Did Ryan Reynolds Ever Host 'Saturday Night Live' in the Past?

Published 04/15/2024, 2:27 AM EDT

Saturday Night Live, the iconic American live sketch comedy variety show, has been a staple on NBC since its debut in 1975. Renowned for its parodic brilliance, Saturday Night Live serves as a unique platform that bridges Hollywood and the music industry, featuring celebrity hosts for each episode who deliver the opening monologue and steer the show's course. Throughout its extensive history, Saturday Night Live has seen luminaries from Tom Hanks to Ben Affleck grace its stage. Yet, one question that frequently tops Google searches is whether Ryan Reynolds has ever joined their ranks.

To dispel any uncertainty surrounding Reynolds' Saturday Night Live appearances and whether his trademark wit has lit up the Saturday Night Live stage in the past, here is the answer.

Ryan Reynolds: A host on Saturday Night Live’s history or not?

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Ryan Reynolds remains an unsurpassed comedic genius and to imagine Saturday Night Live not profiting from it would be a big error. As per the show’s history of hosts, Reynolds did take the stage of the show in the year 2009 to host the second episode of the season featuring Lady Gaga as the guest musical artist. Back then, when the Deadpool actor took the stage, he found himself in utter disbelief at having landed the chance to host the iconic show.

In an exuberant tone, Reynolds exclaimed, "Oh my god! I'm hosting SNL. Wow!" before diving into his monologue. Typically, Saturday Night Live features a single host, chosen based on factors like their fame or recent releases near the time of their appearance on the show and Reynolds’ appearance came close on heels during X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Proposal. He described the first as “a romantic comedy about Wolverine” and the second as a “superhero movie”, cleverly swapping their genres for comedic effect.

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Seizing control of the monologue, Reynolds parodically highlighted the similarities between the genres while satirizing their differences, showcasing his knack for comedic delivery and sharp wit. While Reynolds's hosting stint on Saturday Night Live was a singular event, his impact lingered, prompting fans to petition for his return not as Ryan Reynolds, but as Deadpool.

Back when fans petitioned for not Ryan Reynolds but Deadpool to host Saturday Night Live

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Even now, the box office success of Deadpool and Deadpool 2 casts a shadow of high expectations over the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine film. However, following the massive reception of the first film, there arose a widespread demand that swept across continents. Over half a decade after Ryan Reynolds hosted Saturday Night Live, fans expressed an overwhelming desire to see Deadpool himself host the show, rather than the actor. This led to approximately 26,000 signatures on a Change.org petition, out of the 35,000 it aimed to collect.

Surprisingly, despite Saturday Night Live traditionally featuring real-life hosts rather than fictional characters from the screen, the petition made headlines globally, attracting considerable attention. While a more logical request might have been for Reynolds to return as the host, it was Wade Wilson's irreverent comedic charm that prompted fans to unanimously clamor for a Deadpool-hosted episode. Although this idea did not come to fruition at the time, with the impending release of Deadpool & Wolverine, there remains a probability that the petition might be revisited.

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Did you know about that Ryan Reynolds was a host on Saturday Night Live? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

629 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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