Top 10 Hilarious Melissa Villaseñor SNL Performances

Following the 2020 Oscar nominee announcement, Melissa stopped by the Update desk to share her thoughts on the movies that made the cut. Singing about “The Joker”, “The Irishman”, “Jojo Rabbit” and even “Toy Story 4”, it turns out that they all have one thing in common. She even throws in a jab at the total absence of female directors from the nominees too. The cheeriness of her performance juxtaposed with the serious context only makes it funnier. And unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for this segment to go viral. We were singing “white male rage” for at least a week after this episode aired.

The premise is simple: Gino's girlfriend and her cousin star in a commercial for their hoop earrings business. Together, they give a rather passionate sales pitch explaining why hoops are suitable for all occasions. Joined by host Jennifer Lopez, this season 45 sketch is a classic. Melissa’s performance is actually quite underrated, but she’s just one of the reasons that we keep coming back to this skit. Her acting is so sincere, which only makes it all the more entertaining. She and JLo make a great double act, too. Who among us didn’t have hoop earrings in a basket somewhere after watching this hilarious commercial?

Thanks to Melissa’s wide-reaching talents, it would be impossible to pigeonhole her into any one character type. In this Weekend Update segment, she plays a five-year-old genius, much like those we’ve become accustomed to seeing on “Ellen”. She’s got the voice, mannerisms, and intonation down to a tee and easily makes us feel for her when things don’t go as planned. There’ve been plenty of occasions where Riley could have reappeared. But sadly, she didn’t become a recurring character despite Melissa’s impressive and convincing performance. We guess her mom stayed true to her word and sent her to live with her dad.

In a sketch both written and performed by Melissa, we got to see this versatile comedian flex her rapping skills. Catching up with that week’s host Emma Stone, Melissa details some of her favorite pastimes since the pair last met. Not only is the rap incredibly well written but Melissa’s dedication to her music video persona is outstanding as well. In fact, she’s so good that she even convinces Stone to open up about her hobbies too. We just hope to see more of her content in the future because it's brilliant. Sketches like this only serve to prove why Melissa deserves more screen time.

If you’re a fan of “Law & Order,” Melissa’s Brittainy is a character you know only too well. Invited to talk about YA novels, she gradually and voluntarily confesses to a crime, making things take a dark turn. The performance is hilariously accurate, starting with her weak alibi, which gradually snowballs into a dramatic confession. Melissa plays the nervous teen so persuasively, yet she still makes us chuckle throughout the segment. It’s so good that for a moment we forget that we’re actually watching SNL and not an episode of “SVU”. From a kid genius to a teen murder suspect, there’s no role that Melissa can’t nail.

You might be surprised to find this one on our list given that she only features briefly. Even so, her input is so great that we just had to give it some love. Melissa plays various women throughout history who have been subjected to society’s misogynistic ways. Although she doesn’t have many lines, her part certainly packs a punch. She manages to be funny while still getting the song’s point across. Of course, it would have been a missed opportunity if she hadn’t shown off her vocal range as well. Her singing abilities and powerful belt help the ladies bring this number home.

Getting intimate with host Donald Glover, Melissa plays a woman who doesn’t really get the concept of dirty talk. It feels more like an improv comedy class and, even then, one that’s gotten out of hand. She misinterprets all of his prompts and it’s absolutely hysterical. Showing just what a comedy genius she is, Melissa toys with the line of risqué humor and an unassuming innocence. It’s so outrageous and she keeps us on edge as you simply can’t predict what she’ll come out with next. We’re thrilled to see her take the spotlight and show everyone just how talented she really is.

You know Melissa is skillful since she got us all to forget for the duration of this sketch that apparently it’s cool to hate on Nickelback. Playing an old lady on her deathbed, Mrs. Gomez’s final moments are pretty rockin’. The premise is incredibly random, with Mrs. Gomez leading the others in a jam session to the band’s 2001 hit, “How You Remind Me”. Even though we’re not quite sure what’s going on, we still enjoy every moment of it. And we can’t take our eyes off of Melissa either. The best part is that even the Canadian rock band got in on the joke.

Melissa is a master of impressions, yet her skillset is painfully underused on the show. Take her Lady Gaga impression, for example. Not only does she effortlessly mimic the singer’s voice, but she practically embodies her too. Just the accuracy of the impersonation, especially when she starts to belt, leaves us with chills. We were thrilled to see her revisit the character during a “Family Feud” sketch the following episode, too. This parody is almost guaranteed to turn you into a Melissa Monster. And it won’t be long until you’re demanding that someone give this woman an Emmy and a Grammy for this impression alone.

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

“What's Wrong with This Picture: Mother's Day Edition”
Correctly Guessing What’s Wrong with the Picture Might Be the Only Thing She Can’t Do

Her Uncanny Kristen Wiig Impression on “Celeb School Game Show”
Did Anyone Else Think That Wiig Was Actually in the Room?

“Bedroom”
Her Sexy Talk with Aziz Ansari Isn’t Much Better, but It Is Funny

“Melissa Villaseñor on Hispanic Heritage Month”
We Need More Melissa on Weekend Update

Playing AOC
Is There Any Impression She Can’t Master?

Prior to her SNL days, Melissa was already an accomplished impressionist. But you ain’t seen nothing until you’ve witnessed her Dolly Parton impression. During this Weekend Update appearance, Melissa was supposedly meant to discuss her favorite Christmas songs. Instead, she used the opportunity to share her unbelievable Dolly Parton impression with us. After all, who wouldn’t want to be Dolly right now? Not only did she look the part, but the moment you hear her sing will blow your mind. Even the country singer herself was impressed. If you closed your eyes, you would easily believe that the real Dolly Parton was on your screen.