The White Lotus has become a prestige television staple in the 2020s. Few shows have done a better job of capturing the absurdity and the tragedy of everyday life as Mike White's anthology. That said, a sneakily important factor in the show's success is its comedy. The White Lotus is hilarious, and some of the actors who have cracked us up on their lavish hotel trip have also done so on the SNL stage.
Walton Goggins, a star of the latest White Lotus season, is slated to host SNL on May 10. He is not alone in walking between these two seemingly disparate worlds, though. There's a history of actors who have appeared on both shows, and an example of one almost hosting SNL due to their success on the White Lotus.
Let's revisit this rarified bunch ahead of Goggins' SNL debut, shall we? Cue White Lotus theme.
Sydney Sweeney (Season 49)
Sydney Sweeney was already proven as an HBO talent when she appeared in the first season of The White Lotus, but she has become one of the biggest young stars in the world in the years since. She's a global sex symbol, and has scored both critical (Reality) and box office success (Anyone But You) on the big screen.
It was only a matter of time before Sweeney was tapped to host Saturday Night Live, and host she did during the show's 49th season. She proved adept at riffing on her persona, even if the episode failed to generate much praise from critics. We suspect she will be asked back as her star continues to rise.
Molly Shannon (Seasons 32, 48)
Molly Shannon is a fascinating case. The comedian rose to fame as a member of SNL in the late 90s and early 2000s, before transitioning to film and television. She made an extended cameo in the first season of the White Lotus as a pushy, money-obsessed mother, and stole the show much as she did when she was appearing in sketches.
Shannon's SNL membership is not what gained her entry to this list, however. It was her two times hosting, in 2007 and 2023, that did it. She was the second woman in SNL history to be welcomed back as host after serving as a cast member (Julia Louis-Dreyfus was the first), and she earned it.
Aubrey Plaza (Season 48)
Aubrey Plaza delivered some of the finest acting of her career in the second season of The White Lotus. She struck a perfect balance between dejection and annoyance throughout, and her comic persona was similarly entertaining to watch when she was hosted SNL during season 48.
Plaza once served as an SNL intern, which she hilariously recounted during a 2023 appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, but she proved that she was more than equipped to lead the show with a string of memorably deadpan sketch performances.
Jennifer Coolidge... Almost (Season 48)
Jennifer Coolidge has been hilarious on film and television for decades, but The White Lotus made her a star. The actress won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress, as well as a Golden Globe, for her performance as Tanya in the show's first two seasons. She was tailor made for the SNL stage, and was slated to host in May 2023 alongside musical guests the Foo Fighters.
Then, the Hollywood strike took root. Writers (and eventually actors) walked away from film and TV sets in an effort to ensure better wages, and SNL decided to cancel the episode as a result. Coolidge went from being a surefire draw to being on the rare list of actors who were supposed to be on SNL and were unable to due to unforeseen circumstances (alongside John Candy and Gilda Radner).
Coolidge may no longer be on The White Lotus, but her elevated profile, coupled with Chloe Fineman doing a hilarious impression of her, suggests that the actress would still make a great SNL host in the future.