Inde Navarrette Hosts SNL's Halloween Episode, Takes a Swipe at Shane Gillis in Her Monologue

Inde Navarrette, the breakout star of this year’s horror hit Obsession, hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time on Halloween night, Oct. 31. The moment people kept talking about Sunday came early. In her monologue, she took a pointed jab at the show’s previous host, Shane Gillis.

Inde Navarrette’s SNL monologue

Navarrette opened by playing with her Obsession role. “A lot of people ask me if I’m anything like my character Nikki,” she said, according to Variety, before slipping into the character’s voice. She insisted she has a “chill relationship” with her boyfriend. The camera then cut to her boyfriend, Nick Aiello, bound and gagged in a chair in the audience.

Then she turned to her next big project. Navarrette has been cast as Rogue in Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men film, and she said the role means getting in superhero shape.

“I know it’s really important for Marvel that you get really fit, so I’ve been working out a lot,” she said, per TheWrap and Variety. “Every morning, I put on my little whore outfit and I hit the gym.”

The audience laughed, Deadline reported. Viewers who had followed the show this fall knew exactly who the line was aimed at.

The Shane Gillis connection

Gillis hosted SNL on Oct. 10, his third time hosting. In his monologue, he joked that women at the gym now “dress like whores,” according to TheWrap.

The bit drew wide criticism as sexist. TheWrap noted that Schitt’s Creek creator Dan Levy posted an Instagram video condemning the joke and criticizing SNL for airing it. “Women wearing short shorts at the gym does not make them whores,” Levy said. “It makes the men calling them whores misogynists.” Gillis’ episode also included an accidental on-air expletive during a “Green Eggs and Ham” sketch.

Navarrette’s line turned that controversy into a punchline at Gillis’ expense, three weeks later and on the same stage.

What else happened on SNL’s Halloween episode

The rest of the night leaned into the holiday:

• David S. Pumpkins returns: Tom Hanks brought back his cult-favorite Halloween character in a cold open set at a haunted amusement park, joined by skeletons played by Mikey Day and Bobby Moynihan, The Guardian reported. Variety described the cold open as Trump-centric.
• Cast costumes: During the monologue, Marcello Hernandez appeared as a “sexy TSA agent,” Kam Patterson as Elizabeth Holmes and Jeremy Culhane as Wolverine, pitching himself for the X-Men movie, according to Deadline. Veronika Slowikowska and Grace Reiter played Kelly Clarkson and a mechanical singing bird.
• Musical guest: Gracie Abrams returned for her second time as musical guest, after her 2024 debut, Deadline noted.

The Guardian called it the best episode of the season so far, “despite the odd stumble.”

Who is Inde Navarrette?

Navarrette is 25, according to Variety. She broke out this year as Nikki in Curry Barker’s horror film Obsession, which Variety called the year’s breakout horror hit. The Guardian described her as “Oscar-tipped.” Her next major role is Rogue in Marvel’s X-Men, directed by Jake Schreier, according to Deadline.

SNL host: when is SNL on?

SNL airs live on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET on Saturdays and streams on Peacock. NBC lists Navarrette’s episode as Season 52, Episode 4. Earlier hosts this season were Jalen Brunson, Dakota Johnson and Shane Gillis. NBC has posted the monologue clip on its website for anyone who missed it live.