Obsession star Inde Navarrette skewers Shane Gillis over his controversial and sexist joke in SNL monologue

Inde Navarrette used her first opening monologue at Studio 8H to playfully separate herself from the character that introduced her to many viewers.

The actor opened by referring to her role in Obsession, telling the audience that people often ask whether she resembles Nikki, her character in the movie. Her answer was emphatic: she does not.

A visual contrast with her movie character

Navarrette then shifted the focus to her relationship with boyfriend Nick Aiello, who was present in the audience. She described their relationship as relaxed and “chill,” setting up a visual punchline that contrasted with the intensity associated with her Obsession role.

When the camera cut to Aiello, he was shown seated in the crowd, bound with tape and gagged to a chair. The staged image provided the central joke of the monologue while underscoring Navarrette’s claim that her off-screen relationship is unlike the one portrayed through her character.

Why the moment stood out

The appearance marked Navarrette’s first opening monologue at Studio 8H. Rather than treating her breakthrough role as a straightforward introduction, she used it as the basis for a self-referential performance built around the difference between fiction and her personal life.

The segment also gave viewers a clear introduction to Navarrette’s comedic approach: direct, visual and centered on the contrast between what audiences may expect from her movie role and how she described herself outside it.