Saturday Night Live with Daniel Kaluuya: What to watch for

Tonight, Saturday Night Live will be hosted by Daniel Kaluuya with musical guest singer-songwriter St. Vincent. Last week, viewers saw former SNL cast member Maya Rudolph return to the Studio 8H stage and host the show’s first episode back after taking its winter hiatus. Now the show has returned to air with its upcoming sixteenth episode of the season.

Kaluuya got his start in the entertainment industry back home in Britain. He appeared in a recurring role as Posh Kenneth in the BBC comedy-drama series Skins. Since then, he has been able to take his talents from the small screen to the big screen and has starred in multiple well-known films including Jordan Peele’s Get Out, Marvel’s Black Panther, and most recently, HBO Max’s Judas and the Black Messiah for which he won a Golden Globe Award, Critics’ Choice Award, and has been nominated for an Academy Award and Screen Actors Guild Award.

In 2019, the actor was also making headlines after it was revealed that he is in the works of producing a live-action Mattel Films project based on Barney and Friends, a children’s television show hosted by a purple anthropomorphic T-rex that aired from 1992-2010.

Kaluuya, along with The Walking Dead‘s Steven Yeun and actress Keke Palmer are in talks of being in an upcoming Jordan Peele project with a projected release date in 2022.

Will host Daniel Kaluuya be able to keep up on Saturday Night Live?

Daniel Kaluuya is not so far removed from comedy as one might think. Kaluuya’s acting abilities are actually rooted in humor as he began performing improvisational theatre and can be seen in and has guest-starred in other British television series including That Mitchell and Webb Look, FM, and Psychoville, a psychological dark comedy series, and even a Doctor Who special. During his time on Skins, Kaluuya co-wrote a few of the episodes and you can catch the actor in comedy-driven films including Johnny English Reborn and Kick-Ass 2.  He can also be seen in Netflix’s dystopian television series Black Mirror in the episode “Fifteen Million Merits”.

With these titles under his belt, Daniel Kaluuya has proven multiple times that he has the range to deliver both earnest artistry while also being able to showcase dark humor throughout his career thus far. Seeing him perform in sketches after viewers have most likely seen him in more subdued roles makes him an excellent choice as a host. He has the capability to exceed audience expectations by being in the most outlandish sketches the writers can come up with. I’m hopeful that he’s utilized in a way that brings out a more lighthearted side of him which can be seen in one of his most recent interviews.

In the promo videos, Daniel Kaluuya can be seen alongside musical guest St. Vincent and cast member Aidy Bryant, who seems to have a pressing request for viewers.

Watch the full promo below:

St. Vincent returns for a second time as musical guest on Saturday Night Live

St. Vincent will be this weekend’s musical guest after having first debuted back in 2014 during the Andy Samberg-hosted episode following the release of her highly regarded self-titled album. Prior to being on the upcoming episode, the singer-songwriter has released her latest single “Pay Your Way In Pain” which she has described as “blues for 2021.”  She’s also no stranger to 30 Rockefeller Center. In Nov. 2010, she appeared alongside rappers Kid Cudi and Cage on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. In Aug. 2014, the artist was seen on Late Night With Seth Meyers when she filled in for The 8G Band Leader and SNL alum Fred Armisen, who was away filming the fifth season of his IFC series Portlandia.

In a recent interview, the artist was quoted saying that she wanted to approach her music with “humor and compassion” through her most recent release, Daddy’s Home. The album is influenced by sounds from 70s tunes. The singer-songwriter said she was inspired by “stories of being down and out in downtown New York City”. Judging by St. Vincent’s appearances throughout the late-night talk show circuit, there’s no denying that she already knows what to expect. I think SNL could take advantage of her new release by doing some type of 70s-themed sketch. By doing this, viewers will be able to get a feel for the artist’s work as well as make light of the zany fashion trends. That being said, this wouldn’t be the first time that a similar sketch would make it to air as we saw in the Regina King-hosted episode but it would be fun to see the show tackle this era again while focusing on music and culture without making it seem overdone.

What are your predictions for this week’s episode of Saturday Night Live? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to check back with Last Night On for a full recap of the best sketches