Saturday Night Live resumed Season 51 on the 2026 TV schedule in January, with Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard as the host. The actor made his SNL hosting debut on January 17, and it was as entertaining as ever. Not surprisingly, there was a Stranger Things spoof that had many people talking. However, the Harry Potter sketch also went viral. Now, Daniel Radcliffe has shared his thoughts on it, and revealed that the episode's host had clued him in before it happened.
The Harry Potter sketch mirrored Heated Rivalry, with Wolfhard playing the titular wizard while Ben Marshall played Ron, as they realized their feelings for each other and tried to keep it secret. That is, until a very NSFW game of Quidditch. The sketch, which also included a surprise cameo from Jason Momoa, has been going viral. And yes, the OG Harry Potter himself has seen it. Radcliffe told Rolling Stone what he thought of it, and how Wolfhard gave him a heads up, saying:
I did, yes. Weirdly, I had met Finn Wolfhard a few weeks before, randomly, and we chatted for a bit. And then he texted me the day before it aired, being like, ‘Hey, just so you know, we’re doing a Harry Potter sketch.’ I haven’t seen Heated Rivalry, although I am very aware — my girlfriend is a huge fan. I’m sure there are jokes I was missing, but it was very funny and sweet. I’m always happy to see other versions of that. It makes me laugh.
It’s nice that Radcliffe is able to have a good sense of humor for the Harry Potter x Heated Rivalry sketch, especially since it paints Harry in a pretty interesting light. It’s unknown just how much Wolfhard told Radcliffe about the sketch, but it’s also nice that he was able to clue him in before it happened. Of course, this is not the first time the world of Harry Potter has been spoofed on SNL, and it can be assumed that this won’t be the last, but this is definitely an unforgettable take on the fantasy series.
Then there’s the fact that Radcliffe has never even seen Heated Rivalry (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription), so there were certainly some things he didn’t get. However, his girlfriend has seen the show, so she probably had a ball watching the sketch. Perhaps she can talk him into watching Heated Rivalry so he can truly appreciate the sketch. The only thing that would have made it better is if Radcliffe appeared in it, but the Momoa cameo was a great alternative.
Meanwhile, even though it’s not Heated Wizardry, HBO is developing a new Harry Potter series that's expected to premiere sometime in 2027. It’s said to be a faithful adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved fantasy book series, so there will be a lot to look forward to, including moments that weren’t in the films.
With Radcliffe starring in NBC’s new sitcom, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, perhaps he’ll be making his way back to Studio 8H in the near future to give his own Harry Potter spoof. Maybe even a Stranger Things one to even the score with Wolfhard. But for now, fans will have to settle with “Heated Wizardry” from Wolfhard’s SNL episode, which is streaming with a Peacock subscription.
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