Aidy Bryant “Clears the Air” on Whether She “Really Went for It” Kissing Kieran Culkin on ‘SNL’ During Spirit Awards Monologue
Former Saturday Night Live castmember Aidy Bryant opened her monologue at the 2025 Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday by reflecting on an intimate moment between her and Kieran Culkin years ago.
Culkin hosted the sketch comedy series in 2021, and she kissed him during a sketch (which didn’t air).
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“Kieran and I actually worked together when he hosted SNL, and we did a sketch and in it, we had to kiss — in a comedic way. And after dress rehearsal, Kieran said to my co-writer, ‘Wow, Aidy really went for it with that kiss,'” the Spirit Awards’ host recalled.
Bryant continued, “That actually got back to me, and then the sketch was cut and it never made it to air. And it just became a thing that I did that I have to live with.”
The comedian then said she wanted to “clear the air” and apologize for being so forward with the A Real Pain star: “I’m sorry Kieran and I’m sorry to Kieran’s wife.”
However, after she noted how Culkin wasn’t in attendance at the awards show, she shared her perspective of the unaired kiss, insisting that she didn’t go all in. “I actually didn’t go for it with the kiss. I was doing a normal nothing-ass kiss,” she quipped. “If I had gone for it, his ass would be divorced!”
Elsewhere in her speech, the two-time host joked about aging in Hollywood and how “40 is the new 20” as the Spirit Awards turned 40 this year. She added, “It has been a great year for film and a bad year for human life.”
Throughout the ceremony, Bryant and her former SNL co-worker Julio Torres did a bit on them being psychic and Anora’s Karren Karagulian joined Bryant, who was dressed as Mikey Madison’s character in the film, onstage.
Anora and I Saw the TV Glow went into the show tied, each having six nominations. Though Anora won three awards, I Saw the TV Glow left empty-handed. See the full list of winners here and stars that walked the red carpet here.
Feb. 22, 7:00 p.m. This story has been updated with more from Saturday’s awards ceremony.
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