SNL spoof imagines action figures for Oscar-nominated One Battle After Another

Nbc reports that Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another, which has earned 13 Academy Award nominations including one for January 24 Saturday Night Live host Teyana Taylor alongside costars Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn, was lampooned on SNL with a mock toy commercial.

In the sketch, children repeatedly quote the film and pressure their surprised parents (played by Mikey Day and Ashley Padilla) for toys. Taylor appears in character as Perfidia Beverly Hills, crashing into a home as the kids cheer; the announcer touts "All your favorite heroes and villains from Paul Thomas Anderson's critically‑lauded masterpiece about resistance in the face of racial tyranny, now in the palm of your hands." The fake Mattel line includes a Perfidia doll with a snap‑on pregnant belly and machine gun, playsets such as "Dimly Lit Motel Room," and small props like a toy homing device, with a child reenacting Benicio del Toro's line "I had a few small beers."

The sketch also notes film ties: Anderson is the longtime partner of alum Maya Rudolph and Season 51 musical guest Dijon appears briefly among the revolutionaries but does not get an action figure. Viewers on X and YouTube reacted favorably, saying they'd buy the toys and praising the child actors, and the "Toy Commercial" from Season 51, Episode 11 is available to stream on Peacock.

Key Topics

Culture, Paul Thomas Anderson, Teyana Taylor, Perfidia Beverly Hills, Mattel, Leonardo Dicaprio