'SNL' Sets Billie Eilish and Paul Rudd as Final Hosts of 2021

By Andrew Roberts

Saturday Night Live will close out the year with a new addition to the Five-Timers Club and the latest musician pulling double duty as host and performer. Paul Rudd will host the long-running sketch comedy series for the fifth time, supported by Charli XCX as musical guest.

Before Rudd closes out the year on Dec. 18, Billie Eilish will play both roles as host and musical guest on Dec. 11. Eilish will be the first musical guest since Nick Jonas last season and follows a line of top names that take on the challenge each season. Halsey, Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles, and more have all made their mark on the series.

Eilish released her second album earlier in the summer. Titled Happier Than Ever, the young musician seemed to transform herself, revealing blonde hair and dropping her baggy clothes for a string of high-profile interviews and appearances. She also starred in a musical film on Disney+ around the same time, giving this SNL appearance a lot of weight.

Rudd will be on to promote Ghostbusters: Afterlife and his Apple series alongside Will Ferrell, The Shrink Next Door. Ferrel could also make a return appearance due to the timing of the show. Traditionally, the holiday/year-end episode features plenty of cameos and fun from the show's past. Ferrell also appeared with Rudd in 2013 along with the other Anchorman 2 stars.

The Anchorman star last hosted the show back in season 44 for the season finale, preceding it with a Dec. 7 appearance in 2013. It will also be Charli XCX's second time performing on the show, supporting her new album Crash that will be released in March 2022.

This has been a season of transition for SNL, with many members of the cast on the bubble for exits and several new additions making their marks from the star. James Austin Johnson has already been thrust into roles as Donald Trump and Joe Biden, replacing Alec Baldwin, Jim Carrey, and fellow castmember Alex Moffat at the former and current president, respectively. Sarah Sherman, also known by her stage name Sarah Squirm, is a blast on social media and had her first Weekend Update segment during the recent Jonathan Majors episode.

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