Some SNL Hosts Are Huge Surprises. Why Cecily Strong Was ‘Most Shocked’ When Chris Hemsworth Made His Debut

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Some SNL Hosts Are Huge Surprises. Why Cecily Strong Was 'Most Shocked' When Chris Hemsworth Made His Debut

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that Chris Hemsworth‘s performance on Saturday Night Live was nothing short of breathtakingly surprising! Having grown up with him as Thor and the Huntsman, I never thought I’d see him cracking jokes and charming the cast like a cool jock at a high school dance.

Preparing for its milestone 50th season, Saturday Night Live has been generating fascinating tales about its legendary cast members and unexpected guest hosts through the years. One such host who left an indelible impression is Chris Hemsworth, who graced the late-night comedy stage in 2015. At that time, he was primarily known as an “action guy,” but SNL cast member Cecily Strong confessed her initial expectations were modest. However, she was taken aback to the point of being “most surprised” by Chris Hemsworth.

Reflecting on her tenure on the NBC show from 2012 to 2022, Cecily Strong chatted with Busy Philips about her live broadcasts from New York. Busy was curious to find out who the friendliest guest they ever had, but Strong replied that everyone is generally kind-hearted, primarily because sketch comedy isn’t something many of them are experts in, and they don’t want to mess it up.

In response to your query about who took everyone by surprise, my personal pick would be Chris Hemsworth.

Generally speaking, people tend to be friendly as they usually enter a situation feeling anxious and eager to perform well. This makes them appear vulnerable, which I believe is a beautiful state. However, I was taken aback by Chris Hemsworth, as I initially had no interest in his world of action movies. But he won us all over with his charm, becoming the popular jock who befriended the theater kids. It was as if we were all smitten, both boys and girls, asking ourselves, ‘Are we all dating Chris Hemsworth now?!’ It was a surprising transformation that left us all bewildered and smitten!

2015 marked the release of “Vacation” featuring Hemsworth in a comedic role, alongside the launch of my least preferred Marvel movie, “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” However, it was the following year that showcased Hemsworth’s knack for offbeat humor in the reboot of “Ghostbusters,” starring an all-female cast. Then, two years later, Taiki Waititi contributed to Thor’s transformation into a beloved comedic character in “Thor: Ragnarok,” often hailed as a significant shift for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) character.

During that period, Hemsworth was generally viewed as a more somber action star due to his roles in movies like Snow White and the Huntsman and others. Even when Thor displayed humor initially, it was more in a humorous fish-out-of-water context rather than portraying him as a comedic actor. Consequently, the public did not associate Hemsworth with comedy roles.

Considering the circumstances, it’s quite understandable why Cecily Strong found Hemsworth less appealing and more surprising than exciting. She likely anticipated difficulties with him as a host. However, he surprised everyone with viral moments such as “the white guy in khakis” and won over the entire cast so much that they asked him to return and host again later that same year.

It’s somewhat unexpected that Hemsworth didn’t reappear on SNL after 2015, considering the cast’s affection for him. However, it’s important to remember that SNL is demanding, and the actor is a very busy individual. Balancing his commitments, including his home in Australia and family responsibilities, along with other business ventures might not have allowed for another appearance on the show. Nevertheless, being part of the five-timers club can be quite an achievement, so maybe he’ll make progress towards it someday.

While we wait, let’s get excited about the upcoming SNL hosts who are soon to grace our screens! The season 50 premiere is almost here, scheduled for early 2024 on television, and I’m confident that there will be plenty of exciting surprises along the way.

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2024-08-11 20:37