The Dual Role: Stars Who Both Host and Perform on SNL
Being invited to host Saturday Night Live is a prestigious honor in the entertainment world—but there’s an even more exclusive club of celebrities who’ve been trusted to both host and perform as musical guests in the same episode. This elite group represents the show’s ultimate vote of confidence in a performer’s versatility. Harry Styles joined this distinguished club in November 2019, showcasing his range by making audiences laugh through various comedy sketches before seamlessly transitioning to musical performer, delighting the Studio 8H crowd with his hits “Lights Up” and “Watermelon Sugar.”
During his memorable monologue, Styles expressed genuine enthusiasm about his expanded role: “It is so great to be here hosting Saturday Night Live for the first time. I’m so excited to be here as more than just a musical guest, [it] feels amazing.” With characteristic charm, he compared the experience to “when you find out someone likes you as more than just a friend,” joking that “Saturday Night Live and I have taken things to the next level and just like all my serious relationships, we’re all gonna spend one incredible night together, and then we’ll never see each other again.” This self-deprecating humor immediately endeared him to the audience, setting the tone for a night that would showcase his comedic timing alongside his musical talents.
The dual-role invitation represents SNL’s recognition of multi-dimensional talent—performers who possess both musical prowess and comedic capabilities. Throughout its decades-long history, Saturday Night Live has carefully selected entertainers who can shoulder both responsibilities, understanding that this formula creates especially memorable episodes. These performers must navigate the challenging weekly schedule of SNL, which includes intensive writing sessions, exhausting rehearsals, costume fittings, and musical preparations—all while maintaining the energy to deliver a compelling live performance when the cameras roll.
What makes these dual-host/musical guest episodes so special is how they reveal new dimensions of stars we thought we knew. Musicians demonstrate previously unseen comedic abilities, actors showcase surprising musical talents, and multi-hyphenate entertainers get to display the full spectrum of their capabilities. For audiences, these episodes provide a more intimate, comprehensive view of the celebrity’s personality and range than any interview or concert performance could offer. The format creates a special connection between performer and audience, as viewers witness these stars stepping outside their comfort zones, taking risks, and occasionally poking fun at their own public personas.
For the performers themselves, the dual-role opportunity represents a career milestone that few achieve. It signals industry-wide recognition of their versatility and mainstream appeal. As Styles mentioned in his monologue, while music remained his primary passion, he valued the opportunity to showcase his comedic abilities and connect with the legendary SNL tradition. “I love being here at SNL. It has so much history,” he noted, acknowledging the show’s cultural significance and the honor of joining its storied legacy. This sentiment is likely shared by all who’ve been entrusted with this double duty—a sense of participating in a television institution while simultaneously expanding their own artistic boundaries.
The exclusive club of host-performer double-duty stars spans SNL’s history and includes diverse talents from music, acting, and entertainment. Each brings their unique strengths to the format, creating episodes that stand out in the show’s vast catalog. These special episodes often become talking points in pop culture, generating memorable sketches and performances that live on through social media and streaming platforms. They represent Saturday Night Live at its most ambitious—pairing its sketch comedy tradition with musical performances, all unified through a singular, multi-talented host who can navigate both worlds with confidence and skill. As each new season unfolds, fans eagerly anticipate which versatile entertainers might next join this elite group of stars trusted to carry an entire episode of America’s longest-running comedy institution.
