Before she became a Saturday Night Live breakout, Ashley Padilla was stealing scenes among improv legends.
Not long before she was hired by NBC’s SNL, Padilla appeared in an episode of Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. And unlike most Not Ready for Primetime Players’ pre-SNL gigs, Padilla’s role on the HBO comedy was fairly extensive. It came in the fifth episode of the show’s 12th season, titled “Fish Stuck.”
In the episode, Freddy (played by Vince Vaughn) is distressed to learn that his girlfriend Jenna’s (Stephanie Styles) claim of working at Disney means she works at the Disney Store. She’s a cosplaying greeter, and not the creative executive he envisioned her to be. When Larry David is roped into finding someone to read an aspiring screenwriter’s script, he turns to Jenna, still under the impression she’s a Disney shot-caller.
That aspiring screenwriter was played by none other than Padilla. Padilla’s character, Dana, meets with Jenna for a feedback session.
Dana is understandably excited when Jenna offers effusive praise of the script despite the Disney Store worker’s lack of screenwriting expertise. When Jenna offers some feedback (adding some character backstory, trimming the script), Padilla’s Dana readily agrees. The meeting then ends on a note of confusion:
“We’re coming out with a new line of Little Mermaid sleepwear, and I get a discount,” Jenna tells Dana. “So if you text me your sizes, I can hook you up.” That bizarre overture, however, doesn’t tip off Dana as to the reality of the situation, leading to a chaotic conclusion that closes out the episode.
“You work at the Disney Store?” Padilla’s Dana asks incredulously. “Then why did you give me notes on my script?”
“Because Larry David asked me to,” replies Jenna.
“I used them! I got kicked out of my writer’s group!” Padilla rants. “Larry f–king David.”
Padilla’s episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm aired on March 3, 2024. Six months later, she debuted on SNL in time for for its 50th season.
Watch Padilla’s complete Curb appearance below:
