(VIDEO) Taylor Swift Crashes SNL as Dakota Johnson's 'Literal Therapist,' Jokes About Wine Visits

NEW YORK — Taylor Swift made a surprise appearance on "Saturday Night Live," joining her friend Dakota Johnson during the actor's opening monologue to joke about their friendship and Johnson's history of dating musicians.

Johnson, hosting the NBC sketch comedy show for the third time on Saturday, introduced Swift to screaming fans in Studio 8H as her "literal therapist." Swift returned at the end of the show to present Johnson with a birthday cake. Johnson turns 37 on Sunday.

The cameo was Swift's first appearance on "SNL" since October 2023.

Monologue about dating musicians

Johnson opened her monologue by reflecting on her life since she last hosted the show, poking fun at her own high-profile romances.

"I went through two very public, very lame breakups with two very awesome musicians," Johnson said.

"It's not my fault, though," she continued. "Some people leave concerts with merch and I leave concerts with a two and a half year relationship. But I have really good friends."

As the audience began to cheer, Johnson brought out Swift.

'I'm not your therapist actually'

Swift quickly corrected her friend's description of their relationship.

"I'm not your therapist actually," Swift said. "You just show up once a week at my house with an empty bottle of wine and ask if I want some."

"Yeah, well I have manners," Johnson replied.

Swift described Johnson flopping on her couch and oversharing about her life, while Swift responds with little more than, "Damn, that's crazy."

"Is that not a therapist?" Johnson asked.

Swift then described how the evenings usually end: she says it's getting late and she should probably go to bed. Johnson finished the story for her: "Sleepover, yay!"

A nod to Travis Kelce

The exchange also included a playful reference to Swift's husband, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. When Johnson mentioned "Cleveland," Swift deadpanned, "Allegedly."

Kelce grew up in the Cleveland area and has often spoken about his ties to the city.

Promoting 'Verity'

Johnson's appearance came as she promotes her new film, "Verity," which opened in theaters this weekend. During her monologue, she joked about the psychological thriller, comparing it to her dating life.

The film was projected to open to more than $33 million at the box office, according to Deadline, though it received a C+ CinemaScore from audiences.

Johnson stars in the film alongside Anne Hathaway, whose dark thriller has divided critics.

Payback for 'Patient Zero'

Swift's appearance followed Johnson's role in Swift's new "Patient Zero" music video. Johnson stars alongside Colin Farrell in the video, which Swift directed.

The video premiered at the MTV Video Music Awards last weekend, where Johnson made a surprise appearance to honor Swift with an award recognizing her work as a director.

The song is part of Swift's latest album era. Swift recently broke a Spotify record with the surprise release of "Patient Zero," and songs from her "Showgirl" project took the top four spots on the global streaming chart, according to Deadline.

Swift's 'SNL' history

Swift has a long history with "Saturday Night Live." She first appeared as a musical guest in January 2009 during her "Fearless" era and hosted the show later that year, performing double duty as host and musical guest.

She has returned several times as a musical guest, including in 2019 and in 2021, when she performed a 10-minute version of "All Too Well." Her most recent appearance before Saturday came in October 2023, when she introduced rapper Ice Spice as the musical guest.

Johnson's third time hosting

Johnson made her "SNL" hosting debut in season 40 in 2015. Her past monologues have also featured surprise guests. During her 2015 appearance, "The Social Network" co-star Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon crashed her monologue.

Johnson is known for films including the "Fifty Shades" trilogy, "Suspiria," "The Lost Daughter" and "Materialists." Her romantic life has drawn intense public interest, including her long relationship with Coldplay singer Chris Martin.

Fan reaction

Swift's appearance quickly went viral on social media, with fans praising the pair's chemistry and the comedic timing of the exchange. The moment added to a busy stretch for Swift, who has dominated headlines with new music, the "Patient Zero" video and a string of high-profile appearances.

"Verity" is now playing in theaters. "Saturday Night Live" continues its season next week, while Swift continues promoting her latest music.