Indie Navarrette Hosts Saturday Night Live Halloween Episode

Indie Navarrette made her Saturday Night Live hosting debut on the show's Halloween episode, bringing her unique brand of humor to the stage.

The actress started off her monologue by referencing her breakout role in Obsession, playfully deflecting comparisons between herself and her character Nikki. She joked that people often ask if she's like her fictional counterpart, but quickly added that she prefers not to be associated with the character's reputation.

Navarrette then turned her attention to her boyfriend, Nick Aiello, who was seated in the audience duct-taped to his seat. She quipped about their relationship being "chill before moving on to discuss her upcoming role as Rogue in Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot.

The role of Rogue requires a significant amount of physical fitness, and Navarrette acknowledged that she's been putting in extra work at the gym to get in shape for the part. She expressed surprise at saying it out loud, but emphasized the importance of being physically fit for her character.

Navarrette's monologue set the tone for the rest of the episode, which featured a range of sketches and musical performances.

The episode's momentum continued as Inde Navarrette took center stage, delivering a biting monologue that referenced recent controversy surrounding Shane Gillis' comments about women's gym attire.

Gillis had sparked outrage during his October 10 appearance on the show with his remarks about women dressing like whores at the gym. He claimed he was simply making an observation, but many felt it was a sexist and misogynistic comment that didn't belong in comedy.

Navarrette cleverly referenced Gillis' comments as she began her own monologue, poking fun at the absurdity of his statement. Her sharp wit set the tone for the rest of the episode, which featured a diverse range of sketches and musical performances.

The cast was invited to join Navarrette on stage, showcasing their Halloween costumes in a lighthearted moment that added to the evening's playful atmosphere. Marcello Hernandez appeared as a sexy TSA agent, while Kam Patterson channeled Elizabeth Holmes in a humorous take on the infamous Theranos founder.

Jeremy Culhane also made an appearance, using Navarrette's monologue as an opportunity to audition for his upcoming role in Jake Schreier's X-Men movie. He joked about being cast as Rogue, but Navarrette diplomatically declined to comment on the casting process.

The sketch began with Culhane and Grace Reiter dressed in a group costume, with Veronika Slowikowska joining as American Idol winner.

Reiter's character was at the center of attention, as she playfully argued over the sale of her costume to Slowikowska, who jokingly offered to buy it from her.

In a surprise twist, Tom Hanks' iconic Halloween character David S. Pumpkins made an unexpected appearance in the cold open, adding to the spooky atmosphere that Culhane and Reiter had set up with their group costume.

James Austin Johnson's Trump crashed the party, bringing his signature bombast to the sketch as he referenced the upcoming midterms and poked fun at Hanks' character.

The cold open continued to poke fun at politics, with Nicki Minaj's portrayal by Saidah Belo-Osagie drawing attention for her support of President Trump.

Belo-Osagie's character confidently declared herself Nicki the Trumpy, suggesting that her endorsement was a done deal. This sassy attitude earned her a mocking comment from Johnson's Trump, who couldn't help but make a lewd remark about her physical attributes.

As the sketch continued, Slowikowska appeared as Katie Zacharia, Trump's former White House Press Secretary, attempting to butcher the iconic opening phrase of Saturday Night Live. In a comedic twist, she replaced Live from New York" with "With confidence, before being cut off mid-sentence.

In another nod to SNL's past, Bobby Moynihan's Drunk Uncle character made an appearance during the Weekend Update segment. This time, he was joined by an unexpected group: representatives of the Milwaukee Brewers, who were touted as future World Series champions.

The sketch also highlighted Navarrette's rising star status, having recently appeared in a new horror film where she plays Nikki Freeman, a woman cursed after being wished to love someone more than anyone else.

Inde Navarrette made a strong impression in her Saturday Night Live debut, tackling a joke made by Shane Gillis about women dressing like whores" at the gym during the show's cold open.

This achievement comes on the heels of Navarrette's success with the low-budget film Obsession, which has broken multiple box office records worldwide. The movie is Focus Features' biggest release to date, and it also holds the top spot as a festival acquisition from TIFF. Additionally, Obsession earned the largest second-weekend box office spike in recent times outside of the Christmas holiday.

Navarrette's star continues to rise with upcoming projects, including Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot and Apple Original Films' sci-fi thriller The Waffle House Index, where she will also serve as an executive producer.