Top 10 Best SNL Moments with the MCU Cast

To say that Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness company goop is controversial would be an understatement. It’s been relentlessly questioned and mocked, and Paltrow got in on the action on “SNL.” The joke starts with goop “employee” Baskin Johns, played by Heidi Gardner, getting flustered as she tries to explain one of the company’s products. Apparently, it includes an ingredient that comes from Wakanda. When Baskin gets overwhelmed, they bring out the manager, Fifer James, played by Paltrow. But she’s not any more competent. The goop founder subsequently elaborated on her choice to joke about her company, saying that “It’s always important to have a sense of humor.” Well, at least we’re all in on the joke now.

These days, many recognize him as Everett K. Ross from the MCU. But before that, Martin Freeman was best known as Tim Canterbury in the U.K.’s “The Office” or Bilbo Baggins from “The Hobbit” movies. “Saturday Night Live” took both worlds and combined them in this brilliantly witty sketch. Back from his adventures, Bilbo settles into mundane office life at the paper company. He puts up with quirky colleagues and inappropriate “cool guy” boss Gandalf, played by Bobby Moynihan. The bit captures everything we love about both universes, and features a hilariously unforgettable feud with Gollum, played flawlessly by Taran Killam. If “The Office” ever gets rebooted, this is the version we want.

When you really think about it, the Avengers have a strange collection of superpowers. You have Thor’s mighty hammer, Iron Man’s innovative suits, Captain America’s powerful shield, and Hawkeye’s arrows. Yep, just arrows, not even magical ones. That’s exactly the premise of this skit that sees Renner poke fun at his character’s limitations. And if that’s not bad enough, he only brought 11 with him to battle hordes of aliens, much to the disappointment of his colleagues. At least when his quiver’s empty, Captain America and Hulk ensure that Hawkeye’s still a useful member of the team. And he didn’t even need another arrow.

Benedict Cumberbatch’s May 2022 “SNL” hosting stint gave us plenty of gems. The “Chuck E. Cheese” bit was a delight. Plus, the “Mother’s Day Gifts” sketch was certainly something to write home about. However, the ultimate highlight was this skit centering around Chloe Fineman’s unrivaled skills as Studio 8H’s resident understudy. The best part is when she channels Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch, in hopes of fooling Cumberbatch into casting her in “Doctor Strange.” The confusion provides plenty of humor, which is only made better by the real Olsen then turning up. Fineman is so convincing that she baffles Cumberbatch and has us all also wondering if the multiverse is indeed real.

There’s nothing worse than when roaches take over your house, eat your food, invade your bathroom, and get way too close to your spouse. Cheadle plays the roach in question in one of SNL’s finest spoof commercials, bringing plenty of action, comedy, and drama to the role. He makes himself comfortably at home until the man of the house, Bill, has had enough. The tone drastically changes, and the suspense is gripping. Cheadle even manages to make a dying cockroach incredibly entertaining, nailing the pace perfectly. He might not necessarily be known for comedy, but the actor is still able to hold the spotlight among the other seasoned pros. It’s absurd, tense, funny, and completely unforgettable.

Long before Black Widow got her own movie, “SNL” pondered why there was no female-centric Avenger film yet, and made a trailer for one. The result was a hilariously genius rom-com parody starring Black Widow herself. She’s the klutzy romantic lead who lives in a big city and doesn’t have time for love, but finds it anyway. Black Widow’s eventual film and overall storyline steered in a vastly different direction. But if you prefer a happier ending, we won’t blame you for choosing the “SNL” version as canon. Whether she’s performing a musical eulogy or keeping up with Kate McKinnon’s comedic prowess, ScarJo’s always a welcome addition to the “Saturday Night Live” team.

Getting older can be hard, or not if this sketch is anything to go by. In a spoof of Frank Thomas’ Nugenix commercials, a group of guys talk about some of the issues men over a certain age face. What starts out as a fairly normal conversation quickly catapults into the absurd. The not British Dafoe enters the scene, and it just gets wilder and wilder. Much like many of his MCU co-stars', Dafoe's comic timing is highly underrated, and this sketch allows audiences to see just how funny he is. The full range of his talent’s on display, with impeccable timing and pacing that effortlessly makes us laugh.

It’s safe to say that this was one of the funniest “Black Jeopardy” skits ever. Boseman reprises his role as T’Challa, giving thoughtful and genuine answers to the questions. But as host Darnell Hayes, played by Kenan Thompson, explains, Wakanda is a very different place than America. The most entertaining moment is when Black Panther finally gets the gist of the game. His answer about a white woman bringing her raisin-infested, unseasoned potato salad to a cookout is hilariously epic. It was one of the night’s best sketches, and has been viewed over 30 million times on YouTube so far. “SNL” aired the late Boseman’s episode again following his untimely passing, and it was nothing short of touching.

As a member of “SNL”’s five-timers club, Paul Rudd has accumulated quite a collection of unforgettable moments. His “Kissing Family” appearance is forever etched into our brains. Yet one of his best stand-out moments came during the paranormal encounter themed sketch with Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong. These skits are usually remembered for McKinnon’s ability to make her co-stars lose their composure. But Rudd isn’t fazed by Ms. Rafferty’s antics, and he stays in character no matter how hard she tries or how intimate she gets. It takes a lot of skill to pull focus away from McKinnon in these sketches, yet Rudd does so seamlessly.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Teacher Snow Day,” J.K. Simmons
Answering the Age-Old Question of What Educators Do When School Is Canceled

“The Californians/Buh-Bye,” Bradley Cooper
A Kiss to Remember

“Suitcase Boy,” Robert Downey Jr.
Iron Man Has Really Upgraded His Gear Since His “SNL” Days

“Brunch”, Chris Hemsworth
Claire Looks Awfully Familiar

“Simu & Bowen,” Simu Liu
They Have a Lot of Firsts to Celebrate

Natalie Portman teamed up with The Lonely Island during her 2006 hosting stint to create one of SNL's most memorable musical moments. Parodying the angrier styles of gangster rap, Portman redefines her image with anecdotes about illicit substances, cheating, and other so-called sordid activities. It didn't take long for this iconic video to go viral. When she hosted again in 2018, she surprised us with an even more biting follow-up. The set-up was the same, but this time it focused on updated pop culture references, how motherhood has made her even more badass, and the “Star Wars” prequels. We never thought she could beat the original, but she blew it out of the park.