'SNL': Elizabeth Olsen Cameos During Benedict Cumberbatch's Episode

Elizabeth Olsen made a cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live this week with host Benedict Cumberbatch. Cumberbatch was there promoting his new Marvel Studios film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, so it's no surprise that his co-star Olsen showed up for a sketch. She joined cast member Chloe Fineman for a segment called "The Understudy."

The sketch took advantage of Fineman's knack for impersonations, and her vague resemblance to Olsen. It began by joking that Fineman can use her impression skills to fill in for other cast members like Kate McKinnnon, Cecily Strong and Melissa Villaseñor when needed. She then dressed up like Olsen's Marvel Cinematic Universe character, the Scarlett Witch, and successfully convinced Cumberbatch that she was Olsen. Just then, the real Olsen appeared on screen, convincing Cumberbatch that he was seeing double.

"Oh god, the multiverse is real!" He yelled. This was one of the two most overt advertisements for the new MCU movie couched inside this week's SNL episode. Cumberbatch also mentioned the new movie in his opening monologue, but other than that the show tried to avoid directly promoting the massive franchise.

Both Cumberbatch and Olsen have been active on the press tour for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which premiered on Friday, May 6 in theaters. In the process, Olsen weighed in on the endless debate about whether MCU films measure up to non-franchise movies on an artistic level. In an interview with The Independent, she argued that the people behind these movies work as hard as anyone else in the industry.

"I'm not saying we're making indie art films, but I just think it takes away from our crew, which bugs me," she said. "These are some of the most amazing set designers, costume designers, camera operators – I feel diminishing them with that kind of criticism takes away from all the people who do award-winning films, that also work on these projects."

Olsen clarified that she is not personally bothered by the criticisms. She said: "From an actor's point of view, whatever, I get it; I totally understand that there's a different kind of performance that's happening. But I do think throwing Marvel under the bus takes away from the hundreds of very talented crew people. That's where I get a little feisty about that... I only signed on to do a couple movies, so it continues to be a surprise when they want to use me for more projects. I've been confused by how lucky I got with them wanting to make WandaVision."

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is theaters everywhere now. Cumberbatch's episode of SNL is streaming now on Peacock and Hulu.

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