Ego Nwodim thinks that her “Mr. Throwback” co-star and NBA champion Stephen “Steph” Curry has the chops to be a phenomenal “Saturday Night Live” host.
And the star would know. Nwodim has appeared on the sketch-comedy series since 2018 and became an official cast member in 2022. After six years, the comedian shared the secret to what makes a successful host.
“The thing about Steph that would be perfect for SNL – it’s not only that he is obviously this phenomenal athlete everyone knows and loves – he’s also down to play, and he’s also a fan of the show. All these things lend themselves to being a good ‘SNL’ host,” the veteran castmember told TheWrap. “If I have any say in it, Steph should come host, for sure.”
This fall “SNL” will enter its 50th season. Some fan-favorite cast members are already set to make their return: Maya Rudolph will reprise her Emmy-winning role as Vice President Kamala Harris, and Nwodim teased that there may be more cameos and surprise returns to be announced.
“Well, 50th is just iconic, right? And I think any time alumni get to come back to the show, I think it feels so special,” she said. “There’s been 160 to 165 cast members in the history of the show, and so we’re part of this really close knit, small community.”
The “Scrambled” actress said that the energy around the 50th season – not only from those who work on it but also fans – is bound to fuel a powerhouse season.
“To have that energy return, which I know it will in the 50th, among other guests and cameos, is going to be unreal. And like a pinch me moment,” she said. “It’s like a big party. It’s like SNL is having a wedding, again.”
The new Peacock mockumentary series “Mr. Throwback” is Nwodim’s first series regular role outside of the sketch show. She plays Kimberly, the best friend of the Golden State Warriors sharp shooter and CEO of Curry’s company. Nwodim said that her time on SNL informed her performance as the uptight workaholic. who functions impeccably under pressure.
“If anything, the chaos of SNL is the sort of chaos that Kimberly would operate well in honestly,” she said. “There’s so much that’s unpredictable, ultimately, at the end of the day. And Kimberly, I think, operates in that world.
“That’s an energy I had been around, I have been around for the last six years of my life, and it’s an energy I’m kind of into.”
Adam Pally (“Happy Endings,” “The Mindy Project”) leads the mockumentary series as a a once sixth-grade basketball legend turned down-on-his-luck memorabilia vendor. Pally teamed up with David Caspe and the Libman Brothers to bring this series to life.
Curry plays himself in his first series regular spot. His multimedia production company Unanminous Media produced the Peacock series. This is not the first time that Nwodim and Curry have been scene partners, though. During his hosting gig at the 2022 ESPY Awards, he teamed up with her and a couple other “SNL” stars Jay Pharroh and Heidi Gardner.
“Mr. Throwback” will premiere on Peacock August 8. The mockumentary miniseries will have six 30-minute episodes.
