Bell's John Kramer given center stage in the upcoming Saw X, and it's motivated producer Mark Burg to reflect on the disappointment that was the attempted franchise rejuvenation. He recently told Entertainment Weekly, 

Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, who made Saw II and Saw III, Spiral: From The Book Of Saw follows a new ensemble of characters in the Saw canon and features an antagonist who is inspired by the work of John Kramer a.k.a. The Jigsaw Killer. It is notably the only film in the franchise that doesn't feature Tobin Bell, and Saw X director Kevin Greutert recently threw it some shade by calling that "a gutsy move."

As noted by Mark Burg, the series has now course corrected, and not only has it gone back to the original series numbering, but Tobin Bell is featured as the lead this time around. Fans will remember that John Kramer died in Saw III, but the new movie gets around that fact by being  set between the events of Saw and Saw II. In the film, John travels to Mexico for an experimental cancer treatment, but when he discovers that he is simply the target of a scam, he plots revenge against those who wronged him. 

The Saw movies have never really seen much in the way of critical appreciation, but Saw X is proving to be a different case, as the film has been on the receiving end of positive buzz from early screenings. Audiences will be able to judge for themselves tonight from previews and tomorrow when the movie is officially released. (If you're looking to do some series rewatches beforehand, check out our Saw streaming guide).

It's one of a number of big scary features set to be released in time for spooky season, so to properly prepare for Halloween, head over to our Upcoming Horror Movies feature.  

In one of the most scandalous moments in Oscar history, the 94th Academy Awards witnessed the shocking onstage altercation between Hollywood A-listers Will Smith and Chris Rock. The incident, which unfolded on live television, sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and stunned audiences worldwide. Now comedian Leslie Jones, a close friend of Rock, is shedding light on the aftermath and how the "humiliating" Oscars slap profoundly impacted the Spiral producer’s personal life.

The former Saturday Night Live star has been a fixture in the stand-up comedy scene for years, known for her hilarious, albeit raunchy, stand-up routines and memorable sketches on the late-night small screen. But beyond her career, she shares a deep friendship with fellow comedian Chris Rock, a bond that was tested on the grandest stage of all – the Oscars. In a candid interview with People, Jones didn't hold back when discussing the shocking incident that unfolded during the awards show. She told the outlet:

The incident, which saw Will Smith slap Chris after a joke made at Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith's expense, left a lasting mark on the comedian. It wasn't just a matter of a heated exchange but a moment reverberating through his personal life. The Ghostbusters actress continued: 

The Oscars slap incident sent shockwaves through Hollywood, dominating conversations for weeks. It prompted discussions about the potential personal repercussions for those involved. Leslie Jones, who provides further insights into this incident in her upcoming memoir, Leslie F*cking Jones, slated for release on September 19th, offers a candid look back at her first encounter with the Everybody Hates Chris star in the mid-1990s. Throughout the years, as she navigated the demanding world of stand-up comedy, encountering various obstacles along the way, their friendship flourished. The Fargo alum played a pivotal role in championing her, even recommending her as a potential SNL cast member and convincing her to audition. The comedian recalls:

Chris Rock wrote the foreword for the Our Flag Means Death performer's upcoming memoir, and according to her, "He's just always there to give me the perfect advice when I need it."

In July 2022, Will Smith released an apology video addressing his relationship with Chris Rock. However, during his highly anticipated stand-up special, Selective Outrage, the Bring the Pain comedian didn't hold back, bluntly stating, "Fuck your hostage video." Rock also didn't hesitate to call out the I, Robot actor and his wife. In the Coming 2 America star’s opinion, one positive outcome of the incident was seeing Rock take to the stage to share his feelings and process the trauma. She commented:

To delve deeper into Leslie Jones's captivating rise to stardom, grab a copy of her unfiltered memoir when it becomes available on September 19th. And if you want to hear more of Rock’s perspective on the Academy Award moment, his latest special is available for anyone with a Netflix subscription. Until then, check out our schedule of 2023 movie releases to plan your next trip to the cinema. 

Even though the slap was over a year ago, what happened between Will Smith and Chris Rock on the Academy Awards stage is still a hot topic. The latest to weigh in on the slap was Sean Penn, who is a two-time Oscar winner himself. As he shared his thoughts on Will Smith and how the situation was handled, he got very passionate and dropped a few f-bombs during his explanation. 

Sean Penn – whose documentary about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Superpower is about to premiere on the 2023 movie schedule – was livid when the Academy didn’t let the president speak during the ceremony in 2022, which took place not long after Russia invaded Ukraine. While speaking with Variety, he passionately talked about how an Oscars producer apparently didn’t want Zelenskyy to speak because “he’s not light-hearted enough.” That sentiment was followed by Penn saying:

This then led to Penn popping off about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock and then winning an Oscar not long after. According to the article, the Milk star was so fed up that the writer could see a vein in his neck tightening. He went on to give his two cents on the slap, saying:

The two-time Oscar winner then tied his complaint back to his explanation of why Volodymyr Zelenskyy wasn’t able to speak at the ceremony, saying:

Penn then explained to the writer that the slap made him so angry, that he wanted to destroy his Oscars, which he won for 2003’s Mystic River and 2008’s Milk. He said:

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Sean Penn has spent a lot of time working to help Ukrainians. He’s also become close with Zelenskyy, and the documentary about the president and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Superpower, is set to premiere on September 18 for those with a Paramount+ subscription. Considering how tight the actor is with the president, it makes sense that he was upset when the leader wasn’t able to speak at the Academy Awards in 2022. 

Following, the slap at this ceremony, many spoke out about Will Smith’s actions and how the Academy dealt with it. In the months following the moment, the King Richard star was banned from the Oscars. He also issued an apology to Chris Rock on social media, and he resigned from The Academy.   

To this day, the slap is still highly talked about, and it is one of the most infamous moments in Academy Awards history. If more people, like Sean Penn, speak out about it and share their thoughts on how the situation was handled, we’ll be sure to keep you posted. 

Indie studio A24 has been banging out consistently great movies for years now, and the 2026 movie schedule has featured some ups and downs for the studio. There are a bunch of movies still to come in '26, on the heels of the massive success of Backrooms and the tepid reception to The Death of Robin Hood. Coming out in the next few months are the highly anticipated Tony, the biopic about the early career of Anthony Bourdain, and Primetime starring Robert Pattinson. We'll also get into where some of the more high-profile movies like Barney (yeah, the purple dinosaur) stand these days.

Tony (August 24th, 2026)

The life of the late Anthony Bourdain will be dramatized in an upcoming biopic from A24 simply called Tony. From BlackBerry director Matt Johnson, the film will feature the breakout star from The Holdovers, Dominic Sessa, as the beloved chef and TV personality. Emilia Jones, Stavros Halkias, and Antonio Banderas also star. The first trailer for Tony dropped in May 2026, and it definitely sparked a lot of conversations. The film will be released on August 24th, 2026.

Onslaught (September 4th, 2026)

After the trailer for Onslaught was released by A24 in early June, it quickly jumped to the top of my list of most anticipated movies of 2026. Directed by Adam Wingard and starring Adria Arjona and a host of other great actors. This action movie looks completely bonkers in the best possible way. We'll finally get to see it when it hits theaters in September.

Primetime (September 18th, 2026)

There has been a re-evaluation of shows like To Catch a Predator lately, and Primetime, starring Robert Pattinson, sounds like it might be another version of that idea, and I'm all for it. Like others, I've been wary of the way shows like the Chris Hansen-led infotainment show and other reality shows of the era exploited people, so hopefully this new one from A24 digs deep into that idea. The trailer dropped for Primetime in June, and it'll be in theaters on September 18th.

Club Kid (November 6th, 2026

One of the most hyped movies to come out of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival is Club Kid, from writer, director, and star Jordan Firstman, and also features Cara Delevingne and Diego Calva. The film drops in November, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of award hype surrounding it when it does.

The Debut (December 11th, 2026)

Jesse Eisenberg crushed the last movie he wrote and directed, A Real Pain, in 2024, which found him nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards (and earning an Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor for Kieran Culkin). Now he's following it up with a musical comedy starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti called The Debut. It's set to sing into our lives in December, once again in time for awards season.

Elden Ring (March 3rd, 2028)

Alex Garland is set to continue his successful relationship with A24 with the studio's next video game adaptation. The Civil War and Warfare director is helming an adaptation of Elden Ring, which is a popular fantasy RPG created by Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin. I've never played the game, but I'm still excited about the video game adaptation because of the creative team involved.

Other Movies Scheduled For 2026

A24 also has a lot of movies on the plate for 2026 that have not received release dates. These include the Chris Rock-directed Misty Green and the Jeremy Allen White-led Enemies. Here are the movies that we think will be released in 2026, but aren't 100% sure when:

• Misty Green
• Enemies
• Nuisance Bear
• Famous
• The Land of Nod

2027 Releases

Things won't be slowing down in 2027, either, for A24, with movies from Brad Pitt (The Riders) and the highly anticipated The Entertainment System is Down with an all-star cast that includes Keanu Reeves, Kirsten Dunst, Daniel Brühl, Samantha Morton, Nicholas Braun, and Tobias Menzies, among others. Nether has a release date set, but things might be pointing to early in the year. We'll be sure to update this when they are announced! Here is the slate of 2027 releases planned by the studio:

• Altar
• Deep Cuts
• Flesh of the Gods
• Hillside Drive
• OctoberPeaked
• The Chaperones
• The Entertainment System Is Down
• The Masque of the Red Death
• The Riders
• Wizards!

Films In Works

Finally, on the list we have the movies that have been announced, but their status is currently unknown. This includes the much-talked-about Barney movie from producer Daniel Kaluuya and written by star of The Bear, Ayo Edebiri.

We'll be honest, some of the movies on this part of the list have been in limbo for a very long time. For many, the status is very unclear. That includes Barney, as we've gotten no new information on the movie since it was announced in September 2025 that Edebiri had finished the script.

We'll be sure to add info to this part of the list once we have more:

• Ancient History
• Barney
• Bloodsport
• Breakthrough
• Bushido
• Death Stranding
• Dennis
• Hotel Hotel Hotel Hotel
• Jonty
• Mice
• Not Another F**king Wedding
• On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
• Please
• Scapegoat
• Stages
• Talk 2 Me
• The Goblin
• The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
• The LoomingThe Peasant
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
• Why Don't You Love Me?

As A24’s distinct brand and astonishing influence on the entertainment industry continue to grow, there is surely more to come.

Much of the Hollywood community and the world at large were rocked by the 2022 Academy Awards, where Chris Rock was slapped by Will Smith slapped on stage after the comic made a joke abou his spouse. In the immediate aftermath, numerous celebrities weighed in on the situation, with a number of them chastising Smith for his actions. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shared a complex to the situation in his newsletter, as he cited the severity of Smith’s actions while also providing him with some level of support. His article went viral and has since accumulated millions of views, and the sports icon is now getting candid about why he wrote on the slap, despite being “reluctant” at the onset.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar published “Will Smith Did a Bad, Bad Thing” in March 2022, only a day after the Oscars telecast that year. The Laker legend argued that the slap was a significant blow for men and men, particularly those in the Black community. This is greatly because of the long-held preconceived notion that African Americans are prone to violence at times. On the flip side of that, Abdul-Jabbar asserted that Chris Rock handled the situation with grace. And while he was disappointed with Smith’s actions, the athlete admitted that he views the actor – who he met on the set of Fresh Prince years ago – as a friend. Knowing Smith’s character, the 76-year-old said that he didn’t want him to be “punished or ostracized because of this one, albeit a big one, mistake.”

In another post that was shared this week, the six-time NBA champion shared more thoughts on the situation. He acknowledged just how many eyes have looked over his piece since its publication last year. And while reflecting on the article, he revealed that he was uneasy about chiming in on the matter due to potential backlash along with another key reason: 

The cerebral writer certainly hits on something important with these particular comments. It’s true that in some cases, some people seem to root for stars to slip up or fail. And that’s definitely accurate when it comes to women and POC. They arguably have to walk a tightrope that’s even trickier than the one that celebrities in general must journey across. The NBA’s former scoring champion could clearly see what the optics would be if he were to join in the discussion. On top of all that, he also had to consider his personal relationship with the King Richard star: 

Will Smith eventually posted an apology video in July 2022, in which he addressed where things stand between him and Rock. The Bring the Pain performer, for his part, bluntly addressed the video during a stand-up set, saying “fuck your hostage video.” Rock also called out Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett, in his most recent stand-up special, Selective Outrage. Fellow comedian Jim Carrey was one of the first stars to publicly weigh in on the matter. Carrey was apparently “sickened” by the fact that Will Smith received applause when he received his Oscar later in the show. One of the show’s co-hosts, Wanda Sykes, also says she was “traumatized” by the ordeal.

Some did come to the I Am Legend alum’s defense, though. Fresh Prince alum Tatyana Ali showed love to her former co-star in the aftermath of the slap. Marlon Wayans even weighed in with some honest advice, saying that the actor – who he views as “Black excellence – may want to consider therapy.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shared more thoughts on Will Smith’s situation later in 2022. At the time, he said that he was still “rooting” for Smith, despite what transpired. The renowned basketball savant certainly does an effective job of addressing the complexities of this matter. One can’t help but appreciate his insight and the fact that he overcame his initial reluctance to provide it.

It’s been over a year since Will Smith infamously slapped Chris Rock on stage at the 94th Academy Awards, yet the situation is still a topic of discussion amongst celebrities and fans alike. For his part, Smith has since apologized to Rock and is aiming to move forward with his personal and professional lives. When it comes to the latter, he kicked off his comeback with the historical drama Emancipation, which will be followed by Bad Boys 4. Smith is currently filming the movie and, as he does so, Cedric the Entertainer has some words of support for him. Not only that, but the comic also weighed in on whether Smith and Rock might reconcile.

After the slap occurred, a number of comedians chastised Will Smith for striking Chris Rock, who’d made a joke in reference to Smith’s wife, Jada. Dave Chapelle has since been candid about the situation. 94th Oscars co-host Wanda Sykes also detailed how she wanted to respond and called the moment “sickening.” Rock himself eventually called out the Smiths in his latest Netflix stand-up special in March. Cedric the Entertainer, a veteran comic himself, found it “weird” that Smith would lose his temper on Hollywood’s biggest night. However, he doesn’t believe the actor should be cancelled for what happened:

Cancel culture has been a major topic of discussion over the past several years, and a number of stars have taken issue with it. What the Neighborhood star seems to be arguing to DailyMail.com is that people should be given the space to make mistakes – to a reasonable degree. He’s not the only comic to give Will Smith the benefit of the doubt, as Kevin Hart also spoke on his situation with Chris Rock. He believes both men deserve to continue their work in peace and should be able to sort out their differences when they’re ready.

Speaking of their differences, there’s still the matter of whether the two might actually patch things up. If the Saturday Night Live alum’s routine in Selective Outrage is any indication, he isn’t planning for a kumbaya moment. Cedric the Entertainer went on to say that the I Am Legend star’s anger didn’t stem from the joke itself but from long-standing issues between him and Chris Rock. The Barbershop alum does, however, believe that they’ll make amends even if it takes a bit of time to happen:

As he waits for said moment, Will Smith seems to be deep in his work on his latest blockbuster. He provided a Bad Boys 4 filming update from the set, which was shared at CinemaCon last month. Thus far, he seems to be pleased to be back to work and chopping it up with on-screen partner Martin Lawrence, who he shouted out for his birthday in April. Despite continued discussions about the slap, there seems to be plenty of buzz surrounding the movie. I think fans and Cedric the Entertainer, who expressed excitement for the film during his interview, will head out to see it when it opens. Though at this point, I’m not sure Chris Rock is eager to hop on the Smith comeback train.

A release date has yet to be announced for the fourth Bad Boys flick. While you wait for news on that front, check out CinemaBlend’s schedule of 2023 new movie releases to get info on films headed to theaters and streaming services this year.