Sam Rockwell hosting first SNL of 2018 with musical guest Halsey
Sam Rockwell’s (probable) road to his first Oscar nomination will include a pit stop on Saturday Night Live.
The Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri star will host the variety show at the top of 2018, filling the slot with musical guest Halsey on the program’s Jan. 13 episode.
Excited to announce our first show of 2018! #SNL pic.twitter.com/GbUPXqyzXb
— Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) December 17, 2017
“The biggest of all dreams come true,” Halsey tweeted shortly after the announcement. “IM PLAYING F—–G SNL!!!!!… I CANT BELIEVE THIS.”
The biggest of all dreams come true. IM PLAYING FUCKING SNL!!!!! @nbcsnl I CANT BELIEVE THIS. pic.twitter.com/oXIDeRMo7j
— h (@halsey) December 17, 2017
Three Billboards, written and directed by Martin McDonagh, follows a grieving mother, Mildred (Frances McDormand) who erects the titular signage as a means to light a fire under her local police department after they fail to capture her daughter’s murderer. Rockwell plays Dixon, a reckless, violent-tempered officer whose trajectory intertwines with Mildred’s in curious ways.
The film world-premiered to enthusiastic reviews at the Venice Film Festival, before traveling to similar awards-positioning festivals in Toronto and London throughout the rest of the year. On Monday, Rockwell picked up his first Golden Globe nomination for the role, and followed up with two nods — one for best supporting actor and one as part of the Three Billboards ensemble — from the Screen Actors Guild on Wednesday.
Halsey, who rose to prominence with her debut album Badlands in 2015, is currently enjoying chart success with a pair of singles: “Bad at Love” and the G-Eazy collaboration “Him & I,” which have thus far peaked at No. 8 and No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.
SNL returns Jan. 13 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
