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Josh O'Connor Brings "The Last of Us" to Saturday Night Live

  //humor-quirks.news-articles.net/content/2025/12 .. rings-the-last-of-us-to-saturday-night-live.html
  Published in Humor and Quirks on Sunday, December 14th 2025 at 10:55 GMT by USA Today

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Josh O’Connor Brings “The Last of Us” and a Dash of “Ratatouille” to Saturday Night Live

On the winter‑night broadcast of Saturday Night Live (SNL) on December 14, 2025, the network’s first‑time host, British actor Josh O’Connor, delivered a monologue that blended his breakout role in the HBO hit The Last of Us with a surprisingly culinary twist that left many viewers amused and a few bewildered. The segment, which aired on a Saturday night in the middle of a busy holiday season, was one of the most talked‑about moments of the episode and, according to a handful of online commentators, set a new precedent for how an actor from a video‑game‑adaptation series can translate that persona into live‑action comedy.

From “The Last of Us” to the SNL stage

O’Connor, who first drew international attention for his portrayal of Joel in the 2023 adaptation of Neil Gaiman‑style game, has long been considered a rising star. The actor’s portrayal was lauded for its raw intensity and the subtle humor that sometimes seeped into his scenes. The Last of Us quickly became a cultural touchstone, and the fact that a star from the show was slated to host SNL was a big deal for both the network and the fans of the series. The article points out that this marked the first time in SNL history that a lead actor from a major video‑game‑adaptation series has been granted the platform of a monologue.

A monologue that “cooks” up laughs

O’Connor’s monologue opened with a quick nod to the The Last of Us franchise, joking that he was “tired of telling people he’s just playing a video game” and that the only thing he truly wanted to do now was “go back to the game’s original source material.” The joke was followed by a playful dig at his own height, and then O’Connor pivoted to a seemingly unrelated but delightfully apt reference to the 2007 Pixar film Ratatouille. He quipped that if he could be a chef in a world that had turned into a “zombie-infested culinary disaster,” he might have had better chances of surviving than in the bleak “real world.” The monologue’s pivot into a “how‑to” guide for surviving the apocalypse while also serving up a gourmet meal was something that, according to the article, “earned the house a chorus of laughter.”

Critics and viewers noted that the “Ratatouille” joke was one of the most memorable moments of the monologue, because it was an unexpected and well‑timed reference that seemed to merge O’Connor’s current fame with a nod to classic Disney humor. A few commentators suggested that this move was a deliberate attempt to show that the actor is “not just a serious drama player but also has a sense of self‑parody and can riff on his own image.”

Behind the scenes: the writing process

The article links to a short interview with the SNL writing team, which explained that the “Ratatouille” gag was one of the first ideas that came up when the team brainstormed O’Connor’s monologue. The writer team also mentioned that O’Connor was involved in the process, adding that they “loved the way he played with the idea of cooking in a zombie world” and that the team tried to keep the references subtle enough that they would land with viewers who may not have been fans of the original film.

Another interesting note from the behind‑the‑scenes section is that the monologue was written in a collaborative way: SNL’s regular writers, some of whom had seen O’Connor’s work on the series, came together to “make sure we’re respectful to the source material but also not too heavy.” The result was a balanced mix of homage and self‑deprecating humor that, as the writers put it, “told a story about an actor in a world where everyone is trying to be a chef, but all you want to do is survive.”

Reception: critics, fans, and social media

The article points out that while some viewers applauded O’Connor’s willingness to poke fun at himself, others were not as enthusiastic about the “Ratatouille” joke. Critics from The New York Times and Variety described the monologue as “a solid opener that shows O’Connor’s comedic chops, though it may not have resonated with every audience member.” Meanwhile, on Twitter, a handful of fans used the hashtag #RatatouilleSNL to share clips from the segment. One user described the joke as “the best thing about the whole show” while another noted that the reference “showed the actor was clever, quick, and ready to take the SNL mantle seriously.”

The article also cites a handful of SNL historians who believe that O’Connor’s monologue will become part of the long list of memorable moments in the program’s history—particularly because it combines the show’s tradition of drawing jokes from pop‑culture with the contemporary phenomenon of video‑game adaptations.

What the segment means for O’Connor’s career

In the concluding paragraph, the article looks to the future. It cites a brief interview with O’Connor in which he reflected on the experience, saying that it was “an honor” to be on SNL, and that “the best part was being able to connect with a new audience.” O’Connor also hinted that he would consider doing more stand‑up or comedic roles in the future, citing the “surreal world of comedy” as an opportunity to explore other facets of his talent.

The piece closes with a note that while the “Ratatouille” joke was the highlight for many, the overall tone of the monologue was one of humility and the recognition that, even in a zombie‑filled world, there’s always room for a bit of culinary humor. The article encourages readers to check out the full clip on the SNL website, and provides links to other related articles about The Last of Us and the history of SNL hosts from unconventional backgrounds.