You know that feeling when you're trying to stay serious during a meeting, but your best friend across the table makes one specific, stupid face and you just... crumble? That's basically the entire professional relationship between Kate McKinnon and Ryan Gosling.
Honestly, they shouldn't work this well. On one hand, you have McKinnon, a chameleon of sketch comedy who seems to have been born in a wig and prosthetic nose. On the other, you have Gosling, an Oscar-nominated "serious" actor who has spent the better part of the last decade proving he’s actually just a giant, blonde goofball trapped in a leading man’s body.
But when they get together, specifically on the stage of Saturday Night Live, something happens. The "breaking" starts. The professionalism evaporates. And the audience gets to see two people having more fun than should probably be legal on live television.
The Sketch That Changed Everything: "Close Encounter"
It all started back in December 2015. It was Gosling’s first time hosting. Most people expected him to be the "straight man"—the guy who stands there and lets the funny people do the heavy lifting. Then came the first Close Encounter sketch.
If you haven’t seen it, the premise is simple. Three people get abducted by aliens. Two of them (Ryan Gosling and Cecily Strong) have a beautiful, spiritual, "ASMR love tingle" experience. The third, Miss Rafferty (McKinnon), basically gets a cosmic wedgie.
Why It Became a Viral Monster
It wasn't just the writing. It was the physical space—or lack of it. McKinnon’s character, a chain-smoking, pantsless survivor of "gray alien" groping, decided to use Gosling’s body as a prop. She leaned into him. She grabbed his face. She described being "full Porky Pigging it" in a drafty dome.
Gosling didn't just laugh; he folded. He spent half the sketch with his head in his hands, trying to remember he was a movie star while Kate McKinnon talked about "knockers" and "south mouths."
- The "Breaking" Factor: Gosling has become the king of "breaking character." Critics sometimes call it unprofessional, but fans love it. It makes the show feel alive.
- The Chemistry: There is a specific "Lesbian/Himbo alliance" energy here. They aren't trying to outshine each other; McKinnon is the hunter, and Gosling is the delighted prey.
- The Recurring Gag: They’ve done this sketch three times now. Once in 2015, once in 2017, and most recently in April 2024. Every single time, the result is the same: Gosling loses it, and the internet loses its mind.
More Than Just Alien Abductions
While the "Close Encounter" series is the peak of the Kate McKinnon and Ryan Gosling saga, their connection goes deeper into the "Weirdo Cinematic Universe."
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Take the 2023 Barbie movie. While they didn't share dozens of scenes, their characters represented the two extremes of Barbieland. McKinnon played "Weird Barbie," the outcast with the marker-drawn face and the permanent splits. Gosling played Ken, the man whose job is just "beach."
In a way, their SNL dynamic was the spiritual blueprint for the film’s tone. It was high-concept, absurd, and completely committed to the bit. When Gosling’s Todd (his SNL abductee character) describes his transparent robe and "troll nose" in the 2024 reunion, it’s not a far cry from the self-serious absurdity of Ken’s "Mojo Dojo Casa House."
The Real Secret to Their Dynamic
Most actors approach comedy by trying to be funny. McKinnon approaches it by being terrifyingly specific. Gosling approaches it by being vulnerable.
When McKinnon gets two inches from Gosling’s face to demonstrate how an alien "batted her knockers," she isn't playing for the camera. She's playing for him. She’s trying to break him. And because Gosling is so clearly a fan of her work, he can’t help but succumb.
It’s a rare thing in Hollywood: two A-listers who genuinely seem to delight in each other’s presence without any of the usual "look at me" ego.
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What This Means for Future Comedy
People are tired of polished, perfect content. We’re in an era where "authenticity" is the biggest buzzword, but these two actually deliver it. When you watch Ryan Gosling break into a wheezing laugh because Kate McKinnon is "vacuuming" his crotch on live TV, you’re seeing something real.
It's a reminder that comedy is often best when it’s falling apart.
Actionable Takeaways for the Comedy Fan
If you want to understand why this duo is the gold standard, do this:
- Watch the 2015 original "Close Encounter" first. Pay attention to Aidy Bryant and Cecily Strong—they’re trying so hard to hold the scene together while Ryan and Kate are in their own world.
- Compare it to the 2024 "Troll Nose" version. Notice how the "lore" of the characters has actually grown. They aren't just repeating lines; they're building a weird, sad universe.
- Look for the "Papyrus" sketch. While McKinnon isn't the lead in that one (she plays the therapist), her deadpan delivery is what allows Gosling to go full "tortured artist" over a font choice.
There’s no word yet on if they’ll ever do a full-length feature film together, but honestly? They don't need to. Five minutes of them on a beige sofa in Studio 8H is usually enough to carry us through the year.
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Next Steps for You: Go back and watch the "Close Encounter" cold open from April 2024. Pay close attention to the moment Sarah Sherman joins the group. It shows how the dynamic has evolved from a two-person powerhouse into a torch-passing moment for the new SNL cast, all while keeping the core chaos of the McKinnon-Gosling connection alive.