‘SNL50’: Meryl Streep makes first-ever appearance on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ as Kate McKinnon’s alien abductee mom
Miss Rafferty has a mother, and it’s … Meryl Streep?!
The three-time Oscar winner made her first-ever appearance on Saturday Night Live during the 50th anniversary special on Sunday night. She popped up as Colleen Rafferty Sr., the mother of Kate McKinnon‘s iconic character who frequently gets abducted by aliens. Pedro Pascal and Woody Harrelson played their co-abductees, while Jon Hamm and Aidy Bryant interviewed them all as Pentagon officials.
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“Us Rafferty gals, we always attracted the freaks,” Streep declared during SNL50. “For years I thought Colleen’s father was part alien, but it turns out he was just uncircumcised.”
The 75-year-old actress added, “I still had my pants on when they took me, but much like her, I’ve got an ‘into the woods’ sort of situation going on. My ex used to say that it was like trying to hack his way through the black forest.” That was a sly reference to Streep’s 2014 musical movie Into the Woods. She also later mentioned her hit film The Devil Wears Prada (2006).
Streep broke character several times during the sketch, and she almost said the “F” word at one point when she accidentally spilled her drink on herself. “A good mother can also be a baaad girl,” she declared while making googly eyes with Pascal’s mustached character.
McKinnon’s quirky character Miss Rafferty first appeared on SNL in December 2015. She returned many times over the years, including most recently in an April 2024 episode hosted by a very giggly Ryan Gosling.
SEE The 25 best ‘SNL’ sketches of the past 25 years
Streep won three Oscars for The Iron Lady (2011), Sophie’s Choice (1982), and Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). She’s one of the most well-known actors to never host Saturday Night Live. Perhaps her real-life boyfriend Martin Short, a former cast member and five-time host, had something to do with Streep’s cameo on Sunday night?
SNL50: The Anniversary Special celebrated five decades on NBC with dozens of former cast members, beloved guest hosts, and music superstars. The pilot originally aired on Oct. 11, 1975. The three-hour program started out with Sabrina Carpenter and Paul Simon singing “Homeward Bound,” and then Steve Martin delivered a traditional monologue. Notable moments included Black Jeopardy with Eddie Murphy impersonating Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler answering audience questions, and Bill Murray ranking all of the “Weekend Update” hosts in front of Colin Jost and Michael Che.
Two nights earlier, Streep and Short attended the SNL50: The Homecoming Concert at Radio City Music Hall. She went viral for flipping off the choir singer characters played by Will Ferrell and Ana Gasteyer, Marty and Bobbi-Mohan Culp, when they named-dropped Streep during their musical montage.
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