Saturday Night Live cast member Heidi Gardner recently opened up about her unforgettable breaking moment during a sketch featuring Ryan Gosling earlier this year, sharing her initial concerns and eventual acceptance of the endearing incident.
Speaking on the Not Skinny but Not Fat podcast, Gardner revealed that she had always taken pride in maintaining her composure during sketches. "I find it a big source of pride that I never break," she explained, noting her usual determination to avoid using breaking as a performance tool.
The memorable moment occurred during a sketch where Gardner played NewsNation host Bobbi Moore moderating an AI town hall. The scene took an unexpected turn when Ryan Gosling appeared as a Beavis lookalike, followed by Mikey Day's shocking transformation into Butt-Head, complete with exposed gums.
Gardner, who shares a close friendship with Day and sits next to him during table reads, found herself unable to maintain her composure. "He's like a brother to me, he makes me laugh constantly," she shared, noting this was her first time breaking on camera with him.
What made the moment particularly challenging was its setup. Unlike other famous breaking incidents, such as the classic Debbie Downer sketches where cast members could see each other's reactions building, Gardner had to turn around blindly to face the transformed Day and Gosling. "I just don't think that anyone has ever had to blindly look back at something that shocking," she explained.
Despite her initial worry about breaking character, the audience's warm response and support from the show's writers helped ease her concerns. Even SNL creator Lorne Michaels responded positively to the genuine moment of spontaneous laughter that has since become a cherished memory for both Gardner and viewers.
The unscripted moment, which Gardner initially feared might lead to professional consequences, has instead become a celebrated part of her SNL journey, demonstrating how sometimes the most memorable television moments come from genuine, uncontrollable reactions.