Sydney Sweeney Was 'Scared' But Had 'So Much Fun' Hosting SNL: 'I Would Love to Do It Again'

The actress made her debut appearance on the show on March 2

Host Sydney Sweeney on SNL
Sydney Sweeney on the March 2 episode of 'SNL'. Photo:

Will Heath/NBC via Getty

Sydney Sweeney's Saturday Night Live hosting debut was a personal milestone.

During her SXSW panel on Tuesday, the actress shared that her March 2 appearance on the show was "scary" but something she ultimately wanted to do.

"It was so scary my mouth dried up," said Sweeney. "I am having panic attacks thinking of it. I wanted to do it because I think it's important to do things that scare you, and the whole SNL experience was challenging and terrifying."

The Anyone But You star said that she learned to conquer her fears at a young age.

Sydney Sweeney at Featured Session: A Conversation with Sydney Sweeney as part of SXSW 2024 Conference and Festivals held at the Austin Convention Center on March 12, 2024 in Austin, Texas.
Sydney Sweeney speaks at SXSW on Tuesday, March 12.

Renee Dominguez/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty

"This is ingrained in my memory," shared Sweeney. "I was 14, and I got to a test for a recurring role on TV. It was ABC Family. There were more than two people in the room. I got so nervous, and I forgot all of my lines." The experience made her "so scared."

"I remember apologizing profusely, and I asked to leave," she said. "It set me up to know that it's ok to be nervous and turn it into excitement."

It's no surprise that Sweeney told PEOPLE that she hopes to host SNL again.

"I was so scared, but I had so much fun," she told PEOPLE earlier this month. "I was so happy I did it, and I would love to do it again maybe one day because I feel like now I'm prepared and I can do it, and I know and I can expect what the process is like, and everyone's so fun. It is just such a great group of people."

During her first time on the show, Sweeney used her opening monologue to poke fun at rumors that she had an affair with her Anyone But You co-star Glen Powell.

"That's obviously not true. Me and my fiancé produced the movie together and he was there the entire shoot, and I just want to let everyone know that he's the man of my dreams and we're still together and stronger than ever," said Sweeney.

After she asked for the camera to cut to her fiancé Jonathan Davino, Powell was hilariously seen sitting in the audience.

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Fans may be able to watch Sweeney and Powell's on-screen chemistry once again, as Sweeney previously told PEOPLE that the two are "dreaming up a bunch of different ideas" for a sequel.

"We haven't really solidified what we want to do yet, but we're just dreaming up a bunch of different things and seeing what clicks best," she adds.

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