May 22, 2021 Season 46 episode
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| Episode | 909 |
| Season Episode | 20 |
| Host | Anya Taylor-Joy |
| Musical Guest(s) | Lil Nas X |
| Song(s) performed by Musical Guest(s) |
"Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" "Sun Goes Down" |
| Previous Episode May 15, 2021 |
Next Episode October 2, 2021 (Season 47) |
The 909th episode, 20th episode and the Season 46 Finale of Saturday Night Live which premiered on May 22, 2021, hosted by actress Anya Taylor-Joy, star of BBC One's period crime drama series Peaky Blinders and the Netflix's miniseries The Queen's Gambit, and the hit films Barry, Split, Thoroguhbreds, Emma, Glass, The New Mutants, Here Are the Young Men, Last Night in Soho, The Northmen, Amsterdam, The Menu, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, The Gorge and Sacrifice and the hit animated films Playmobil: The Movie and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, with musical guest Lil Nas X, who performed "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" and "Sun Goes Down" and appears in the pre-recorded "It's Pride Again" sketch. This was Anya Taylor-Joy's hosting debut and the musical guest debut on SNL for Lil Nas X.
This marked the final episode for longtime cast member Beck Bennett (a cast member since 2013), as he left the show after 8 years. This would be also the last episode for first-year featured player Lauren Holt, as she would be let go after only one season.
The goodnight speech for Anya Taylor-Joy is:
Thank you to Lil Nas X, to Chris Rock, [and] to all of you for being here. This has been unbelievable, thank you, thank you, so, so much. (Cheers and applause)
Cast[]
Repertory Players[]
- Beck Bennett (Final Appearance)
- Aidy Bryant
- Michael Che
- Pete Davidson
- Mikey Day
- Heidi Gardner
- Colin Jost
- Kate McKinnon (Final Episode until December 11, 2021)
- Alex Moffat
- Kyle Mooney
- Ego Nwodim
- Chris Redd
- Cecily Strong
- Kenan Thompson
- Melissa Villaseñor
Featured Players[]
- Andrew Dismukes
- Chloe Fineman
- Lauren Holt (Last Appearance)
- Punkie Johnson
- Bowen Yang
- Cameo by former cast member Chris Rock; onscreen appearance by longtime production designer Akira Yoshimura
Sketches and Musical Performances[]
Cold Open Sketch Pre-recorded Weekend Update Music Performance Other
| Title | Image | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Season 46 Finale Cold Opening | 
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The SNL cast (Kenan Thompson, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Cecily Strong, Heidi Gardner, Bowen Yang, Ego Nwodim, Pete Davidson, Chris Redd, Chloe Fineman, Beck Bennett, Melissa Villaseñor, Andrew Dismukes, Punkie Johnson, Lauren Holt, Kyle Mooney, Alex Moffat and Mikey Day) reflects on writing and performing season 46’s sketches during the coronavirus pandemic. Onscreen appearance by longtime production designer Akira Yoshimura and cameo by former cast member Chris Rock. |
| Opening Montage | Beck Bennett and Lauren Holt's final time being credited as SNL cast members. | |
| Monologue by Anya Taylor-Joy | 
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Hosting for the first time, actress Anya Taylor-Joy talks about her hit Netflix show The Queen's Gambit and shares a secret to playing chess. |
| Cancelled Hollywood Squares | 
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On a vintage episode of Hollywood Squares, two contestants compete with celebrities like Baby Spice and Bill Cosby. With Beck Bennett as Tom Bergeron, Aidy Bryant and Chris Redd as contestants, Anya Taylor-Joy as Baby Spice, Kenan Thompson as Bill Cosby, Kyle Mooney as Jared Fogle, Alex Moffatt as Matt Lauer, and Chloe Fineman and Heidi Gardner as the Olsen Twins. |
| Pictures With Dad | 
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A father (Beck Bennett) accidentally shoots himself in the balls during a family picture of his married daughter (Heidi Gardner) and her husband (Andrew Dismukes). With Aidy Bryant as the mother, Alex Moffat as the doctor and guest host Anya Taylor-Joy as the nurse. |
| Making Man Prototype | 
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Angels (Kenan Thompson, Beck Bennett, Mikey Day, and Chris Redd) try to finalize the design for the Human Man. With Anya Taylor-Joy, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Ego Nwodim, and Melissa Villaseñor and Kyle Mooney as Jesus. |
| Anya Taylor-Joy, Bowen Yang, Punkie Johnson, Kate McKinnon, and Lil Nas X performed "It's Pride Again" | 
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Friends anticipate this year’s Pride Month celebrations. |
| Celtic Women | 
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Four Irish women (Anya Taylor-Joy, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, and Cecily Strong) perform in the musical Celtic Women. With Chris Redd, Chloe Fineman, and Lauren Holt. Last sketch appearance of Lauren Holt as a cast member. |
| Lil Nas X performed "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)". (He accidentally ripped his pants in this performance). | 
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For his first performance on the season 46 finale, Lil Nas X performed "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)." The stage was styled with a hell-themed backdrop and featured a troupe of shirtless male backup dancers, mirroring the controversial music video for the song. Midway through the provocative and choreographed routine, while gyrating on a stripper pole, the singer's tight leather pants ripped open. He was visibly surprised, but quickly put his hand over the torn area and finished the song without missing a beat. |
| Weekend Update with Colin Jost and Michael Che | 
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Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like President Biden test driving an electric pickup truck and a new pizza vending machine in Rome. Also, they make each other tell jokes they've never seen to close out season 46. With guests, Pete Davidson stops by Weekend Update to discuss mental health during the coronavirus pandemic and the return to normalcy and Jeanine Pirro stops by Weekend Update to discuss the relaxing restrictions on the Mexico–United States border. Also, she sings covers of Frank Sinatra's song "My Way". |
| In Memoriam | 
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After Weekend Update, a picture of Charles Grodin, who died earlier in the week, is shown. |
| Enid & Astrid's Brawr Barn | 
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A commercial advertises a new lingerie collection sold by two bra experts (Anya Taylor-Joy, Aidy Bryant). With Heidi Gardner and Chloe Fineman. |
| NYU Guest Panel | 
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Two NYU students (Aidy Bryant and Anya Taylor-Joy) interview actors (Bowen Yang, Pete Davidson, Punkie Johnson, Heidi Gardner, and Ego Nwodim). |
| Lil Nas X performed "Sun Goes Down" | 
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His second performance of the night was a much calmer delivery of his single "Sun Goes Down." For this, he wore an all-white suit with fake bullet holes as a reference to a fashion collection by Nigerian designer Mowalola Ogunlesi. |
| AMC Theaters Commercial | 
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Vin Diesel (Beck Bennett) talks about returning to the movies for the summer. With host Anya Taylor-Joy, Kenan Thompson Chris Redd, and Melissa Villaseñor. Final SNL sketch appearance of Beck Bennett as a cast member. |
| Goodbyes and Closing Credits | 
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Anya Taylor-Joy thanked Lil Nas X, Chris Rock, the cast and crew, and to all the people for being here, this has been unbelievable. Also, the cast and crew say goodbye to longtime cast member Beck Bennett, since this is his final SNL show. |
Cut for Time[]
Sketches and Musical Performances[]
Cold Open Sketch Pre-recorded Weekend Update Music Performance Other
| Title | Image | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Backstage Pitch | In this Cut For Time sketch, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Beck Bennett and Ego Nwodim attempt to pitch Anya Taylor-Joy some The Queen’s Gambit-related sketches. | |
| Star Quality | In this Cut for Time sketch, contestants (Anya Taylor-Joy, Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon, and Bowen Yang) perform a series of bizarre songs for a talent show. Kenan Thompson plays the host Burris Star. |
Trivia[]
- This also marked the final episode for longtime writers Fran Gillespie and Sudi Green (both of whom had been with the show since 2015), as they had left the show after six years (though Green has returned for the first-half of the 50th season).
- It was also marked the final episode for longtime writers Sam Jay and Gary Richardson (who had been writers since 2017), as they had left after four years. (Though Richardson returned for Season 48).
- Lastly, this is also even marked the final episode for longtime producer Ken Aymong (who had been with the show since 1982), as he retired from the show after 39 years.
- After Weekend Update, a picture of Charles Grodin, who died earlier in the week, is shown.
Trivia/Notes[]
- (May 22, 2021) Anya Taylor-Joy / Lil Nas X is the 14th SNL season finale lineup featuring a rookie host and rookie musical guest.
- For the first time since Season 29 it did not have a former cast member or retuning celebrity guest to host a season finale.
- The last time it had the only rookie hosts was the Season 29 finale, hosted by the Olsen twins: Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen, with musical guest J-Kwon.
| Preceded by: May 15, 2021 |
Saturday Night Live episode | Followed by: October 2, 2021 (Season 47) |