Inde Navarrette stepped onto the Studio 8H stage for her first-ever Saturday Night Live hosting gig during the show’s star-studded Halloween episode, kicking off the evening with a sharp quip that targeted the late-night program’s most recent host.
The actress, who has enjoyed a massive career breakout this year, began her monologue by addressing the psychological horror film that catapulted her to international stardom. "You probably know me from the movie Obsession," Navarrette told the cheering live audience. "People ask me if I’m anything like my character Nikki, and I’m like, no. No, no, don’t do that."
Keeping the playful tone going, she elaborated on her real-life demeanor compared to her intense on-screen persona. "But the thing is, I’m nothing like my character in Obsession," she said, before directing the camera’s attention toward the seating area. "Like, my boyfriend is here tonight to support me," she noted as the camera panned over to her boyfriend, Nick Aiello, who was comically duct-taped to his seat in the audience. "We have such a chill relationship, right?"
Navarrette quickly shifted gears to discuss her high-profile professional future, officially confirming to the audience that she will next be portraying the iconic mutant Rogue in Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated upcoming X-Men reboot. Preparing for the physically demanding superhero role requires an intense regimen, she explained, noting that the physical transformation has taken over her daily routine.
"I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m gonna be in a Marvel movie," Navarrette shared. "I know it’s really important for Marvel that you get really fit, so I’ve been working out a lot."
She then delivered the evening’s first major punchline, directly referencing Shane Gillis’s controversial monologue from the October 10 episode of SNL. "So every morning, I put on my little whore outfit, and I hit the gym," she deadpanned, drawing immediate laughter and applause from the crowd.
During his earlier appearance on the show, Gillis had ignited online discourse during his opening remarks when he criticized modern gym attire. At the time, Gillis had told the audience, "I haven’t been to the gym in so long, I didn’t know women just dress like whores now. Look, I’m sorry, there’s no other way to describe it. Have you seen it? I’ve seen it. You’ve seen the shorts? They’re those neon, like, artificial vape-colored [shorts], and the wrinkles go around the cheeks and all combine at the butthole. And don’t look, you’re not allowed to look!"
Continuing with her opening monologue, Navarrette invited the members of the SNL repertory cast to the stage to show off their creative Halloween costumes "since none of the cast could go out tonight." The parade of guest appearances began with Marcello Hernandez, who strutted out dressed as "a sexy TSA agent," followed closely by Kam Patterson, who drew laughs in a costume portraying Elizabeth Holmes.
Jeremy Culhane also joined the segment, brilliantly using his time on stage to effectively audition for director Jake Schreier’s upcoming X-Men feature film. "I know you were cast as Rogue in the new X-Men movie, and I randomly heard they, like, I guess they haven’t even cast Wolverine yet," Culhane said to the host.
Navarrette played along smoothly, replying, "Oh, I’m so sorry. I can’t comment on that."
Undeterred, Culhane doubled down while fully dressed in a classic Wolverine costume. "Well, I can, and I’d love to be in the movie with you," he quipped.
The costume parade took an even more surreal turn when Grace Reiter joined the stage dressed as the viral bird at the center of the recent Kelly Clarkson and Art of Play controversy. "It’s actually a group costume," Reiter explained, just as castmate Veronika Slowikowska popped into frame dressed as the former American Idol winner.
"I want to buy the bird," Slowikowska demanded, leaning into the comedic bit. "Sell me the damn bird!"
"I am not for sale!" Reiter shouted back in character as the avian subject of the internet debate.
The episode’s cold open had already set a festive and unpredictable tone for the night. Tom Hanks’s classic, beloved Halloween character David S. Pumpkins made a surprise appearance, introduced as Reiter and Culhane embarked on a delightfully spooky theme park ride sketch.
True to form, James Austin Johnson’s spot-on impression of Donald Trump crashed the party to sound off on the political landscape and the upcoming midterms. "Are you sad you don’t get to see your third David Pumpkins scene? I’ll send you four minutes. He keeps popping up and confusing the people on the ride. ‘But you don’t actually have a lot in common with Mr. Pumpkins.’ We both appeared in 2016. We’re both very loud, very orange, and very frankly annoying," Johnson’s Trump declared.
Johnson’s impression continued with trademark absurdity. "Good acting, great ass. A great ass on Hanks — something that I’ve enjoyed lately admiring," he added. "Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Just that I might be gay."
The political sketch brought out another major guest star when Saidah Belo-Osagie stepped onto the stage to portray Nicki Minaj, whom Johnson’s Trump introduced as "my friend and future press secretary." Belo-Osagie’s Minaj enthusiastically voiced her support for the former president. "Trump’s out here killing it — and by it, I mean my career," Belo-Osagie said.
"I’m Nicki, the Trumpy. Like, I don’t even know why you Democrats bother at this point. Like, give it up. It’s me," she added before making her exit.
"Thank you, Nicki. She’s got quite an ass. If only it were on a man, perhaps then I could admire it," Johnson’s Trump quipped.
The cold open concluded with Slowikowska appearing as Katie Zacharia, Trump’s brief, former White House Press Secretary, who proceeded to spectacularly butcher SNL’s iconic opening catchphrase. Instead of delivering the traditional line with authority, she stumbled through it: "With confidence. Live from New York. And from so many cities," she said before being swiftly cut off.
Nostalgia continued to play a major role throughout the broadcast. Beyond David S. Pumpkins, another legendary character from the show’s past made a welcome return during the Weekend Update segment when Bobby Moynihan revived his chaotic, unpredictable "Drunk Uncle" persona. To the delight of the studio audience, Moynihan was joined by members of the Milwaukee Brewers, celebrating their status as the 2026 World Series champions. Star players Christian Yelich and Brice Turang, alongside team manager Pat Murphy, took the desk to represent the winning franchise, while Moynihan delivered a running gag in which he insisted that Yelich was actually former SNL cast member Pete Davidson.
Navarrette’s star power on the show comes on the heels of a monumental summer at the box office. The actress rose to widespread critical and commercial acclaim for her starring turn in Curry Barker’s independent horror hit Obsession. In the film, she plays Nikki Freeman, a woman who finds herself cursed after a young man named Bear, played by Michael Johnston, wishes that she would love him more than anyone else in the entire world.
Produced on a modest budget, the horror film has shattered expectations by grossing over $522 million worldwide, breaking a multitude of box office records along the way. Among its historic milestones, Obsession stands as Focus Features’ highest-grossing movie of all time, the top-grossing festival acquisition stemming from the Toronto International Film Festival, and the holder of the biggest second-weekend box office spike in modern cinematic history outside of the traditional Christmas holiday window.
Following her historic run with the horror phenomenon, Navarrette’s career trajectory is accelerating rapidly. In addition to preparing for her entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the upcoming X-Men reboot, she is set to star in Apple Original Films’ upcoming sci-fi thriller The Waffle House Index, a project on which she will also serve as an executive producer.
Saturday night marked a major milestone as Navarrette’s official debut as an SNL host, sharing the stage with musical guest Gracie Abrams. The milestone episode is part of a packed lineup for season 52, which has already featured guest hosts and musical acts including Jalen Brunson, Dakota Johnson, and Shane Gillis.
The comedy institution has several high-profile episodes lined up next. Following Navarrette’s turn as host, social media influencer Druski is set to make history on November 7 by becoming the first digital creator ever to host the late-night staple, with indie rock icons The Strokes serving as the musical guest. Comedian John Mulaney will return to host the November 14 episode, accompanied by musical guest Phoebe Bridgers.
Before the cameras rolled on Saturday night’s live broadcast, the show also took a moment to honor entertainment royalty, sharing a touching tribute to Patrick Stewart that featured a nostalgic clip from his memorable 1994 appearance as an SNL host.