Will Ferrell brought back one of his longest-running celebrity jokes during his latest return to Saturday Night Live, as Chad Smith hilariously crashed the actor’s opening monologue dressed exactly like him. The surprise moment came during the season 51 finale, with Ferrell returning to host the sketch comedy show for the sixth time.

Rather than Ferrell immediately walking on stage, it was Smith who first appeared before the audience at Studio 8H, sporting the same blue suit and hairstyle as the actor. Ferrell later emerged and jokingly claimed Smith had “pushed me down backstage” before trying to steal the spotlight by pretending he was the night’s musical guest. The playful confusion continued when music legend Paul McCartney briefly joined the bit and jokingly mixed the two up.

The appearance marked Ferrell’s sixth time hosting SNL, placing him among the show’s elite returning hosts as season 51 officially came to a close. The actor, who originally served as an SNL cast member from 1995 to 2002, has remained one of the show’s most recognizable alumni over the years through recurring appearances and anniversary specials.

The monologue cameo also helped set the tone for an unusually star-studded season finale. Along with Smith’s surprise appearance, music icon Paul McCartney made a brief comedic cameo during the opening segment, while Ferrell later reunited with his Superstar co-star Molly Shannon in one of the night’s sketches, adding to the nostalgia surrounding his return.

But for longtime fans, the joke between Ferrell and Chad Smith goes back much further than Saturday night’s monologue.

Why has Will Ferrell and Chad Smith’s lookalike joke lasted for years?

Ferrell and Smith’s resemblance has been an ongoing joke for more than a decade, with fans frequently pointing out the uncanny similarities between the comedian and the Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer. The pair famously embraced the comparison publicly in 2014 when they appeared together on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon for an over-the-top drum battle that quickly became a viral favorite.

The playful rivalry later expanded into charity work, with Ferrell and Smith using their lookalike status to help raise money for cancer causes while continuing to joke about who people confuse more often in public. Over time, what started as an internet meme gradually turned into one of entertainment’s most beloved running celebrity jokes.

Saturday night’s SNL appearance simply gave fans another reminder that neither Ferrell nor Smith appears tired of leaning into the comparison anytime soon.

Do you think Will Ferrell and Chad Smith are still one of Hollywood’s funniest celebrity lookalike duos? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Aarav Poonia

Edited by

Hriddhi Maitra