Saturday Night Live returns this weekend with the first of its final three episodes of the season, with Olivia Rodrigo serving as both host and musical guest ahead of the June 12 release of her new album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.
A first turn at double duty is always something of a question mark, but Rodrigo brings more experience than most. Not only is she a two-time SNL musical guest (2021, 2023), she’s also an actor, known for her roles on the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series before breaking out on her own as a multi-platinum, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter. She’s even got a brief SNL sketch appearance under her belt, dropping in on 2023’s “Tiny Ass Bag.”
So what can we expect from Olivia Rodrigo’s SNL hosting debut? Here are five storylines we’ll be watching Saturday night:
A Royal Setup
This week’s news cycle offers SNL an unusually tidy sketch setup, with King Charles and Queen Camilla visiting the United States and spending time with Donald Trump.
Given the show’s long history of drawing comedy from both royal pageantry and Trump-world spectacle, combining the two would seem to offer a ready-made premise. The question is less whether SNL tackles the visit than how broadly it chooses to play it—straight political satire, or something more heightened.
This weekend could also present another opportunity to compare SNL’s satirical approach with that of its newly launched U.K. counterpart. The two shows generated headlines three weeks ago with dueling Melania Trump sketches, raising the possibility of another transatlantic echo if both take on the royal visit.
Cameo Watch
When it comes to unannounced SNL drop-ins, Sabrina Carpenter is never a bad bet at this point, having logged five appearances since making her debut in May 2024.
But Carpenter and Rodrigo’s once-rocky history—and SNL’s inclination to lean into fan-driven narratives—would make a meeting between the former Disney Channel stars–turned–pop stars all the more intriguing.
The two were long rumored to have been part of a love triangle involving Rodrigo’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series co-star Joshua Bassett, with lyrics in Rodrigo’s “drivers license” and Carpenter’s “Skin” widely interpreted as responses to one another. While both have since downplayed the narrative and moved on, it remains part of the broader context surrounding their early careers.
From a sketch standpoint, a Carpenter cameo would offer an easy entry point, whether revisiting the “Snack Homiez” universe or pairing the two as heightened versions of themselves.
A High Bar—And a World Premiere
Rodrigo made waves during her last visit to SNL, with her performance of “all-american bitch” widely lauded for its inventive choreography and set design—becoming one of Season 49’s most talked-about musical segments.
Attention now turns to how she’ll follow that up—and with what.
Rodrigo confirmed in a Thursday night Tonight Show appearance that she’ll perform “Drop Dead,” the first (and so far only) single off her upcoming album. As for her second performance, she declined to name the song, but said it would be “a brand new one that’s no one’s heard.”
Breakout or Bust
SNL‘s May episodes have historically served as a critical stretch for first-year cast members—the final opportunity to make an impression before the show heads into the offseason.
There’s precedent for a late-season surge making a difference. Last year, Jane Wickline broke through late with the music video “Tiny Baby Shoe” in the Walton Goggins episode, a moment that helped establish her voice and build momentum heading into her second season.
Among this year’s rookie class, Jeremy Culhane and Veronika Slowikowska would seem to be the safest of the bunch, but both could still benefit from another big moment. Ben Marshall, who’s coming off a well-received cut-for-time “Weekend Update” piece as Jack Harlow, will be looking for a breakout that makes it to air.
That leaves Tommy Brennan and Kam Patterson—both of whom have disappeared for long stretches this season—with perhaps the most at stake as they look to make a late case for a second year.
History Within Reach
James Austin Johnson already broke the internet this week with his spot-on turn as Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly, now he’s poised to break something else: a new SNL record.
If he appears as Donald Trump, it would mark his 53rd time playing the role—moving him past Alec Baldwin for the most Trump portrayals in the show’s history.
The appearance would also tie Darrell Hammond’s mark for most episodes portraying a sitting president in a single season (14, as Bill Clinton in Season 23), adding yet another milestone to what’s already been a standout season for Johnson.
This weekend’s Saturday Night Live airs Saturday, May 2 at 11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock. Join us at LateNighter.com immediately after for the Saturday Night Network’s live after-show, where SNL experts and superfans share their hot takes on the night’s best and worst moments.
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