Top 30 Breaking Character Moments on Saturday Night Live

This might not be the first “SNL” sketch with lots of blood, but few ever go this wrong. James Franco’s gift wrapper cuts his finger and unleashes a geyser. Leslie Jones is right in the splash zone, with some of the fake blood getting into her mouth. The actress is clearly struggling as she tries to compose herself. It might be funny for a second, but it’s also really gross when you put yourself in her shoes. Kenan Thompson looks concerned as he stands next to his scene partner. While Jones tries not to be sick, Franco breaks after a gag with a fake foot. She might even deserve an award for hanging in there.

Host Ryan Gosling certainly likes to break, or at least he can’t seem to help it. This translates to yet another modern classic from the evil geniuses at “SNL.” The show puts Gosling and Mikey Day in make-up as the cartoon characters. This sends Heidi Gardner into a laughing fit before some of her co-stars follow suit. The host also loses it, with the sketch taking a few pauses so performers can collect themselves. We don’t blame any of them for giggling considering the script or the prosthetics. In the future, we hope this absurd idea comes back to crack up more people like Chloe Fineman.

Considering the circumstances, this sketch wasn’t going to play out any other way. Jason Sudeikis plays a judge in Maine with a Southern accent. It’s already crazy before the trial gets going, confusing audiences with its funny details. Sudeikis’ character then issues a punishment for Bobby Moynihan that breaks Jamie Foxx’s bailiff. With the lead performer adding in a kiss, he forces Foxx to hide his face. The entire script feels like a fever dream that only gets better with these interactions. While we might have more questions than answers, we can’t help but laugh as the breaking enhances the scene.

With how things went the first time around, you’d think that “SNL” learned their lesson. The sequel to “Close Encounter” brings back Ryan Gosling for even more antics. It also keeps him laughing through the increasingly strange alien stories. It’s a fantastic source of comedy, guaranteeing big reactions from the host as he deals with Kate McKinnon’s character. There’s also a more in-depth demonstration this time around. While handling her co-star, McKinnon does wonders to break the “Barbie” actor into pieces. Gosling’s giggles are definitely contagious as this chaotic follow-up earns its place alongside the original.

In another take on this sketch, Jonah Hill’s Adam Grossman is a precocious six-year-old. Leslie Jones plays his nanny Miss Lilly and tries to keep it together through all of the jokes. Hill’s role also lets him sing, using reggae tunes to break Jones. The sudden burst into song makes it harder for the “Superbad” star to keep a straight face too. Both performers enjoy themselves through this scene, earning even more laughs from the audience. The pair become a great comedic team here even after tripping each other up. If you love Bob Marley, you’ll probably get a kick out of this one.

Fred Armisen plays this role with both dedication and chaos. The inclusion of Jason Sudeikis only makes things funnier, with the two playing people that derail a party. Armisen’s abrasive guest stretches out, puts her foot in guacamole, and tests the other’s patience. It also causes the former cast member to drop his act. Not only that, the likes of Vanessa Bayer can’t contain herself at one point. The sketch itself is hilarious and these moments heighten the experience even more. By the end, Aidy Bryant also breaks as the ensemble and props are pushed to the limit.

If you pair up Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader, you’ll make any sketch better. This scene also shows that the two can break like the best of them. Both performers play interviewers, asking all kinds of awkward and invasive questions to Scarlett Johansson. This culminates with a slushie drink gag that might shock you. Wiig knows it’s coming and still struggles through her lines, with Hader completely broken next to her. Even Johansson can’t keep a straight face in a reaction shot. There’s a fair chance that anybody would laugh under the same conditions. Despite all these setbacks, the sketch remains one of the funniest of its era.

With her dedicated performance, Ego Nwodim sets off a chain reaction that nobody can recover from. Her character cuts into a well-done steak and starts to shake the table. Host Pedro Pascal can’t keep a straight face, cracking up as he tries to deliver his lines. He isn’t the only one desperate to stay focused either. Nwodim pushes through in an outrageous sketch, leading to some more funny reactions. Even Bowen Yang can’t control himself, falling apart as the scene builds to an entertaining climax. Through it all, the cast looks like they’re genuinely having fun.

In many versions of this sketch, Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake have carried on a musical tradition. They play Barry and Robin Gibb in this ridiculous talk show. Fallon takes over with his lively accent, sending his collaborator for a loop. The Gibb brothers have never seemed so dysfunctional or hilarious. Timberlake cracks under the pressure, unable to stay in character as his co-star flies off the handle. The host understandably breaks after listening to his scene partner’s falsettos. With the singer trying to keep up, this bizarre premise gets both the guest performer and audience chuckling.

Anytime this recurring sketch shows up, you know you’re in for a good time. This scene lets the cast poke fun at soap operas and Southern California in general. When Fred Armisen’s character Stuart shows up, the sketch starts to break down in funny ways. Bill Hader tries to keep a straight face, but he’s no match for Armisen’s expressive voice. You can see Hader hanging on for dear life as his co-stars keep pushing forward. Even the best “SNL” performers lose control, with Kristen Wiig almost cracking up during a later moment. Everyone manages to finish strong as the dramatic revelations and directions keep going.

In 2018, Bill Hader hosted “Saturday Night Live” for the second time since leaving the show five years earlier and he left everyone – including his co-stars – in stitches. In this sketch, Hader plays Horace, the elderly, wheelchair bound husband to “SNL” regular Cecily Strong, who’s attending a game night with her girlfriends. It’s revealed that Horace has just popped a Cialis, causing Strong to hop on his lap as the pill only lasts for a couple of minutes. Hader proceeds to use his vehicular prop to great comedic effect, ultimately causing everyone involved to break character. Hader later discussed the scene on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and once again struggled to contain his laughter.

The brainchild of Bill Hader and John Mulaney, Stefon was introduced in 2008, and quickly grew to become a fan favorite. The world said goodbye to the Weekend Update correspondent – whose knowledge of New York City’s most bizarre hotspots was both hilarious and unparalleled – in 2013. But since then Stefon has still found time to make a guest appearance or two. In 2018, Stefon returned, along with his lawyer Shy – played by Mulaney – and wasted no time getting everyone to crack up – including Hader, and Update hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che. Hader laughs throughout the entire sketch, leading us to believe he was reading the script for the first time. How else do explain it?

These two iconic characters have made numerous appearances over the years. Played to perfection by Fred Armisen and Kristen Wiig, Garth and Kat are a song writing team that just can’t seem to find time to rehearse their songs. In fact, to get into character, Wiig and Armisen never rehearsed their performances, something Wiig called “freeing and fun." Perhaps that’s why both actors regularly burst into fits of laughter during sketches, as neither knew what to expect from the other! Watching Wiig try and keep up as Armisen just wings a performance is truly amazing. It’s no wonder they couldn’t keep it together!

A recurring sketch from the 80s era of “SNL” involved Billy Crystal parodying Argentinian actor Fernando Lamas in a sketch called “Fernando’s Hideaway.” Crystal would slap on a thick Spanish accent and interview celebrities, often getting their names and other tidbits of personal information wrong throughout the interview. One of the most famous sketches saw Crystal interviewing wrestlers/actors Hulk Hogan and Mr. T. Despite their attempts to keep a straight face, Hogan and Mr. T both break character near the end of the sketch, after Crystal ad-libs a line about exercise equipment. It would appear everyone is susceptible to breaking while in the presence of a gifted comedian like Billy Crystal.

This sketch from 2009 had no shortage of top-notch comedic talent. Tracy Morgan, Keenan Thompson, Jason Sudeikis, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, and Bobby Moynihan are all featured; and when that many funny people are in a room together, things are bound to get a little silly. The sketch saw Morgan and Thompson playing convicts attempt to scare a trio of kids who were arrested for underage drinking. The only problem? They keep using the plots of popular movies to describe prison. Thompson and Hader are the worst offenders in this one, but everyone cracks at one point or another. You try making it through without letting a smile creep across your face! ‘Cause this here is real!

Featuring “SNL” legends Andy Samberg, Kristen Wiig, Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Kate McKinnon, Maya Rudolph, and Taran Killam, as well as Paul Rudd, this sketch is a blueprint for how to make A-list comedic talent break character. “The Kissing Family” is a recurring skit that involves an outsider being introduced to an overly affectionate family. In this instance the outsider is played by Killam, and he is justifiably shocked to learn that his boyfriend’s family kiss each other on the lips – among other things – without zero regard for anyone else’s feelings. Armisen cracks first, followed by Hader, but there are fissures of laughter peppered throughout the entire skit. With this much talent in the room, it’s no wonder this sketch devolved into a full-on break-fest.

As long-time friends and collaborators, it isn’t exactly surprising to learn that Justin Timberlake does a mean Jimmy Fallon impression. He got to bust it out during a 2013 appearance on “SNL” during a game of Celebrity Family Feud. And guess who was also playing? Jimmy Fallon. Fallon, whose infamous for his inability to keep it together during sketches, was playing “The Big Bang Theory’s” Jim Parsons. The two celebs went toe-to-toe right off the bat; and immediately had to turn away from the camera to hide their laughter. Later, Timberlake’s impression was so accurate, it caused Fallon to duck behind his podium, struck by a serious case of the giggles. It's classic Fallon…

The late, great Phil Hartman was a fixture on “Saturday Night Live” between 1986 and 1994. In that time, he portrayed a slew of iconic characters, not least of which was his hilarious impression of Frankenstein’s Monster. In this sketch, Frankenstein’s Monster, Tarzan, and Tonto are being asked what they think about things such as fire and bread. This naturally leads to some hilarious responses from the three famously poor speakers. We actually have to applaud Hartman for staying in character as long as he did, however, even the best break eventually. For Hartman, that moment came when he was asked how he felt about a recent nuclear arms treaty. This stuff never gets old.

Introduced in 1999, The Boston Teens made regular appearances during the run of Jimmy Fallon and Rachel Dratch. Known for their thick Boston accents and love of the Red Sox – as well as for constantly bickering and making up – the characters regularly caused others to bust a gut. One of the most infamous cases involved Boston boy Ben Affleck, who simply could not contain his laughter while at a party with The Boston Teens. Watching him say “bro” over and over again while struggling to keep it together is priceless. Naturally, Fallon couldn’t keep a straight face either.

Adam Driver helped “SNL” kick off their 44th season with a handful of hilarious performances that all deserve their time in the spotlight. However, this list is about actors breaking character, so we’ll focus on just one: “Career Day.” In the sketch, Driver plays an elderly and ruthless oil baron who visits his son’s class for career day. Pete Davidson plays the son, and boy is he ever put through the wringer. Driver delivers a blistering performance, causing Davidson to break character on multiple occasions, including the first time he’s addressed. From there, it’s all downhill for the young actor, as Driver never once falters in his performance.

It was clear from the first minute of this sketch that host Ryan Gosling was not going to make it through without breaking character. After being abducted by aliens, Kate McKinnon, Cecily Strong and Gosling each recount their experience with the extraterrestrials. However, McKinnon’s version differs wildly from the other two. So much so in fact, that Gosling was basically stifling a laugh for the entire sketch. Strong, Bobby Moynihan and Aidy Bryant all eventually broke; and even McKinnon had to repress a laugh at one point. Later in the episode, Gosling fell victim to a hilarious performance by Aidy Bryant, whose portrayal of a boundaryless teenager caused him to once again break character.

Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph took a forgettable game show sketch and elevated it to new heights with their hilarious fake European accents. The two “SNL” alumni play off each other beautifully; though that means as soon as one breaks character, the other isn’t far behind. Things start to spiral out of control when the two women rock up in a golf cart. While Wiig immediately catches a case of the giggles, Rudolph manages to stay in character a little longer. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Bill Hader, who has to hide behind his hands to contain his laughter. The whole thing culminates with a still laughing Wiig crashing through the set in a golf cart. Seriously, how do they come up with this stuff?

Surprise, surprise, a sketch featuring Will Ferrell and Jimmy Fallon ended in multiple people breaking character. This iconic bit saw Ferrell and Rachel Dratch playing overly-affectionate lovers soaking in a hot tub and trying to play matchmaker to Fallon and host Drew Barrymore. Well, as you can probably glean from Ferrell’s ridiculous costume, it didn’t take long before everybody was on the verge of a full-on meltdown. Tack on the fact that Ferrell later admitted that the goal was to “make Jimmy Fallon laugh,” and you have the recipe for a sketch that’s guaranteed to have multiple broken characters. Need more proof that Ferrell is character-breaking machine? Check out his “Short Shorts for the USA” clip. You’re welcome.

In this iconic sketch, “SNL” legend Gilda Radner and host Candice Bergen prove that breaking character is as easy as flubbing a single line of dialogue. The slip-up occurs when Bergen accidentally refers to Radner as “Fern,” which is actually the name of Bergen’s character. While Bergen attempts to rectify her mistake, Radner uses her trademark wit to destroy her – quipping, “We all can’t be brainy like Fern here.” At this point, all pretense of finishing the sketch as planned has gone out the window, as both women are dying of laughter. It’s moments like this that make “SNL” so much fun to watch!

Debbie Downer is one of the funniest characters in “SNL's” prestigious repertoire. Brilliantly brought to life Rachel Dratch, DD can instantly transform any situation into a total bummer – for the other characters that is. As far as the audience, cast members and viewers at home are concerned, she’s a riot. One of her most famous appearances occurred at Disney World, where she somehow managed to ruin the “happiest place on earth” with her depressing anecdotes. While Fallon breaks first – shocker – Dratch isn’t far behind. This inevitably caused the whole table to crack up. Horatio Sanz cries and Lindsay Lohan bangs the table in a fit of laughter. All the while Dratch can barely keep it together.

In this hilarious sketch from 2004, host/musical guest Janet Jackson visits a winery and learns how to “soak corks” from a group of Italian wine makers. The scene is littered with double entendres meant to have viewers in stitches. However, as the writers probably assumed when they penned this side-splittingly funny sketch, it was the actors who were laughing harder than anyone! With giggles emanating from all corners of the set, Jackson can barely get her lines out. And honestly, we feel for her. However, the biggest surprise was that perpetual character-breaker Jimmy Fallon stayed composed throughout the entire sketch.

Few comedians are as revered as the late, great, Chris Farley. He could make anyone break with his unique brand of physical humor; and often did. While he has a slew of iconic “SNL” characters, you’d be hard pressed to put any of them above Matt Foley, motivational speaker. In the character’s first “Saturday Night Live” appearance, Farley managed to break host Christina Applegate and “SNL” regular David Spade in seconds with his over-the-top performance; which included hoisting Spade into the air and warning the “teens” about ending up like him. He broke everyone else the moment he screamed “I live in a van down by the river!”. It's priceless.

In this 2001 sketch, host Sean Hayes joined Jimmy Fallon and Will Ferrell in their “Jeffrey’s” sketch, which sees the three men playing retail workers at a high-end clothing store. The gag involves them being extremely rude and condescending to customers who they deem un-stylish. True to form, Fallon is laughing before the skit even begins! Hayes breaks shortly thereafter and for the rest of the sketch, the two men can barely contain their laughter for more than a few seconds. Once Will Ferrell appears on a motorized wheelchair, this sketch is over and done with. Oddly enough, this isn’t the first time a clothing-based sketch involving Horatio Sanz and Jimmy Fallon devolved into one giant character break session. We give you: The Leather Man.

Featuring vets like Will Ferrell, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Kattan, Chris Parnell and Horatio Sanz, not to mention the indomitable Christopher Walken, “More Cowbell” is the stuff of sketch comedy legend, and was so the second it began to air. The cast play Blue Oyster Cult, while guest Walken portrays record producer Bruce Dickinson; a man who has a fever for more cowbell. Watching Ferrell gesticulate all over the room in a shirt that’s way, way, way too small, is absolutely side splitting. Walken breaks, Kattan breaks, Sanz breaks, Fallon breaks; even Ferrell breaks! In the pantheon of “SNL’s” worst character breaks, this one takes the cake.

You all knew Stefon would be back at #1! In this all-time moment, fan favorite Stefon stops by “Weekend Update” to advise partygoers on where to find some not-so-family-fun on Halloween. Bill Hader breaks character numerous times, something he’d replicate in an Autumn-themed appearance a couple of years later. As one YouTube commenter points out, it makes you wonder whether Hader developed Stefon’s signature “hand over mouth” quirk as a way to hide his constant giggling. Throughout the clip, Hader finds himself unable to speak, overcome by laughter; and while Seth Meyers does his best to remain composed. He is far from invincible when it comes to keeping a straight face. You know you’ve come up with comedic gold when Hader is crying tears of laughter. Enjoy, folks.


Did we forget another hilarious break from “SNL” history? Let us know in the comments below.