Why Anya Taylor-Joy’s SNL Opening Monologue Is So Iconic
The actress, who voices Princess Peach in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, helped usher in a return to normalcy in her SNL hosting debut.
When Anya Taylor-Joy took the stage as Host of Saturday Night Live on May 22, 2021, she became tied to an important moment in the show's history.
The actress — who voices Peach in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which arrives in theaters on April 1 — made her SNL hosting debut during the Season 46 finale of NBC's late-night comedy showcase.
Keep reading to find out why the moment was so special and to learn some SNL trivia.
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Why was Anya Taylor-Joy’s SNL opening monologue significant?
Taylor-Joy's SNL episode, the Season 46 finale, marked the first time that a full live audience was present since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the show to adapt. For the first time since the March 7, 2020 episode, Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza welcomed a full live audience that was fully vaccinated.
Taylor-Joy wasted no time announcing the news to viewers at home during her monologue.
"Goodness, it is such an honor to be here, hosting the season finale of Saturday Night Live — and this show is even more special because it’s the first time this year we have a completely full audience, fully vaccinated," she said.
On March 16, 2020, NBC announced that SNL would suspend production due to coronavirus. Before the suspension, the next new episode was set to air on March 28th. The show didn't return until April 11, 2020, when it began airing "At Home" episodes filmed remotely. There were three "At Home" SNL episodes, with the final one airing on May 9, 2020, which served as the Season 45 finale.
SNL's first live show in Studio 8H after the At Home episodes was on October 3, 2020, the Season 46 premiere. The audience and crew members wore masks and social distancing was in place, meaning there was a small audience. Guests had to take COVID-19 tests before being allowed in the studio.
It wasn't until Taylor-Joy's May 22, 2021 show that a full audience was able to be in-house, thanks to vaccines being widely available by then.
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The episode marked a return to normalcy for the show, the packed house, and viewers at home.
And to ease any potential concerns about audience members sitting so close one another, Taylor-Joy joked to the crowd, "If you're feeling nervous sitting so close to another person, just picture them naked... Wait, just kidding. We've all been inside for a year — everybody's already picturing everyone naked.”
The actress, who was promoting the miniseries The Queen's Gambit at the time, appeared in SNL sketches including "Celtic Woman" and "College Panel."
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Who does Anya Taylor-Joy voice in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie?
In The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Taylor-Joy reprises her role as the voice of Princess Peach, which she first took on for 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
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