Ana Gasteyer Reflects on the One Time She Lost Her Character During ‘SNL’

Ana Gasteyer is reminiscing about some of her favorite moments on “Saturday Night Live” as the iconic show approaches its 50th anniversary special.

During an interview with TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie on February 11, Gasteyer shared her experiences on “SNL,” where she was a main cast member from 1996 to 2002, emphasizing how seldom she broke character.

“I’m quite good at maintaining my character,” she remarked, noting that she attempts to “dig deeper” and “play through” any impending breaks.

“I come from the old school—I believe it’s funnier when you play it genuinely,” she added.

The former “SNL” star mentioned that she only broke character during a dress rehearsal for a “wild donkey sketch” alongside Will Ferrell.

She described the skit as one where they rode donkeys while discussing the news, but things took a turn when “the donkeys went wild and headed for all the wrong cameras.”

“Will is a genius—when he breaks, it’s the funniest thing ever because he continues on, tears streaming down his face,” she chuckled.

Gasteyer admitted that during a rehearsal of the sketch, it became challenging for her to maintain composure.

“The entire scene was just a big smile, and I kept cracking up and switching back and forth,” she explained, illustrating how her expressions changed from joyous to serious.

“That was the only instance,” she recalled regarding her character break. “But I managed to hold it together on air.”

Savannah then revisited Gasteyer’s famous “SNL” sketch, “NPR’s Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls,” where she starred alongside Molly Shannon and Alec Baldwin. In this sketch, Gasteyer and Shannon portray NPR hosts interviewing a baker named Pete Schweddy (Baldwin), highlighting the delightful treats he bakes for the holiday season.

Reflecting on the sketch during her TODAY appearance, Gasteyer revealed that she and her co-stars almost broke character due to the audience’s overwhelming response.

“The audience reacted so enthusiastically because we had played those characters several times before,” Gasteyer said. “However, the brilliance of putting them in that scenario, speaking with such rich double entendres, drove the crowd wild.”

“SNL” is set to commemorate its 50th anniversary with a special three-hour primetime event airing Sunday, February 16, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET, featuring a plethora of stars, including Jimmy Fallon, Sabrina Carpenter, Chris Rock, and many more.