Ashley Padilla’s breakout SNL run is carrying her to a major studio rom-com.
The second-year Saturday Night Live cast member has joined Emma Stone and Chris Pine in The Catch, an upcoming Universal Pictures romantic comedy.
The Hollywood Reporter scooped Monday that Padilla will play Stone’s sister in the film, which is being directed by Dave McCary, who has his own long-running ties to Studio 8H. McCary worked on the show from 2013 to 2018, helping oversee the era’s pre-taped pieces, and later married Stone, whom he met when she hosted SNL in 2016.
Stone, now a five-time SNL host, is set to star in The Catch as what THR describes as the most hated woman in baseball. Plot details remain mostly under wraps. Production is expected to begin in July in New York, with Universal setting a May 21, 2027 release date.
The project has several other comedy-world connections. The most recent draft of the script was written by Jen Statsky and Travis Helwig. Statsky, who began her television-writing career as an intern at SNL, went on to co-create Hacks.
For Padilla, the casting marks another sign of momentum following one of the most closely watched SNL ascents in years. She joined the cast in 2024 as a featured player, arriving from the Groundlings Main Company. After spending much of her rookie season gradually carving out space, Padilla moved decisively to the center of the cast this year, closing out her second season with the highest screen-time total of any cast member since Season 44.
The part marks Padilla’s first role in a major studio film. The Catch is being produced by Stone, McCary, and Ali Herting through Fruit Tree, which has a first-look deal with Universal. Shawn Levy and Dan Levine are also producing through 21 Laps, along with Michael H. Weber.
