Saturday Night Live: Natasha Lyonne Pokes Fun at Columbo Comparisons in New Season Finale Promo
The season finale of Saturday Night Live is airing tonight and it will see Natasha Lyonne taking on the hosting duties alongside musical guest, Japanese Breakfast. In a new promo for the episode, the two guests are joined by longtime cast members Kenan Thompson and Kate McKinnon who poke fun at Lyonne's voice. The two comedians compare her voice to Marge Simpson and joke that she sounds like "sandpaper." Of course, Lyonne's unique sound has been compared to Peter Falk's iconic Columbo character in the past, which is all we could think about while watching the SNL promo.
"@nlyonne and @jbrekkie! SEASON FINALE THIS SATURDAY!!!!!!!!" SNL wrote on Instagram. You can check out the promo below:
For many years, rumors have circulated that Marvel Cinematic Universe star Mark Ruffalo might play the beloved detective, but nothing came of the news that screenwriter Gary Whitta was working on a Columbo project. Despite the project never coming to fruition, many people still take to Twitter to post about the idea, saying they'd love to see Ruffalo take on the role originated by Falk. However, Lyonne also wants to throw her hat in the right, and she's joked that she is willing to fight Ruffalo for the part.
"Seen an uptick of people demanding Mark Ruffalo as Colombo again. I dunno how many times I have to tell you all that the only person for that job is @nlyonne," @BrndnStrssng tweeted. "I'll fight Ruffalo for it if I have to. Me and you, after class, Warriors style for Columbo. @MarkRuffalo Seems like the only reasonable way to settle this hypothetical," Lyonne replied. "Natasha, I think Colombo is so great a part we should all be able to play it. I want to play Agatha Christie too," Ruffalo responded.
Lyonne might not be playing Columbo, but it was announced last year that she would be teaming up with Rian Johnson for Poker Face, a new mystery series coming to Peacock. The hour-long mystery series has Johnson attached as creator, writer, and director with Lyonne set to star. The show has been given a 10-episode order by the streaming service and will be produced by T-Street and MRC Television. Lyonne will also serve as an executive producer via her Animal Pictures banner along with Co-Executive Producers Maya Rudolph and Danielle Renfrew Behrens.
"Rian Johnson's distinct sensibility and talent for telling edge-of-your-seat mysteries is a massive gift for Peacock, and we can't wait for audiences to delve into each case," said Lisa Katz, President, Scripted Content, NBCUniversal Television, and Streaming in a statement. "Paired with the acting genius of Natasha Lyonne, this series will be entertaining and addictive."
SNL airs tonight on NBC.