Even after years at Saturday Night Live, Mikey Day admits some moments still leave him speechless, like giving acting advice to Meryl Streep.
The veteran SNL writer and performer recently opened up on the Hey Dude… The 90s Called podcast about the surreal experience of working with the Oscar-winning legend during SNL’s 50th anniversary special. Streep made her first-ever appearance on the show in a sketch co-written by Day, and her meticulous prep work stood out.
“She was memorising everything, totally immersed in character,” Day shared. “I’m standing there thinking, ‘What is happening?’ I’m literally telling Meryl Streep, the greatest actor of all time, to just read from the cue cards.”
At SNL, writers are also the producers of their sketches, meaning Day had to guide Streep through the production process. It led to the unlikely scenario where he was offering her performance notes, not because she wasn’t nailing it, but because her instincts were too perfect for the show’s casual, fast-paced style.
“She was just doing more than necessary, out of habit,” he laughed. “I told her, ‘You don’t need to memorise. The cards are right there!’”
Day, who also hosts Netflix’s Is It Cake? and has built a steady career in comedy and voice work, still can’t quite believe the interaction. Despite years working alongside A-listers, he called the moment 'one of those rare times where it hits you that this is not normal.'
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ