Pete Davidson Met Leonardo DiCaprio Seconds Before Going Onstage at SNL 40 — and the Oscar Winner Was a Fan!

Mar. 15, 2025

Pete Davidson; Leonardo DiCaprio.Photo:Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty; Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty

Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty; Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty

Pete Davidsonalready had some nerves going intoSaturday Night Live’s 40th anniversary show— and then,Leonardo DiCaprioraised the stakes.As the 50th anniversary of the late-night sketch comedy show approaches, the comedian, 31, reflected on the last major anniversary show, which took place in 2015, during an appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.“That was my first year and it was fun for me because no one knew [me] — I was a new guy, so no one knew who I was. They thought, you know, whatever, I was just backstage,” Davidson recalled.He was actually “able to enjoy it,” he said, because he felt somewhat anonymous during what he called “the most anxiety-provoking” show of all.“Like, what you guys don’t know is the audience is, like,Jack Nicholson,Taylor Swift— it’s not a normal audience. So you’re like dressed like a potato …. and then Jack Nicholson’s just sitting there.“Pete Davidson walks the red carpet at the SNL 40th Anniversary Special at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on February 15, 2015.Michael Loccisano/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via GettyWhenJimmy Fallondescribed the anniversary shows as “bizarre,” Davidson agreed and shared a particularly memorable part of the 2015 special episode.“I only had one job. Me andLeslie Jones— the great Leslie Jones — we were gonna introduce a category or whatever,” he recalled.When he and Jones got a 5-second countdown to their segment, “Leonardo DiCaprio tugged my shirt. And he had his bigRevenantbeard,” Davidson said. “And he just went, ‘I like what you’re doing.'“Immediately after receiving the compliment, Davidson and Jones were given their cue and cameras picked up — which added to how surreal the moment was for theBupkisstar.Leonardo DiCaprio attends the AFI Awards at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on January 12, 2024.Jesse Grant/GettyFallon and Davidson are not the only ones in a reflective mood asSNL’s 50th anniversary special approaches.AlumsSeth Meyers,Kate McKinnon,Molly Shannon, Jones and current castmembersKenan ThompsonandBowen Yangall reunited for this week’s issue, andthey shared some of their memories from the show — including how they all ended up on it.Jones, 57, recalled being “cocky as f—” during her audition for the showin 2014. “I walked in there, I was like, ‘Y’all in the back, move to the front. I don’t perform like that.’ And then when I finished I was like, ‘My name is Leslie Jones. Peace.'“Meyers, 51, remembered it clearly. “I would’ve told you nobody laughs at auditions because nobody laughed at mine, but I was there for Leslie’s,” he said.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special airs Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Pete Davidsonalready had some nerves going intoSaturday Night Live’s 40th anniversary show— and then,Leonardo DiCaprioraised the stakes.

As the 50th anniversary of the late-night sketch comedy show approaches, the comedian, 31, reflected on the last major anniversary show, which took place in 2015, during an appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

“That was my first year and it was fun for me because no one knew [me] — I was a new guy, so no one knew who I was. They thought, you know, whatever, I was just backstage,” Davidson recalled.

He was actually “able to enjoy it,” he said, because he felt somewhat anonymous during what he called “the most anxiety-provoking” show of all.

“Like, what you guys don’t know is the audience is, like,Jack Nicholson,Taylor Swift— it’s not a normal audience. So you’re like dressed like a potato …. and then Jack Nicholson’s just sitting there.”

Pete Davidson walks the red carpet at the SNL 40th Anniversary Special at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on February 15, 2015.Michael Loccisano/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

Michael Loccisano/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

WhenJimmy Fallondescribed the anniversary shows as “bizarre,” Davidson agreed and shared a particularly memorable part of the 2015 special episode.

“I only had one job. Me andLeslie Jones— the great Leslie Jones — we were gonna introduce a category or whatever,” he recalled.

When he and Jones got a 5-second countdown to their segment, “Leonardo DiCaprio tugged my shirt. And he had his bigRevenantbeard,” Davidson said. “And he just went, ‘I like what you’re doing.'”

Immediately after receiving the compliment, Davidson and Jones were given their cue and cameras picked up — which added to how surreal the moment was for theBupkisstar.

Leonardo DiCaprio attends the AFI Awards at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on January 12, 2024.Jesse Grant/Getty

Jesse Grant/Getty

Fallon and Davidson are not the only ones in a reflective mood asSNL’s 50th anniversary special approaches.

AlumsSeth Meyers,Kate McKinnon,Molly Shannon, Jones and current castmembersKenan ThompsonandBowen Yangall reunited for this week’s issue, andthey shared some of their memories from the show — including how they all ended up on it.

Jones, 57, recalled being “cocky as f—” during her audition for the showin 2014. “I walked in there, I was like, ‘Y’all in the back, move to the front. I don’t perform like that.’ And then when I finished I was like, ‘My name is Leslie Jones. Peace.'”

Meyers, 51, remembered it clearly. “I would’ve told you nobody laughs at auditions because nobody laughed at mine, but I was there for Leslie’s,” he said.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special airs Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

source: people.com