Bill Hader Makes a Mean Severus Snape in Daniel Radcliffe's Harry Potter SNL Sketch
The Boy Who Lived was reliving his glory in a sketch featuring Kristen Wiig as Professor McGonagall and Bill Hader as Severus Snape.
When Danielle Radcliffe made his Saturday Night Live hosting debut back in 2012, it’d be safe to assume that a riot would ensue if a Harry Potter sketch didn’t make it on air. Fortunately for Potterheads, SNL’s Season 37 writers and cast members did not disappoint.
Radcliffe reprised his most famous role as Harry Potter when he was the Host of SNL's January 14, 2012 episode. The hilarious sketch takes place roughly decade after the final movie adaptation premiered. The young wizard wasn’t so young anymore, and since his epic adventures, he's become the guy who hangs around campus because he can’t get over his glory days.
RELATED: Why Seth Meyers' Harry Potter-Obsessed Kids Said No to Meeting Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe plays a pathetic version of Harry Potter in SNL’s “Hogwarts” epilogue sketch
Set at Hogwarts Castle in 2020, the sketch begins with Kristen Wiig in a witch hat as Professor McGonagall, showing a group of new students around. “Gather round! This is the Gryffindor common room where you shall study, socialize, and sign up for extracurriculars,” she says in a very proper British accent. “Many of Hogwarts’ greatest alums once graced these halls — some of them have become legends.”
“Hello!” Radcliffe happily announces, appearing as Harry Potter. “Did somebody say legend? That’s right, the Boy Who Lived in the flesh! Congratulations to all of you being accepted to Hogwarts, these are going to be the best days of your lives. Honestly, the best. It does not get better ... Feels like just yesterday I was here!”
“You were here yesterday,” the McGonagall tells him. “And the day before, which is odd considering you graduated 10 years ago.”
“Ha! Yes,” Harry says before changing the subject. “So is he who must not be named giving you any trouble?"
“Voldemort?” Nasim Pedrad, playing a new student, responds. “No, he’s dead.”
“Oh, that’s right — I killed him! Remember that? Yeah! That was great, let’s all celebrate. You love it kids. Yeah!” Harry says while high-fiving the new students. “Just eliminated all evil all over the world, you’re welcome. I did that when I was 18. And just yesterday, this is equally exciting, I bought a Volvo.”
Bill Hader made for a mean Severus Snape in SNL's Harry Potter epilogue
Harry tries to offer the young students a can of what might be Butterbeer before Hermione Granger (Abby Elliot) and Ron Weasley (Taran Killam) spot their old bestie.
“Harry James Potter, you’re back! Again,” Hermione says, reminding Harry that she and Ron are teachers at Hogwarts now.
“Yeah we work here, so it’s not weird,” Ron adds.
After attempting to crack a wizard joke about not being able to make his mortgage disappear, Harry notices his nemesis. “Well, well, well, Harry Potter,” Draco Malfoy (Paul Brittian) teases.
“Malfoy, still hanging around? Lurking?” Harry says. “You can’t keep living in the past, mate!”
Clarifying that he and his wife were actually dropping their daughter off at Hogwarts orientation, Malfoy asks Harry if he was really playing quidditch outside Hogwarts “alone, and making cheering noises.”
”Ha ha ha, no. Yes,” Harry reluctantly answers. “But you know, still having fun, though, not boring and married like you!”
Turns out Harry is in the minority here, as Hagrid (Bobby Moynihan) reveals he’s married to Luna Lovegood (Vanessa Bayer). “Yup, a lonely janitor in a trenchcoat who lives just off campus found love with a student. Who would have guessed?” Hagrid shrugs.
And then, Professor Severus Snape (Bill Hader) ominously appears. “Still watching me from beyond,” Harry says. “I used to think this bloke was working for the dark lord. Turns out, he was looking after me the whole time. Oops!”
“Oops? Really?” Snape says. “Harry, you turned out magnificently. Definitely worth sacrificing my life."
“Is he being sarcastic? I can’t tell,” Harry asks the group before gathering the newbie students to watch him reenact his bridge fight with Voldemort. “Still got it!"
RELATED: Daniel Radcliffe Cast In Tracy Morgan's New Comedy on NBC (DETAILS)
From the casting to the whole premise, fans loved SNL's look into Harry Potter's future. "Harry losing his sense of purpose after defeating Voldemort is a pretty funny premise ngl," one commented on the sketch, while another added, "I can't get over how perfectly Bill Hader nailed Snape's voice."
"The fact that Daniel Radcliffe still says 'Malfoy' in the same loathing way as he did when he as 11 gives me so much joy," one more commented.
How to watch Saturday Night Live
You can watch Radcliffe's episode and all 50 seasons of Saturday Night Live on Peacock right now.
New episodes of Saturday Night Live air on Saturdays at 11:30/10:30c on NBC and are available to watch next day on Peacock.
Shop SNL merch!
