Hollywood actor Glen Powell has finally realised his childhood dream of hosting Saturday Night Live, but the journey to the iconic stage was far from straightforward. During his opening monologue, the 37-year-old star revealed a brutally honest phone call from SNL creator Lorne Michaels that had dashed his hopes four years earlier.
The Rescinded SNL Offer
Glen Powell was originally scheduled to host SNL in 2020 to coincide with the release of Top Gun: Maverick. He recounted the euphoric moment he received the initial offer while on a porch with his family. "We were jumping up and down celebrating," Powell shared with the SNL audience. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused massive delays across Hollywood, pushing back the Top Gun sequel's release.
This delay had direct consequences for Powell's SNL debut. "So, SNL had to take their offer back," Powell explained. Lorne Michaels personally called the actor with a characteristically blunt assessment. "Lorne Michaels literally called me and said without Top Gun - and these were his words, 'No one will know who the f- you are,'" Powell recalled, sharing the anecdote with a smirk rather than bitterness.
The UPS Driver Saga Comes Full Circle
Powell's SNL story took an unexpected turn when he revealed an amusing consequence of his cancelled 2020 hosting gig. When he initially received the SNL offer, a UPS driver happened to be delivering a package at that exact moment. "I'm hosting SNL!" Powell had excitedly told the delivery driver, who then asked, "Are you serious?" Powell had confidently responded: "Yep, Christmas episode. Tune in."
The actor and his family even took a celebratory selfie with the UPS driver to mark the occasion. However, when Powell didn't appear on SNL that Christmas, the driver "was just going around saying Glen Powell is a liar." Determined to make things right, Powell's family tracked down the UPS worker and obtained his phone number.
"I flew him all the way to New York," Powell revealed to cheers from the audience. "He thought it was a scam but he still came. And he is sitting in the audience tonight." In a heartwarming television moment, the camera found the UPS driver in the crowd, and Powell invited him onto the stage where they took another selfie together, creating a perfect "full circle" moment.
A Dream Finally Realised
Despite the four-year delay, Powell expressed nothing but gratitude for finally achieving his SNL hosting dream. "It's a really wonderful moment when your childhood dreams get to come true," he had told People magazine before the show. "I've been waiting to be on that stage for as long as I can remember."
Powell concluded his monologue with a witty observation: "Look, I had to wait my entire life plus four years to be here. But if I have learned anything, it is that the best things in life don't happen overnight. And no one knows that better than UPS."
The actor showcased his comedic skills throughout the episode, participating in multiple sketches with musical guest Olivia Dean. This marked his first time hosting, though he had made a brief cameo appearance last year when Sydney Sweeney hosted.
Powell's career has reached new heights since the postponed Top Gun: Maverick eventually became a blockbuster success. His latest film, The Running Man - based on Stephen King's 1982 novel - hit cinemas on November 14. The dystopian action thriller features an impressive ensemble cast including Lee Pace, William H. Macy, Michael Cera, and Josh Brolin.
In a recent IndieWire interview, Powell reflected on the timeliness of The Running Man's themes. "People are on the edge of their seat watching this movie," he said, before noting that viewers later tell him, "We are living in The Running Man." The actor also shared that both Stephen King and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who starred in the 1987 adaptation, have responded positively to the new film.
