Looking back, hosting ‘Saturday Night Live’ just weeks after 9/11 was incredibly heavy. I was only 24, and the show aired on September 29th, so the country was still reeling. It’s something I’ll never forget, honestly – the weight of trying to bring a little bit of lightness during such a dark time.
So, Reese Witherspoon was on Dax Shepard’s podcast, and she didn’t hold back about hosting Saturday Night Live. She basically said it was a disaster – a flat-out zero stars, and she wouldn’t advise anyone to do it. She explained that Lorne Michaels, the show’s creator, really emphasized how crucial that episode was, putting a lot of pressure on her right from the start.
Being asked to do that was a lot for someone my age, just 24. Lorne Michaels called, practically begging me to participate. He explained that Rudy Giuliani and all the firefighters would be there, Paul Simon was going to perform, and he needed me to do something upbeat to help the country feel better. He said we needed to laugh and regain our national spirit after everything that had happened.
I was twenty-four and had a one-year-old, so becoming a new mom was a big change. That summer, a major movie I was in came out, and I always follow through on my commitments – unless something truly unexpected happens. Thankfully, everything went well and the movie was a success.
The SNL episode from September 29, 2001, included a memorable appearance by then-New York City Mayor Giuliani, who spoke while standing with the city’s first responders. Interestingly, this was also the first episode for future cast members Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers, both of whom went on to become popular and long-term members of the show before leaving in 2008 and 2014.
I was so fascinated to hear Reese Witherspoon talk about her experience hosting Saturday Night Live! She described it as being so overwhelming that she felt completely disconnected from herself throughout the entire show. It was apparently such a whirlwind that she didn’t go back to host for many years – not until 2015, actually. And surprisingly, even after that second time, she hasn’t hosted SNL again since then. It just goes to show how intense that experience was for her!
Reese Witherspoon hosted SNL shortly after the huge success of Legally Blonde (2001), which made her a major star. Before that, she had already gained recognition for her roles in the films Election (1999) and Pleasantville (1998).
Reese Witherspoon is not only a busy producer, but she also stars in the hit Apple TV+ series, The Morning Show, alongside Jennifer Aniston. Season four of The Morning Show began in September, and the final episodes are set to be released later this month.
Reese Witherspoon is also working on a new Legally Blonde project – a TV show called Elle. She’s an executive producer on the Prime Video series, which will tell the story of Elle Woods during her high school years, starring Lexi Minetree. The show is planned for release next year.
A third Legally Blonde movie is being developed, and Reese Witherspoon is expected to return as Elle Woods. If the film comes out, it might encourage her to host Saturday Night Live again, potentially for the third time.
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2025-11-04 17:48