SNL's Best Sketch of All Time? TheSaturday NightMovie Cast Picks Their Favorites (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Live from New York, it’s the movie cast ofSaturday Night!

Actors from the upcomingJason Reitman-directed film (in theaters Oct. 11), which will recount the behind-the-scenes happenings of the very first episode ofSaturday Night Live, have plenty of choices when it comes to a best sketch from the long-running variety show. Ahead of their movie’s Tuesday, Sept. 10premiereat theToronto International Film Festival, several cast members shared their favorites exclusively with PEOPLE.

“I’m obviously going to change my mind tomorrow,” quipsRachel Sennott, who plays formerSNLwriter Rosie Shuster in the movie. “But I’m just going to say one of my favorites, which is the Andy [Samberg] Lonely Island one, where it’s like, ‘I threw it on the ground.'”

“I really loveAdam Drivercomes in forcareer dayand he’s this really old man, this oil man, andPete Davidsonis his son, and it’s just hysterical,” saysGabriel LaBelle, the actor who embodiesSNLcreatorLorne Michaels.

“[Writer] Julio Torres’ ‘Wells for Sensitive Boys’ kills me,” says Ella Hunt (playingGilda Radner), whileCory Michael Smith(Chevy Chase) prefers the Spartan cheerleader sketches. “Cheri Oteri,Will Ferrell. It’s brilliant.”

Lamorne Morris, who playsGarrett Morris(no relation), “would sayEddie Murphy’s ‘Too hot in a hot tub.’ So good. That’s got to be up there. Eddie Murphy’s my idol.”

As for Reitman’s “favorite sketch of all time,” the filmmaker doesn’t hesitate: “Steve Martindoing his ‘very special Christmas wish.'”

In August,Vanity Fairshared a set of first-look photos fromSaturday Night. Among thosefeatured in the imagesare Kim Matula asJane Curtin, Emily Fairn asLaraine NewmanandNicholas BraunasJim Henson. Others include Matt Wood asJohn Belushi,Jon Batisteas Billy Preston,Matthew RhysasGeorge Carlin,Kaia Gerberas Jacqueline Carlin,Cooper HoffmanasDick EbersolandJ. K. SimmonsasMilton Berle.

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Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), John Belushi (Matt Wood) and Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien) in Saturday Night.Sony Pictures

Sony Pictures

According toVanity Fair, “The story starts at 30 Rockefeller Center at 10 p.m. on October 11, 1975, and culminates with the first-ever broadcast ofSaturday Night Live…The movie plays out in real time over about 90 minutes, and while there are certainly comic moments, the film isn’t intended to be a laugh riot. What unfolds is less a comedy than a ticking-clock suspense movie.”

Reitman, 46, toldVanity Fairinan accompanying interviewthatSaturday Night"is about not only the first seven actors, but the writers, the art department, and everybody who came together at the last second to change television."

Saturday Night.Sony Pictures

Some of the cast members have spoken out previously about advice they have received for the upcoming film, and vice versa. Back in March, Garrett Morris told PEOPLE that he had spoken with Lamorne Morrisabout playing him.

“He has to be a guy who’s dealing with some young people,” said Garrett, 87, who was being recognized at the American Black Film Festival Honors in Los Angeles. “When I was inside in that life, I was 39 years old and the rest [of the cast], they had just come out of high school and college.”

“The Black thing is you take longer to do what the younger White people do, and you usually have to do it two or three times as good,” he continued, adding of his conversation with the “wonderful” Lamorne, 40, “We talked about that and he already told mehe’s going to play itlike that — an older Black guy who’s dealing with these younger guys. I said, ‘Wow, man.’ "

Saturday Nightis in theaters Oct. 11.

source: people.com