Alexander Skarsgård and his Oscar-nominated dad help ‘SNL’ hit its 1,000th episode

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Actors on the verge of becoming famous might feel hesitant to share the ‘Saturday Night Live’ stage with a well-known family member, especially when it’s their first time hosting, fearing it could overshadow their own moment.

Alexander Skarsgård had a special moment on “Saturday Night Live” not once, but twice! It happened during the episode where his father, Stellan Skarsgård, appeared in two sketches – one featuring immigrant fathers with Cardi B, and another about a funny film shoot. And it’s worth noting that Stellan is currently up for an Oscar for his role in “Sentimental Value.”

Alexander Skarsgård seemed completely unfazed as he hosted “Saturday Night Live” for the first time during its 1,000th episode. He was relaxed and fully engaged, even if some of the sketches weren’t huge successes. And yes, he gave his father, Stellan Skarsgård, a warm hug during the closing moments – a sweet moment for everyone to see!

Last week, “Saturday Night Live” avoided directly commenting on the unfolding events in Minneapolis. However, this week’s show tackled a political issue with a sketch about ICE, and notably, without relying on the Trump impression. The sketch featured Pete Davidson as a new leader taking charge of seemingly unaware ICE officers. Later in the show, after the opening monologue, a well-done sketch starring Ashley Padilla portrayed a mother gradually changing her views on the Trump administration.

The show featured a variety of unusual characters seeking guidance from the guest host, including an anxious Olympic luger, a young girl struggling with anger, a Viking feeling left out during a raid, a man who relies on inappropriate jokes for attention, and Tarzan attempting to break up with Jane, played by Sarah Sherman.

Bill Skarsgård, known for playing unusual and intense roles in shows like “Murderbot,” “True Blood,” and “The Northman,” seemed perfectly suited for the quirky atmosphere of “Saturday Night Live.”

Cardi B performed her songs “Bodega Baddie” and “ErrTime” on the show. Before the closing credits, a tribute was shown honoring Catherine O’Hara, who passed away on Friday. O’Hara had previously hosted “SNL” twice, in 1991 and 1992, and also appeared in a short film on the show with Laurie Metcalf back in 1988.

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This week on SNL, Pete Davidson returned as a guest, portraying ICE director Thomas Homan. The sketch flipped the usual format – instead of a Trump-focused opening, Homan joked about how bad things have gotten in Minneapolis that he’s now seen as the reasonable one. The sketch then featured the ICE command team (played by several cast members) complaining about increasingly strange orders and hinting at the release of the Epstein files. Homan explained the situation as a cycle of distraction: ICE raids were meant to divert attention from the files, but now the files are being released to distract from the ICE operations. While Davidson is best known for his work on ‘Weekend Update’ and his character Chad, he delivered a solid performance in the sketch, even with a brief slip in character.

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Okay, so Alexander Skarsgård had a really charming opening monologue. He could’ve easily talked about his own work – he’s got ‘Wicker’ coming up and is even in Charli XCX’s new mockumentary – but instead, he turned the spotlight onto the unsung heroes of the show: the band members! He did some awkward, but endearing, little interviews with them, and then, get this, grabbed a saxophone and pretended to play it. It was wonderfully goofy and a genuinely fun way to kick off his hosting night.

Best sketch of the night: Mom’s having a change of heart, but you can’t say anything

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Throughout much of this season, Ashley Padilla has consistently delivered memorable performances as characters who are either deeply self-deceived or desperately trying to control how others perceive their strange behavior. In this sketch, she gets to showcase both sides of that talent, playing a mother who unexpectedly reveals a shift in her views on Trump’s policies – from immigration to guns to issues affecting transgender people – to her family. While her children carefully try not to react and risk her changing her mind again, her husband just wants to celebrate his birthday at Red Robin. The highlight of the sketch is her line: “If I hear a single ‘I told you so,’ I will go see the ‘Melania’ movie tonight!”

Also good: Having the right body shape for Olympics-level luge, even if it’s a corpse

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Wickline is a performer who’s divided fans – some don’t connect with her comedy, while others adore her unusual songs and unique style. In a pre-recorded segment themed around the Olympics, she plays a funny, unwilling luge athlete who desperately tries to avoid competing in Milan by pretending to be ill. The performance is reminiscent of Patti Harrison’s brilliant work in the “Capital Room” sketch from “I Think You Should Leave,” but Wickline brings her own distinct spin to the character.

‘Weekend Update’ winner: They scored again ahead of the Super Bowl

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Sherman got a new role on “Weekend Update” doing the weather, with a fun surprise visit from Jack McBrayer. However, the real highlight was Dismukes and Padilla, who recently started dating, and their playfully awkward conversation. It naturally led into a prediction for next week’s Patriots-Seahawks game. They think the Patriots will start strong, but the Seahawks will eventually rally and take over. Dismukes joked that the Patriots might even ask the Seahawks to finish the game for them! Things got tense, though, when he made a comment about someone getting a ring, referencing their recent hookup—something he quickly clarified happened on a different night, much to Padilla’s dismay. They first connected during the episode featuring Glen Powell.

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2026-02-01 11:01