With his new film Pillion currently playing in limited release, Alexander Skarsgård made his Saturday Night Live hosting debut with musical guest Cardi B. Although it was his first time visiting the hallowed halls of Studio 8H, Skarsgård fit right in with the SNL cast:
The eldest son of Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård (who just earned his first Oscar nomination for Sentimental Value), Alexander won the Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Actors Award for his performance in Big Little Lies. He earned subsequent notices from those same organizations for his role in another HBO series, Succession. Skarsgård earned Gotham and British Independent Film Award nominations for playing a charismatic biker who takes a shy young man (Harry Melling) as his submissive in Pillion, which is expanding to more theaters on Feb. 6, 2026. He can also be seen on the big screen alongside Charli XCX in The Moment, which is playing in limited release ahead of a nationwide expansion on Feb. 5.
With the Winter Olympics airing on NBC throughout February, SNL will return on Fed. 28 with Heated Rivalry star Conner Storrie as host and Mumford and Sons as musical guests.
Here are Skarsgård’s best moments from his first hosting gig.
COLD OPEN
With the controversy surrounding ICE’s presence in Minnesota reaching a fever pitch, White House Border Czar Tom Homan (Pete Davison) arrived to take control of the situation. Homan spoke to an assembly of ICE agents, the vast majority of whom probably should’ve never been given weapons in the first place. Since it’s too late to change that now, Homan reminded the agents it was their duty to leave innocent people alone and go after real criminals, like Don Lemon.
OPENING MONOLOGUE
To celebrate 1000 episodes of SNL, Alexander Skarsgård shined a spotlight on the band members, who he always loved watching from his igloo in Sweden. Bringing focus on those usually out-of-focus musicians, Skarsgård engaged in some light patter before performing a little free-style jazz with his saxophone. Who said the musical guest was the only person allowed to get down on the main stage at Studio 8H?
MOM CONFESSION
Before going out to Red Robin to celebrate dad’s (Skarsgård) birthday, mom (Ashley Padilla) has a confession for their four kids: she’s starting to think she might’ve been wrong about Donald Trump. Better late than never, although it’s hard for her liberal kids to give her credit for this change of heart considering how long it took.
SCANDINAVIAN MOVIE
While shooting a scene for the super-serious Scandinavian drama The Stench of a Family, the director (Mikey Day) could barely get his stars (Skarsgård and Chloe Fineman) to focus as they kept cracking up over what would go in the blooper reel. Things didn’t get much easier when the two moved into the bathroom set to film the scene where they say goodbye to their dying father (played by Skarsård’s own Oscar-nominated papa, Stellan), who was immersed in a tub of water and dressed in a full suit (no one said it needed to make sense).
IMMIGRANT DADS TALK SHOW
“The Immigrant Dads Talk Show” returned with host Joaquin Antonio (Marcello Hernández), who spoke to his Finnish neighbor (Skarsgård) about how he deals with pressures at home. Papa Stellan returned to berate his son for talking about his feelings rather than suppressing them. The show got cut short when Joaquin’s beleaguered wife (Cardi B) kicked everyone out of her yard and berated her husband for smoking.
SARAH SHERMAN WEATHER REPORT
SNL’s new weather correspondent Sarah Sherman reported on the cold weather from outside of 30 Rock, dressed in a very weather-inappropriate skimpy dress at the behest of Weekend Update host Colin Jost (or so she claims). Locked outside the building, she looked to NBC page Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) for help, but unfortunately, he was off duty.
CATHERINE O’HARA TRIBUTE
Before signing off, SNL paid tribute to the late, great Catherine O’Hara, who died on Friday at age 71. Hired as a cast member for season six, O’Hara left Saturday Night Live after appearing in a single episode to continue on SCTV. She returned to host in 1991 and 1992, and was in attendance during the 50th Anniversary Special last year.
Skarsgård is the 11th person to host SNL during this 51st season, following Bad Bunny (with musical guest Doja Cat) on Oct. 4; Amy Poehler (with musical guest Role Model) on Oct. 11; Sabrina Carpenter (who was also the musical guest) on Oct. 18; Miles Teller (with musical guest Brandi Carlile) on Nov. 1; Nikki Glaser (with musical guest Sombr) on Nov. 8; Glen Powell (with musical guest Olivia Dean) on Nov. 15; Melissa McCarthy on Dec. 6; Josh O’Connor (with musical guest Lily Allen) on Dec. 13; Ariana Grande (with musical guest Cher) on Dec. 20; Finn Wolfhard (with musical guest A$AP Rocky) on Jan. 17; and Teyana Taylor (with musical guest Geese) on Jan. 24. Saturday Night Live recently added 11 Emmy Awards to its shelf in September, bringing its overall tally to 112.