It is one of those things where you feel like you’ve seen her there so often that she basically lives in Studio 8H. If you turn on the TV and see Scarlett Johansson standing next to a bunch of Saturday Night Live cast members, you’d be forgiven for assuming she’s part of the regular crew.
But did Scarlett Johansson join SNL as a cast member?
Technically, no. She never signed a contract to be a featured or repertory player. She wasn't hired as a "not ready for prime time player" like Bill Hader or Kristen Wiig. Honestly, though, she has more "seniority" than half the people currently on the payroll.
The Record-Breaking Run You Didn’t Realize Happened
While she never "joined" the cast, Johansson is officially the most frequent female host in the history of the show.
As of May 17, 2025, she officially broke the record during the Season 50 finale. She has hosted seven times. Before that, she was neck-and-neck with legends like Tina Fey and Drew Barrymore, who both have six hosting credits under their belts.
Basically, she’s the queen of the Five-Timers Club.
It started back in January 2006. She was just 20 years old, riding the wave of The Prestige. She walked onto that stage with Death Cab for Cutie as the musical guest and never really left. Since then, she’s returned as host in 2007, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2019, and that massive 2025 milestone.
Why does everyone think she's in the cast?
It's the cameos.
Johansson holds a very specific, slightly nerdy record: she has the most sketch appearances by a woman who was never actually in the cast. We’re talking over 50 appearances. When she isn't hosting, she’s popping in for a surprise bit or a cold open. Remember her Ivanka Trump? She played that role for years, appearing in multiple cold opens between 2017 and 2018.
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Most people see her face on the screen every few months and just assume she works there. In a way, she does. She just doesn't have to show up for the Monday morning pitch meetings every single week.
That "Weekend Update" Connection
You can't talk about Scarlett and SNL without mentioning the elephant—or rather, the anchor—in the room.
She’s married to Colin Jost.
They actually met on the show. Well, they met a few times. Colin remembers meeting her during her first hosting gig in 2006 when he was a brand-new writer. Scarlett, on the other hand, claims her first real memory of him is from 2010. She was doing a "16 and Pregnant" parody he wrote.
"It was some dumb parody he had written," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "That’s my first memory of him."
They didn't actually start dating until 2017, after she hosted for the fifth time. Since then, her "unofficial" status at the show has basically been cemented. She shows up for the annual Christmas "Joke Swap" between Colin and Michael Che, usually sitting in the wings or making a hilarious, high-stakes appearance to react to the terrible things the writers make her husband say.
What it takes to be a Seven-Timer
Hosting SNL once is stressful. Hosting seven times is a lifestyle.
To rank that high, a celebrity has to be more than just "famous." They have to be "SNL-funny," which is a very specific type of energy. You have to be okay with looking like an idiot. You have to be able to read cue cards while a wardrobe person is literally ripping your pants off to change you into a penguin suit in 15 seconds.
Johansson’s range on the show is actually pretty wild:
- The Impressions: Beyond Ivanka, she’s done everyone from Patti Stanger to Katie Britt.
- The Characters: She has recurring roles like Lexi, the "dumb blonde" commercial actress, and her various "Bronx-accent" characters.
- The Musicality: She often leads the big, splashy musical monologues, like her Season 50 finale tribute to the show set to a parody of "Piano Man."
Is she basically "House Staff" now?
Sorta.
During the Season 50 finale, she was the one who announced that certain cast members (like Sarah Sherman) wouldn't be returning. That's usually a job for a veteran or a producer. The fact that Lorne Michaels trusted her with the "sentimental" heavy lifting of the 50th-anniversary season closer tells you everything you need to know about her status.
She isn't a cast member. She’s better. She’s an institution.
What You Should Do Next
If you're looking to dive into her SNL history, don't just search for her monologues. The real gold is in the "Weekend Update" appearances where she isn't the focus.
- Watch the 2024 Christmas Joke Swap: It’s arguably one of the best "non-hosting" moments she’s ever had on the show.
- Check out the Season 50 Finale: Her monologue is a love letter to the history of the program and explains why she keeps coming back.
- Look for the "Mike's Fountainry" sketch: It's an older one from 2009, but it shows her early comedic timing before she was a global Marvel superstar.
Scarlett Johansson didn't join the SNL cast, but she’s the closest thing to a permanent fixture the show has without a contract. She’s effectively the "First Lady of SNL," and with a seventh hosting gig already in the books, she’s likely not done yet.