Ashley Padilla is shedding a little light on one of Saturday Night Live’s more intriguing recent what-ifs.
In a new interview with Deadline, the show’s breakout featured player confirmed she appeared in the “Beavis and Butt-Head” sequel that was staged during dress rehearsal for Ryan Gosling’s March 2026 return, but ultimately cut before the live show.
As LateNighter first reported at the time, Padilla stepped into the moderator role originated by Heidi Gardner in the viral 2024 sketch, with Gosling and Mikey Day reprising their prosthetic-heavy Beavis and Butt-Head audience-member characters. Sarah Sherman also reportedly appeared as Bob’s Burgers’ Tina Belcher.
Asked why the sequel didn’t make air (or even a cut-at-dress YouTube post), Padilla stressed she was only speculating—but suggested the sketch may simply have been edged out by material that felt newer in the room.
“I think it didn’t trump the other things in the show,” Padilla said. “I think Ryan is someone who lives off of that fresh moment… And I think because he already lived that one, maybe that’s why it was not as exciting.”
Padilla also confirmed that Sherman’s Tina made it all the way to dress. “She looked amazing,” Padilla said.
Notably, Padilla said she didn’t break during the Beavis and Butt-Head follow-up—despite her memorable on-air corpsing with Gosling in two other sketches that night.
Those on-air breaks, however, are what stuck—with viewers and with Padilla herself.
“I, of course, afterwards was terrified that I would lose my job entirely,” she said. “But I think it was celebrated”—adding that despite Lorne Michaels’ well-known distaste for breaking, he reassured her that the show “takes on Ryan’s spirit” when Gosling hosts.
SNL returns with the first of its final three episodes of the season on May 2 with host/musical guest Olivia Rodrigo.
