A Halloween debut with a callback
Inde Navarrette stepped onto the Studio 8H stage for her first opening monologue, closing out a Halloween episode that had begun with a cold open built around Donald Trump and a reappearance by Tom Hanks as David S. Pumpkins. The timing suited the 25-year-old, who leads the year's breakout horror film Obsession, and she appeared comfortable in the role, a contrast she drew herself with a stand-up comic she did not name at that point.[S1]
She opened by acknowledging how often viewers confuse her with Nikki, the character she plays in the film, and slipped briefly into that character's voice to reject the comparison. To underline the point she described her own relationship as relaxed, then invited the camera to find her boyfriend, Nick Aiello, seated in the audience and tied to a chair with a gag in his mouth.[S1]
The jab at Shane Gillis
From there Navarrette turned to Shane Gillis, whose own SNL monologue earlier in the month had drawn criticism for a joke about women wearing what he called whore outfits to the gym, specifically shorts in neon colors he likened to artificial bait. She borrowed the phrase for a line about her Marvel casting, saying she had been training hard and, each morning, put on her version of that outfit before heading to the gym.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6][S7][S8]
The remark landed as a direct response to Gillis, whose bit had already been widely criticized. Outlets covering the episode framed her monologue as a swipe at the comedian, and the moment became the most discussed part of the Halloween broadcast.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6][S7][S8]
A Marvel role confirmed on air
Navarrette also used the monologue to confirm that she will appear in an upcoming Marvel film as Rogue, a casting she framed as a surprise even to herself. She explained that the studio expects performers to be in strong physical condition, which she said had pushed her into a demanding workout routine ahead of the shoot.[S1]
