SNL: Benedict Cumberbatch Jokes About Will Smith, Doctor Strange in Opening Monologue

To kick off his second time hosting Saturday Night Live, Academy Award nominee Benedict Cumberbatch began with some cheeky references to his career. It began with Cumberbatch joking that all week the writers of the series had been pitching him sketches where he reprises his Marvel Cinematic Universe role of Doctor Strange. The actor noted that he has been in other movies (the recently released ), including The Power of the Dog. When told that no one had seen that movie he noted he was nominated for an Oscar for the part, but that he was “beat” by Will Smith (“Not physically.”).

This isn’t the first time that Saturday Night Live has joked about the Will Smith Oscar slap incident. When Jerrod Carmichael hosted he made an extensive reference to it in his opening monologue, though never mentioning it by name which made it even funnier. Afterwards a full sketch took place with Chris Redd playing Will Smith and acting totally nuts. You can watch the full monologue from Cumberbatch in the player below.

I was beat by Will Smith

I believe it

not physically

Confession time:

Ooooo

View on X

It was in the monologue,

Watch:

Yes