Saturday Night Live came roaring back from its holiday break last month with an episode packed full of surprise cameos, but one cameo stood out above the rest. Appearing in a fake trailer for a Harry Potter and “Heated Rivalry” mashup titled Heated Wizardry, Jason Momoa leaned fully into the absurdity as a sassier-than-expected Hagrid, delivering a performance that quickly became one of the night’s most talked-about moments. Fans quickly wondered how the actor managed to squeeze in the cameo with such a packed movie and 2026 TV schedule, and he has the answers.
In a new interview with Collider, Momoa revealed he was already in New York promoting The Wrecking Crew, his 2026 movie release alongside Dave Bautista, when the opportunity arose. Momoa explained that the cameo wasn’t really planned, as it came together quickly once he saw what SNL had in mind. He explained:
Listen, I was here to do press, and I wanted to do SNL. Obviously, there are other guests, and you're in town. I’ll always do SNL. It’s my favorite show in the world. When I saw the pages, it was just genius. I was dying. And yeah, I just came in and did it while we were doing The Wrecking Crew tour. I'll do anything for those guys.
The sketch placed the Aquaman star’s version of Hagrid squarely inside SNL’s exaggerated and deliberately over-the-top and steamy Heated Rivalry format. Momoa didn’t treat the appearance as a quick walk-on, either. He committed fully to the bit, and his obvious affection for the long-running sketch show made it clear he approaches even short cameos with the same energy he brings to larger comedic roles.
That willingness to jump into comedy lines up with the direction the Game of Thrones alum has been taking in recent years. While he’s best known for imposing action movie roles, his collaborations with Bautista, including The Wrecking Crew, have leaned heavily into comedy. Both actors have spoken openly about wanting to show more range and avoid being boxed into stoic, rugged, tough-guy performances.
Momoa’s enthusiasm for Saturday Night Live isn’t new, either. He’s been vocal about his love for the show’s live format and unpredictable energy, which helps explain why he was eager to make time for the cameo despite a busy promotional schedule. The fact that the appearance happened while he was actively touring for another project only adds to its spontaneity.
Ultimately, Momoa’s turn on the sketch show wasn’t the result of a carefully planned rollout. It happened quickly, sparked by a script that genuinely made him laugh. For Saturday Night Live, that kind of last-minute enthusiasm is often the secret ingredient behind its most memorable moments.
The steamy sketch in question, along with the show’s full 51-season run, is available to stream with a Peacock subscription. Meanwhile, viewers looking to catch up with Jason Momoa’s latest film, The Wrecking Crew, can stream it now with an Amazon Prime Video subscription.
