The list of hosts asked back to emcee the Film Independent Spirit Awards is sort of legendary. Buck Henry, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Silverman, Aubrey Plaza, and, now, Aidy Bryant. A three-time Emmy Award nominee, Bryant ruled the room in 2024 with an opening monologue that killed. She’s back for another go at it, but when we caught up early last week, she was in New York for another big event, “SNL50.”
READ MORE: “Anora” and “Shogun” dominate the 2025 Spirit Awards nominations
Bryant kept her participation in the show a secret (she reprised her role in the “Close Encounter” skits), but was excited about what her one-time boss, Lorne Michaels, and some legendary “Saturday Night Live” writers, had put together.
“I think it’s a real testament to what Lorne has done, this overwhelming, I mean, even just the list of names, you’re like, ‘My God.’ So, I’m feeling very honored to be there at all and really excited to see old friends,” Bryant says. “And I was very lucky in that. I can’t remember if it was my second year or I think maybe my second or third year was when the 40th happened. So, that was a very surreal experience to attend as a very new cast member. So, I’m looking forward to going back as someone who really spent a decade there and just enjoy the performances. Honestly, I think it’s going to be a thrill.”
With the 40th Anniversary of the Spirit Awards on tap, we also did a deep dive into Bryant’s experience last year and what she’s got planned on Saturday.
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The Playlist: When they asked you to host again, what made you say “yes”? Was it more fun than you thought it was going to be the first time around?
Aidy Bryant: I have to say, I had a lot of fun. I really never dreamed of hosting an award show, honestly. But I was sort of like, “That was such a blast. Let’s do it one more time.”
Last year, the biggest reaction from almost the entire show, even more than perhaps the winners’ speeches, was your monologue and the “Stupid Bitch” punchline. First of all, who came up with it? And then secondly, you’ve done so much in your career, but were you nervous about pulling that off?
I wasn’t that nervous. No. I mean, I dunno. I think I came up with it. And then Sudi Green and Fran Gillespie, who I wrote with at “SNL” and wrote with last year for the Spirit Awards and this year as well, they were like, “Let’s do it.” And yeah, I wasn’t that nervous. I mean, I will say I chose all people that I had met or knew in some capacity, so I at least knew, they knew I wasn’t coming with a bazooka. It was all done with love.
But again, you weren’t nervous. You thought it would play.
I thought it would play and it did. It did. I wasn’t wrong!
You have a tremendous amount of experience doing live television, but you’re doing a live award show, and anything can happen. Many of us forget that at the Spirit Awards last year there were protesters supporting Palestine blasting outside of the tent during the show. Do you remember this?
Yeah, yeah, I do.
Did that rattle you guys at the time?
I think honestly, I don’t remember being rattled. I remember it was kind of hard to hear at first. And so I think at first it was like, “Is everything O.K.? Is something going on?” And once we understood what it was, honestly, to me, I’m like, they have a complete right to be there. And I didn’t feel like it was disruptive. I honestly thought they got to get their point across and I felt like the show was still a success as well. So on some level, it’s not something I’ve really been concerned about this year or anything like that. I thought it was kind of all right.
This decade has found world events ingrain themselves into awards season. Whether it’s COVID, the strikes, or, now, the LA wildfires.
I mean, I think this is where I feel a big gratitude for my work at “SNL” because that is part of your training there is absorbing what’s happening in the world and reflecting it back in the show in some way. And I do think it’s the natural thing for a comedian to do is to comment on what’s happening or speak about the truth of the world, in the moment. And so it feels, I think it’s one of those things where everyone in the room is going to know what has happened this year – what happened not even a mile away. The fires, I don’t feel a pressure to explain any of it. I think if anything, I really want people to have a good time and enjoy it. We can acknowledge that it’s a weird time to be celebrating, but I also think it’s a great time to put people to work in Los Angeles, and that’s part of what the Spirit Awards do.
You mentioned your writers are returning from last year. Have ideas been considered yet for the show or monologue?
Yeah, we started working a couple of weeks ago and I just took some of the material out and tested a bit of it and it was really fun. So, we’re feeling pretty good. I mean, we still have some work to do, but these two girls are my dream team. I worked with them at “SNL” for many years. They both are sought-after pros who everybody wants in the comedy industry. So, I feel very lucky to have them back with me this year. And I think we’re going to put on a really fun show.
I know you’re definitely in SAG. I think you’re probably in WGA too, right?
Yeah, yeah. Oh yeah.
So I’m guessing you’ve seen almost all the nominees this year?
Oh yeah. Oh yeah.
Do you have any favorites? Are there any movies or performances you’re rooting for?
Oh, man. I mean, I have to say I think this is a really fun year. There are so many great nominees and movies that I really loved seeing in the theaters. “The Substance” for me was such an awesome wild ride. And to see it with a crowd of people in the theater, it was like, “Oh my God,” it was going to a theme park or something. It was so alive. Honestly, I loved that movie. I also loved some of the quieter ones like “Janet Planet” and “Anora” are a blast. I love Sean Baker‘s films and yeah, I mean, I thought “Nickel Boys” was beautiful. I’m a big fan of “Sing Sing,” amazing. This is really part of why I agree to host this award show. I love independent film and I really believe in the scrappiness or the coming together, the shared vision, and what these people put together often on these tight budgets. It’s amazing to see what they make. And I think it, it’s kind of the best of what I don’t know this community does.
I don’t know if you noticed, but we’re speaking after both the PGA and the DGA Awards occurred, and now it looks like one of the big nominees at the Spirit Awards, “Anora,” is probably going to win Best Picture. Is that something you might try to reflect on in the monologue? Do you think you guys will acknowledge the other awards sibling in the room?
I try to keep my focus on just what I’m doing. I actually think that one of the nice things about this award show is it is kind of focused on the little guy, and I’m like that about it. So I’m trying to just stay in my own lane.
If there was one reason you would tell people to watch you would tell people to watch The Spirit Awards on Saturday, what would it be?
Oh, I feel like the Spirit Awards are always a little bit wilder than any other award show. And I know that people start drinking bullet whiskey at basically 11:00 AM so I feel like tune in, and just see what comes out of people.
That is an understatement. I have to say I always try to arrive a little later. I’m not a day drinker, and when your friends are wasted at 11:30 AM, it’s wild.
It’s kind of an e exciting situation. I prefer my audiences very drunk, so it’s good.
The 40th Independent Spirit Awards will be held on Saturday, February 23 and streamed live on YouTube beginning at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET
