By: Annie Daly | Staff Writer
Since high school, I’ve been following “American High Shorts” on Instagram. And while comedy is subjective, I think it’s safe to say that the channel appeals to a wide range of people. The reels feature relatable scenarios of students in high school and college, from teachers assigning obscure hall passes to the awkwardness of being the last kid picked up from school. While the cast is constantly changing, the influence of Grace Reiter on “American High” is everlasting.
Recently, Saturday Night Live announced Grace’s addition to the cast through social media. And the internet exploded with approval, fans of “American High” and “The Hunger Games (But Better)” commenting on their excitement for her casting. “HOLY MOLY THIS IS AWESOME,” an Instagram user posted. “Unreal! This is amazing!” wrote another. And multiple users have created videos about their thrill for this casting decision on TikTok as well.
Grace debuted on September 26th for SNL’s 52nd season. But what has shocked viewers has been how fast writers trusted her to lead sketches.
Typically, it takes multiple seasons for SNL writers to trust newer actors to lead sketches. Numerous stars began their debut episode with barely any screen time. Bowen Yang, for instance, had 49 seconds of screen time in his debut. Seth Meyers got 43 seconds. Even Amy Poehler, considered one of SNL’s most successful stars, was only given 4 seconds for her first episode (The SNL Network). And yet, Grace Reiter debuted in the 52nd season for 2 minutes and 10 seconds, appearing in two sketches: “Dream Academy” and “Locker Room Sketch.” Her character in “Dream Academy” especially got internet fame, with the song, “Newton’s Cradle” stuck in many internet users’ heads.
But her second episode truly displayed the trust that SNL writers have in her as an actor. She played three prominent characters on October 10th: a divorced mother in “Chess Tournament,” a mischievous little girl in “Weekend Update,” and an elderly woman in “Saying Goodbye.” I, for one, have rewatched her performance as the little girl multiple times, not necessarily because the writing itself is hilarious, but because of her portrayal of the character. In “Weekend Update,” Grace sits with her on-screen mom, Ashley Padilla, as the latter talks about fun activities for fall. The way she constantly interrupts her “mom” to expose her is such an accurate thing for a child to do, and I applaud her acting choices in that scene.
She has been active on social media since 2019, but her work is finally gaining some traction. Even if one is unfamiliar with her name, usually “The games, the Hunger Games!” or “Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom! Reaping! Going! Now!” rings a bell. In 2025, she created, directed, and starred in “The Hunger Games (but better).” This parody was filmed in three days for her 24th birthday with friends, meant to just be a funny low-budget video, but ended up gaining 17 million views on YouTube. Grace shares in her video, “The Making of the Hunger Games (but better),” that she never expected the film to take off the way that it did. This is a theme in her work: she is naturally charismatic and reaches many viewers online effortlessly.
Nobody knows what the future will bring. While some may want her to never leave SNL, they cannot know what other career opportunities she’ll have one day. But personally, I would say that she’s had a successful debut at SNL, and I am so excited to watch how her career will take shape!
Photos provided by Instagram, Syracuse.com, and YouTube
