Inde Navarrette Roasts Shane Gillis and Hosts Halloween‑Themed SNL Episode
In her SNL hosting debut, Inde Navarrette lampooned Shane Gillis’s gym joke, introduced Halloween costumes and saw Tom Hanks pop up as David S. Pumpkins.
Inde Navarrette made her Saturday Night Live hosting debut on the show’s Halloween episode, opening with a jab at the most recent host of the late‑night series.
She began her monologue by mentioning her “star‑making role” in Obsession: You probably know me from the movie Obsession. People ask me if I’m anything like my character Nikki, and I’m like, no. No, no, don’t do that.
Navarrette then turned to her personal life, pointing to her boyfriend in the audience, Nick Aiello, who was “duck‑taped” in the crowd. “We have such a chill relationship, right?” she said.
She moved on to discuss her upcoming portrayal of Rogue in Marvel Studios’ X‑Men reboot, noting the physical preparation required. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m gonna be in a Marvel movie. I know it’s really important for Marvel that you get really fit, so I’ve been working out a lot,” she said.
In a direct callback to Shane Gillis’s controversial monologue from the October 10 episode, Navarrette quipped, “So every morning, I put on my little whore outfit, and I hit the gym,” echoing Gillis’s line about women’s gym attire.
She then invited the SNL cast onto the stage to showcase their Halloween costumes, noting that “none of the cast could go out tonight.” The lineup included:
Marcello Hernandez as “a sexy TSA agent.”
Kam Patterson as Elizabeth Holmes.
Jeremy Culhane, who used the moment as an audition for Jake Schreier’s upcoming X‑Men movie, asking Navarrette about the casting of Wolverine.
Grace Reiter dressed as the bird from the viral Kelly Clarkson, Art of Play controversy, engaging in a brief dialogue with Veronika Slowikowska, who appeared as an American Idol winner.
During the monologue, Culhane, dressed as Wolverine, said, “I know you were cast as Rogue in the new X‑Men movie, and I randomly heard they… haven’t even cast Wolverine yet.” Navarrette replied, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I can’t comment on that.”
Tom Hanks made a surprise appearance in the cold open, reprising his classic Halloween character David S. Pumpkins, joining Reiter and Culhane on a “spooky ride.”
James Austin Johnson’s Trump also showed up, commenting on the upcoming midterm elections.
The episode blended Halloween humor, costume showcases, and a few nods to recent SNL controversies, rounding out Navarrette’s debut as host.
