This fall will bring a monumental moment for Saturday Night Live when the legendary sketch comedy series kicks off its 50th season, with a special 50th anniversary episode airing in February. While expectations will be high for the cast to bring the funny, the hair and makeup team are already worrying about ways to top themselves.
In a new interview with The Ankler, makeup department head Louie Zakarian and hairstylist Jodi Mancuso admitted that they’re looking toward the anniversary special with a small amount of abject terror.
“I am so scared,” said Mancuso when asked about the three-hour special, which will air in primetime on February 16, 2025. “I am going to sleep from now until February. I’m actually fully panicked about it.”
While eight months might seem like forever, Mancuso says that there’s already been a lot of conversations about what the episode might look like. And it seems like those conversations will likely continue right up until the day.
“It’s been a lot of talk, but no real ideas,” she admitted. “At least I’m sure they have ideas, but it’s like everybody’s going to work it out over the summer, I’m sure.”
Zakarian, who has worked at SNL for nearly 30 years, seems to be taking it all a bit more in stride—but knows that every weekly episode will just be building to the anniversary special.
“I can see every show next season leading up to the 50th anniversary, everybody wanting to be on the 50th just to be on an episode of the 50th,” added Zakarian. “So I could see special guests every week and people wanting to be in sketches just to be able to be there.”
Adding to the pressure is all the attention that was heaped upon the duo for the show’s 49th season, and its penultimate episode in particular, which still has people talking for two very good reasons: Beavis and Butt-Head.
The viral sketch, which saw Ryan Gosling and Mikey Day playing real-life doppelgängers of the famed cartoon characters, became the most viewed clip of the season and even saw the two actors keep the joke going by reuniting on the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of Gosling’s The Fall Guy. It was a joke that hinged on Zakarian and Mancuso getting the looks just right—and they nailed it.
“We get a lot of attention because a lot of our work is front and center most of the time,” Zakarian told The Ankler. “But that sketch in particular really took hold.”
It also means that the duo will have to try and top themselves when the 50th anniversary special rolls around. But they seem ready for the challenge.
“I’m anticipating,” says Mancuso. “Not sleeping for sure and excited—but scary.”
