Top 10 Dramatic Performances by SNL Stars

Kate McKinnon

Kate McKinnon wasn’t any of the three women featured on the poster for 2019’s “Bombshell,” but that didn’t mean that her supporting performance didn’t garner some positive attention. If anything, it was refreshing to see the usually irrepressible McKinnon stretching her creative legs in a dramatic fashion. McKinnon’s “Bombshell” role as Fox News staffer Jess Carr wasn’t based on an actual person, but her on-screen interactions with fellow composite character Kayla Pospisil, played by Margot Robbie, feel real and earned. It’s the sort of character that drives forward the plot, while also remaining uniquely memorable.

Tina Fey

2023’s “A Haunting in Venice” isn’t the first time “SNL” funny lady Tina Fey has played the drama card for a film. 2016’s “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” was another film that featured a member of the “Saturday Night Live” cast acting alongside Margot Robbie, and we gotta admit-we kind of sense a theme. Robbie and Fey bounce off each other really well, both within the light-hearted scenes, as well as when the action in “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” gets real. The film’s wartime setting of Operation Enduring Freedom allows for the dangers of battlefield news correspondence to rise to the forefront. Additionally, the emotional connection to Fey’s character is made relatable via her performance, which marvelously balances both warmth and strength.

Bill Hader & Kristen Wiig

“The Skeleton Twins” featured not one, but two “SNL” alumni within its cast, Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. The pair work wonders together as twin siblings dealing with mental health struggles, who find comfort within their reconnection as a family. The subjects of depression and self-destruction are given candid and valid time within the script, while Hader and Wiig’s performances bring the necessary humanity to drive home the message. “The Skeleton Twins” isn’t always easy viewing, and doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. But then again, some of the best movies ever made pride themselves upon not tying up their stories neatly, with a little bow. As a result, “The Skeleton Twins” feels molded from this “New Hollywood’ influenced sensibility, and it shines.

Will Ferrell

Some members of the “SNL” cast feel so connected to comedy, that we just can’t help but struggle when we catch them in a drama. Thankfully, movies like “Stranger Than Fiction” buck this notion, since it features none other than noted comedy icon Will Ferrell in the lead role. The surreal nature of a film featuring its own, audible narrator within the protagonist’s head makes it perfect for Ferrell’s talents. The man’s charisma and likability ensure that this premise never feels too disconnected from heart, humor, and drama, and as a result, lures the audience into the story. If anything, Ferrell holds back with regards to exaggerated gesticulations or facial expressions, and “Stranger Than Fiction” is made all the better, thanks to this decision.

Molly Shannon

All of the flowers need to be laid at the feet of Molly Shannon for her wonderful performance in the 2016 film, “Other People.” There are a lot of subplots and characters in the air during this dramatized autobiography from writer/director Chris Kelly. Yet, at the crux of all of them is Shannon’s character of Joanne Mulcahey, the matriarch of a family who is coming to terms with her terminal cancer diagnosis. The ensemble around Shannon is wonderful, and all come together to demonstrate the often tense family dynamics that surround such an event. Yet, it’s the former “SNL” cast member’s ability to bring peace, regret, love, and yes, humor, to the character of Joanne that makes “Other People” endure as an exemplary film.

Mike Myers

The days of disco were polished up and shined once again with the 1998 film titled “54.” Mike Myers successfully broke free from his “SNL” past with his take on the famous Studio 54 co-owner Steve Rubell. Rubell was already an established New York City character, a larger-than-life entrepreneur whose reputation preceded him in that city’s nightlife scene. As a result, Myers’ often-broad sensibilities as an actor made it possible for the “Wayne’s World” star to slip almost effortlessly into Rubell’s shoes. The best part about the performance is that we never feel like we’re watching Mike Myers, but rather Rubell himself, as “54” details the ins and outs of NYC’s most elite disco paradise. Just be sure to watch the director’s cut.

Will Forte

Director Alexander Payne possesses the ability to pull some wonderful performances out of actors, as evidenced by this gorgeous “road trip” film from 2013. “Nebraska” stars the idiosyncratic Will Forte alongside Hollywood icon Bruce Dern, yet Forte more than manages to hold his own against such an acting powerhouse. The black and white cinematography makes the already intimate “Nebraska” feel even closer to the audience’s emotional core, while Forte and Dern possess great chemistry together on screen. Co-stars Bob Odenkirk and June Squibb also put in great performances here, but it’s Forte’s wit and charm that ends up surprising us every single time we catch “Nebraska” on a re-watch.

Eddie Murphy

Not every big-budgeted adaptation of a Broadway musical is successful, but then again not all of these adaptations possess stars like Eddie Murphy amongst their cast. Murphy was already far away from the “SNL” stage in 2006, but that didn’t necessarily mean that audiences largely wanted to watch the comic legend in a dramatic role. “Dreamgirls” thankfully silenced all of those critics, since Murphy largely gained tons of accolades for his turn as Jimmy “Thunder” Early. Early’s rise and fall from fame is presented with refreshing candor, and Murphy is selfless in his attention to pathos and detail. “Dreamgirls'” may not center on Murphy’s character, but the actor definitely made the most of his moments on screen.

Bill Murray

It seemed incredulous (at the time, anyway) that one of the original “Not Ready For Prime Time Players” would become known for anything other than comedy and satire. Yet, here we were in 2003, and Bill Murray was starring in Sofia Coppola’s “Lost in Translation.” Murray and co-star Scarlett Johansson possess a great back-and-forth on screen, with both of their characters connecting over feelings of discomfort, confusion, and anxiety over their marriages and careers. There’s an absurdist quirkiness to the film overall, yet Murray never feels like he’s doing anything but taking this material 100 % seriously. There’s no mugging or winking to the camera. Just a heartfelt performance that continues to inspire and entertain everyone who’s fortunate enough to catch “Lost in Translation.”

Adam Sandler

It wasn’t 2019’s “Uncut Gems” that first proved Adam Sandler’s creative mettle as a dramatic performer. That would be 2002’s “Punch-Drunk Love.” Still, Sandler’s work within the medium was so infrequent, that “Uncut Gems” still managed to electrify the man’s critics, over a decade later. The Safdie brothers and screenwriter Ronald Bronstein craft a two-hour-plus panic attack with the story of jeweler and gambling addict Howard Ratner. It’s the sort of film that feels at home with another Safdie project, “Good Time,” in that Ratner almost always seems to be making the wrong decision. “Uncut Gems” is unrelenting with its tension and unease, and Sandler’s energy is manic to the point of giving us heart palpitations. Simply stated: you GOTTA watch this one.