Another new episode of Saturday Night Live means another high-profile star taking the reins as host. This week, the sketch comedy show welcomed the talented Zoë Kravitz, who’s currently receiving plenty of support and praise (from stars like Taylor Swift) for her role as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in The Batman. It’s an iconic role, and one that’s been reinvented numerous times over the years. With such history surrounding the character, it was only natural that SNL would salute the DC Comics antihero through Kravitz’s opening monologue, which saw Kate McKinnon don leather and a whip.
Zoë Kravitz walked out on the stage at 30 Rock and happily mentioned her role in Matt Reeves’ new superhero film. After joking about how she prepped for the flick, she was quickly joined by Kate McKinnon, who was dressed as Michelle Pfeiffer’s version of Catwoman from 1992’s Batman Returns. With whip in hand, she declared Kravitz to be a part of a “proud lineage” of stars to take on the role. McKinnon then humorously recounted the origin story of her own Selina Kyle, which involved falling from a window and being licked by a number of cats once she hit the ground.
And if that weren’t enough, the comedian came prepared with another funny prop: the cat symbol! The Mad Max: Fury Road star believed the light to be depicting a “noble cat ready to jump off a ledge.” However, as the Ghostbusters alum pointed out, the symbol could also be showing a feline “doing its business in the litter box.”
That’s not all though, as fellow cast member Ego Nwodim channeled the Catwoman of the ‘60s Batman TV show, where the character was played by the iconic Eartha Kitt (Halle Berry's favorite). Additionally, longtime cast member Aidy Bryant joined in by playing a “cat lady,” while Chris Redd appeared as comedian Katt Williams. You can watch the mash-up for yourself down below:
All in all, the bit is well done, with all of the actors playing their roles well. Kate McKinnon is particularly effective and buys into the eccentric nature of her version of Selina Kyle. Personally, I would’ve liked to have seen her try to use the whip to humorous effect a little bit more. She may not have had the skills Michelle Pfeiffer once showed off, but it would’ve been funny to see her try. Also, I can't help but find it incredibly ironic that McKinnon is playing the Cat ahead of her debut as big cat sanctuary owner Carole Baskin.
As great as the comedian was, I’d still say that Zoë Kravitz’s performance has her beat, though. She played the role well and in the process, delivered a version of Catwoman that’s unique from previous iterations. Though I guess, we can also say, at the very least, that Kate McKinnon’s variation also stands out from the crowd, in its own way.
New episodes of Saturday Night Live air on Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC, and you can stream past episodes with a Peacock Premium subscription.
