Natalie Portman returned to host Saturday Night Live for the first time since 2006, with the always outstanding Dua Lipa as musical guest, and the actress used the opportunity to do what she does best: rap. Here are the highlights.
Natalie Raps 2.0
Portman couldn’t return to SNL without doing a follow-up to her iconic 2006 rap video, Natalie Raps. The biggest takeaway? Don’t talk crap about the Star Wars prequels. Also, one-time SNL digital short master Andy Samberg — who appeared in Portman’s original video — stopped by for a cameo. His face and humor are always welcome on our TV screens.
Super Bowl 1775
Former SNL cast members Tina Fey and Rachel Dratch crashed a Super Bowl-inspired sketch that saw Philadelphians and New Englanders trading barbs in 1775. We’re with the guy who asked, “Is there any way they both could lose?”
Trump Calls in to Fox & Friends
For the cold open, Alec Baldwin’s President Trump called in to his favorite show, Fox & Friends, to get his “daily intelligence briefing” and to recap his State of the Union (“better than Martin Luther King’s I Dream of Jeannie speech”), which he claimed 10 billion people watched.
The Fox & Friends segment also featured Cecily Strong’s Hope Hicks, who gladly embodied her Gossip Girl persona and gave us this gem about working in the White House: “Every day feels like when a group of strangers suddenly work together to push a beached whale back into the sea.”
Olympics Monologue
Portman’s monologue capitalized on the fact that the Winter Olympics begin next week. Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon and Kenan Thompson acted as commentators, but the best part was watching Portman freeze for the instant replay.
Kids’ Choice Awards
A red carpet host who loses her voice doesn’t seem like the funniest concept, but add a creepy vocalizer and McKinnon’s excellent Ellen DeGeneres impression, and you’ve got a pretty laughable sketch.
Saturday Night Live airs on NBC Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET.
