Maya Rudolph shines as the ultimate mother in SNL opening monologue

Maya Rudolph slayed her "SNL" return, celebrating Mother's Day with iconic characters, hilarious rapping, and a ballroom culture-inspired monologue.

Maya Rudolph absolutely crushed her opening monologue when she made her return to Studio 8H at 30 Rock to host "Saturday Night Live" in New York City this past weekend.

The "SNL" veteran, hosting for the third time on Saturday, kicked things off after a heartwarming cold open where the cast brought their real-life mothers on stage to share jokes in celebration of Mother's Day.

Expressing her gratitude for hosting the Mother's Day episode and mentioning her four children, Rudolph was joined on stage by cast members Bowen Yang and Sarah Sherman to welcome her back to the "SNL" stage.

Yang praised Rudolph, saying, "But Maya, look, you're not just a mom, you're Mother," while Sherman referred to her as a 30 Rock "legend."

With the assistance of Kenan Thompson, the monologue transformed into a ball reminiscent of the ballroom culture of 1980s NYC, with Thompson introducing Rudolph as the "Mother of the House of Rockefeller."

Decked out in a sleek black bodysuit with metallic accents, surrounded by dancers in extravagant attire, Rudolph led the group in voguing and delivered a rap about being everyone's "mother."

Celebrating all types of mothers on Mother's Day, Rudolph's rap touched on iconic "SNL" skits and characters like Coneheads and Mary Katherine Gallagher, as well as her famous impersonations of figures like Donatella Versace. She also threw in classic mom quotes, adding humor to the performance.

A former "Saturday Night Live" cast member from 2000 to 2007, Rudolph has made numerous sketch cameos over the years. Her most recent appearance was in December, where she joined Kate McKinnon and Kristen Wiig in a hilarious Abba spoof. She previously hosted the show in 2012 and 2021.

Vampire Weekend served as the musical guest on Rudolph's episode, with Jake Gyllenhaal set to host the final episode of Season 49 next weekend, featuring Sabrina Carpenter as the musical performer. The show will celebrate its 50th anniversary in the fall.