The Best 'SNL' Hosts of All Time

As evidenced by the 50th anniversary celebration of Saturday Night Live in 2025, the show has had an immense impact on television, not to mention the careers of some hilarious people. One of the show's best aspects is its reliance on celebrity hosts to join the cast and make us laugh every week.

The best SNL hosts can range from serious actors tapping into their funny bones to former cast members fitting back on the show like a glove. But, no matter their specific flavor, each carries the energy from the monologue through 90 minutes of sketches. Below, find the best SNL hosts of all time.

Adam Driver

Like a few others on this list, Adam Driver doesn't mind making fun of the character that made him uber-famous. In his case, it's an Undercover Boss skit in which his Star Wars role Kylo Ren is the worst manager (and worst pretend employee) you could ever hope to meet. It's that intensity that makes him so riveting to watch.

Alec Baldwin

His modern hosting and guest appearances often center on the political, but Alec Baldwin (who has hosted nearly 20 times) brings much more to the table than a single impression. He's been Tony Bennett, he's been his Glengarry Glen Ross character, and he's been Pete Schweddy. You know the one.

Ariana Grande

Amid Ariana Grande's wildly successful promotion for Wicked, in which she reminded us she's an incredible actor as well as a world-class singer, there was no better vehicle for that talent than SNL. Every time she hosts, several moments go viral.

Aubrey Plaza

Aubrey Plaza has come a long way since her well-known role on the hit comedy series Parks and Recreation, but that sensibility is perfect for the show. From a hilarious Miss France to a character on The Black Lotus, she had a ton of range as a host. But nothing beats her monologue, wherein she shared she used to be an SNL page and then proceeded to give a tour of the studio.

Betty White

All hail Betty White, who had an amazing career and a second wind in the 2000s and beyond. Thus, not surprisingly, she became the oldest person to host SNL in 2010 at age 88. Fun fact: She was asked to host three times before but said no every time.

Bill Hader

Former cast members often make great hosts: They innately understand what they're getting into, and, in the case of Bill Hader, they're naturally hilarious. Hader's also a great actor, which helps sell characters like Stefon—for which he will always be remembered.

Buck Henry

The late Buck Henry was the first person to reach the five-timers club (even though it didn't have that name at the time), going on to host 10 times. He's also considered one of the more underrated hosts, with a straight-man quality that made it easy to forget how hard he was working.

Candice Bergen

The first female host of SNL, Candace Bergen was a perfect fit. She's sharp and witty, but an absolute pro at timing and a commit-to-the-bit performer. Her sketch with Gilda Radner regarding the PSA from the Right to Extreme Stupidity League is ageless!

Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher has always understood the power of her character—no more so than in 1978, in the initial Star Wars heyday. She opened with her monologue dressed as Princess Leia, even swapping jokes with Obi-Wan Kenobi, but she proved to be an enthusiastic host all night.

Christopher Walken

What's fun about Christopher Walken is 1) his epic line delivery and 2) his ability to keep a straight face even when just about everyone around him is breaking. No surprise, but it's his, "More cowbell," delivery that makes that sketch one of the greatest ever.

Donald Glover

Some of the best SNL hosts pull double-duty. In Donald Glover's case, that meant pretending to play the clarinet badly during his monologue, as well as a bunch of funny sketches that played with his public persona. Glover was rejected as a cast member a few times from SNL, but now he's glad he never became a cast member. (However, he was a writer on 30 Rock, Tina Fey's sitcom spoofing behind-the-scenes at SNL.)

Elliott Gould

Drew Barrymore

The youngest show host in history (she was all of 7 when she hosted in 1982), Drew Barrymore didn't stop there. The Five-Timer member naturally brought a different energy every time she was on SNL, from sweet and youthful to a full-blown adult movie star.

Native New Yorker Elliott Gould hosted a bunch between 1976 and 1980 (six in total!), probably because he is a perfect host. He's a great actor, down to be silly, not upstage the cast, and can expertly play it straight opposite some very funny people.

Emma Stone

There are hosts who like being silly, and then there are hosts who are all in. Emma Stone is in that latter category, bringing some gravitas to objectively silly premises ("Wells for Boys"—where she met her future husband, naturally). "Fashion Coward" will always be one of our favorites, though!

Jerry Seinfeld

Funny story: The phrase you might associate with Jerry Seinfeld, "What's the deal with...?" was based on an SNL sketch wherein he was mocking the tame ubiquity of observational comics who used that line. Sarcasm and meta-awareness: check.

John Goodman

It might surprise you to learn that John Goodman has hosted SNL 13 times(!), giving life to many characters. What's awesome about Goodman is that he is reportedly as kind as his characters are terrible, which makes for a fascinating contrast between his monologue and skits.

John Mulaney

The fact that John Mulaney used to be an SNL writer for four seasons absolutely gave him an edge as host (he was actually the fourth writer to host the show). A member of the Five-Timers Club, he's comfortable holding his own in the room and familiar with the show's signature frenetic energy.

Jon Hamm

Considering the deep seriousness of some of his roles, Jon Hamm's innate sense of comic timing is always a fun surprise. He's also opened up about how much he loved the experience, calling it terrifying by exhilarating: "It was the greatest 90 minutes of your life.”

Lily Tomlin

You can tell that Lily Tomlin was as much a standup as a sketch comic in her early life: Her delivery is always spot-on, and she has impeccable timing. But she's also a Tony Award-winning actor, which means she's chameleon-like. Go back and watch the old episodes, you'll see.

Maya Rudolph

Few comedians have the range of Maya Rudolph, which SNL often uses to its advantage (both when she was a cast member and later as a host). When you can play a ticked-off Beyoncé, Oprah, Donatella Versace, and Maya Angelou, sometimes in the same show, you've nailed impression work.

Melissa McCarthy

While there's a hilarious monologue of Melissa McCarthy accidentally doing the math wrong and realizing she's not a five-timer after all, the actor did join the club in 2017. She's an inimitable Sean Spicer, but her sweet deadpan makes her a fit for most sketches.

Patrick Swayze

While there's been much discussion about the famed "Chippendales" sketch (which felt exploitative of Chris Farley's body), it also zeroes in on what made Patrick Swayze so likable and compelling: He's fully committing, and he's playing around with his "leading man" persona.

Pedro Pascal

"Daddy Pascal" lived up to his reputation as everyone's favorite celebrity with a sweet, ebullient, deeply unserious presence throughout his hosting gig in 2023. He also had a quasi-hosting gig when he stopped by to help Bad Bunny in a skit and to "translate" his monologue.

Richard Pryor

The first Black SNL host, Richard Pryor was a refreshing presence on the show, in part because his stand up presence was both daring and provocative. Thus, his skits often leaned in on this, including a memorable "Word Association" skit with cast member Chevy Chase.

Robin Williams

No surprise, Robin Williams was an excellent presence on SNL (and he hosted three times). The show utilized his no-holds-barred silliness, of course, but the writers were prescient to know that casting him as the straight man was even more impactful.

Ryan Gosling

People knew Ryan Gosling was funny, but maybe not just how funny he was until he hosted SNL. Several skits will be forever hysterical, like his "Close Encounter" skit wherein he's constantly trying not to laugh. We still can't stop thinking about "Papyrus," though. Watch it if you're unfamiliar.

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson doesn't mind playing around with her persona, particularly as it pertains to her role as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She also clearly loves the vibe: She's a member of the Five-Timers Club and met her future husband, Weekend Update host Colin Jost, on the sketch show.

Steve Martin

Many of our best SNL hosts have been musicians too. Such was the case when Steve Martin (who's hosted so many times you could almost consider him a cast member) donned the banjo during the show, more than once, and regaled us all with legitimate skill.

Timothée Chalamet

Timothée Chalamet is a good SNL host for many reasons, not least because of his charisma. But his ability to sing well, rap hilariously (which he's done in several skits), and make himself look silly also helps.

Tina Fey

When you come back to host SNL after being the head writer...you understand just about everything about the show. It's really, really hard to pick a favorite Tina Fey hosting moment (not to mention all the guest appearances she's done), so we'll settle for every sketch she had with Amy Poehler.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks started the notion of a Five-Timers Club, having himself "inducted" when he hosted in 1990 and welcomed into the club by Steve Martin and Elliott Gould. His longevity on the show is due, in part, to the fact that he's a great actor and he can sell whatever he's in.

Will Ferrell

A tremendous SNL success story, Will Ferrell went from a cast member to a huge, bona fide star. So the fact that he came back to host (and gave us more iconic moments) was a pure treat. You've got "More Cowbell," you've got "Dr. Beaman's Office," you've got Alex Trebek. You've got it all!