Jenna Ortega hosted Saturday Night Live on October 24, 2026, using her monologue and sketches to poke fun at the deadpan 'Wednesday' persona that made her a global star. The episode aired live from Studio 8H in New York.

Ortega has spent recent weeks publicly distancing herself from the Addams Family role, telling USA TODAY she was 'embracing optimism' and moving beyond her gothic image. Her SNL appearance turned that effort into comedy, with writers scripting bits that contrasted her sunny off-screen attitude against the macabre character.

The actress, who returns as the title character in Netflix's 'Wednesday', used the Halloween-adjacent timing to full effect. Her monologue referenced the show's enduring 'Wednesday' dance meme, and at least one filmed sketch played on horror tropes tied to her screen reputation.

The booking fit a familiar SNL pattern of pairing late-October episodes with stars associated with horror and Halloween. Ortega's crossover appeal across film, streaming and social media made her a ratings draw for NBC as the long-running series navigates a crowded weekend television landscape.

'I'm not actually like this,' Ortega joked during her monologue, as the studio audience laughed.