Saturday Night Livecontinued its run of heroic hosts last night withThe Batmanstar and the coolest cat aroundZoë Kravitz, who took the Studio 8H stage for the first time alongside musical guestRosalía. In an episode ofIn the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Kravitz, the daughter of music starLenny Kravitzand actressLisa Bonet, explained that her admiration for actors and performing started at a young age. Growing up in California’s quiet Topanga Canyon as the only child to two famous divorced parents, plus the fact that she wasn’t allowed to watch television, forced her to use her imagination much more than a lot of her peers. “I had a lot of time to use my imagination, and so making up characters, and putting on shows, and singing songs…that was always the way I entertained myself and others around me.”
Given that her screen time was severely limited, movies were a special treat and a transformative experience that she latched onto and obsessed over. Some of the titles she wore out on her VHS includedGrease,Little Rascals, the originalStar WarsandFreaky Fridaymovies, and anythingJodie Fosterwas in. “I was obsessed with Jodie Foster growing up,” adding, “She just always had this amazing confidence since she was a kid, and I think I also really identified with her kind of androgyny too. I was kind of a tomboy growing up and I felt like I saw myself in her and her toughness.” In a full-circle moment years later, Kravitz worked with Foster in 2007’s crime dramaThe Brave One.
The self-described “drama nerd” fell in love with theater in high school, and realized that acting was what she needed to pursue. She auditioned for and got into the SUNY Purchase acting conservatory and after a year, decided to focus on the audition hustle in New York. Like all of her acting peers fresh out of school, the road to success was paved with rejection. “I had to learn how to not fall in love with [acting projects] so deeply…you read a script and you see yourself in that part and decide that it’s yours, and then you don’t get it. And it hurts! It really hurts.”
She’s since carved out a successful and eclectic career, acting in independent films such asBeware the GonzoandYelling to the Sky, as well as big-budget projects including theDivergentandFantastic Beastsfranchises andMad Max: Fury RoadwithCharlize TheronandTom Hardy. In addition to being part of the A-list ensemble in HBO’s Emmy-winning seriesBig Little Lies, she also starred in, produced, and helped develop the Hulu seriesHigh Fidelity, which put a gender-flip spin on the classicJohn Cusackmovie of the same name. When approached to play the re-envisioned role of Rob, she admits that her initial reaction to reinventing a classic was a major “eye roll.” But having been a life-long fan of the source material and connecting so much with the main character, however, was enough to convince her to sign on. Not only did she lead the project on screen, but also served as a producer and writer.
Kravitz knows that she might come off as a cool, confident, and even intimidating person, but she says that she certainly doesn’t feel that way. “There’s no part of me that’s trying to be any of those things. In my brain, I’m an incredibly socially awkward person,” the multi-hyphenate said. “I’m glad that I’m pulling it off, but then part of me also gets bummed out when people think I don’t care or I’m really cool because it feels very far away from my actual personality.”
Let’s revisit some of the best moments from the March 12 episode ofSaturday Night Live. Live from New York, it’s Zoë Kravitz!
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5. Please Don’t Destroy: We Got Her a Cat
What’s a great gift to buy for Catwoman? Uh, a cat, duh! Only the problem is that the cat is…missing. Snuggle Bucket was literallyjusthere a second ago, and now she’s gone. Quick, flip the couch cushions! Break some bottles! Wait, is thatPaul Dano?Ben Marshall,John Higgins, andMartin Herlihyteam up with Batman’s foes and attempt to bring back the cat! Meow?
4. Word Crunch
The game showWord Crunchis suffering the consequences of a writers’ strike. But, don’t worry, the sound engineer Chris (Sarah Sherman) has everything under control. Thankfully, the eager contestants seem to have a firm grasp on the word search concept. Well, everyone except Cara (Kravitz). While some people see the words “apple” and “cat”, she can only see one thing: “Mom hole.”
3. Don’t Stop Believin’
“It’s tubas playing the baseline. Who thinks of that!” At first, it’s just your average, low-energy brunch with friends, but within seconds, one man (Bowen Yang) is brave enough to share his favorite song with the group: “Don’t Stop Believin’” byJourney. It’s a pretty well-known song, so it’s not that much of a surprise that someone likes it. But the man doesn’t like Journey. Instead, he loves the new rendition by the Ohio State University marching band. With unwavering enthusiasm and a surge of adrenaline, he dances and sings his way to victory. This is no time for frittatas! It’s Bowen’s world, and we’re just living in it.
2. Porch Scene
What’s the logical next step when you’re with someone you really like and don’t know how to proceed? Should you be honest and tell them how you really feel? Nah, maybe just call your best friend and certified ladies' man Jason (Aidy Bryant). That’s exactly what the incredibly awkward Josh (Kate McKinnon) does when “theHilary Duff” of his algebra class, Cassie (Kravitz), asks him to hang out. Cassie seems very chill and interested in Josh and all his quirks, but he isn’t so sure how to function. Luckily, Jason’s the only straight guy in his ballet class and knows a thing or two. McKinnon also did this hilariously cringey character whenCarey Mulliganhosted.
1. Maid of Honor
Shh girlies, it’s time for Tanya’s (Cecily Strong) maid of honor Sarah (Kravitz) to give a speech. It’s always nice to hear your best friend tell you why you’re so special to them. But, is it though? The groom Nate (Kyle Mooney) is a bit horrified at everything he’s learning about the person he’s going to spend the rest of his life with. Actually, given everything Sarah says, it doesn’t seem like Nate will make it out of the marriage alive. Sarah’s warm smile and innocent laugh can only masquerade so many hate crimes.
Kravitz can be seen as the iconic anti-hero Catwoman inMatt Reeves’The Batman, and as the lead inSteven Soderbergh’sKimion HBO Max. She’s also set to make her directorial debut withPussy Island, a film she co-wrote withE.T. Feigenbaumthat is currently in pre-production.Saturday Night Livereturns with new episodes on March 26.
