He is the most prominent young comedy prodigy in the United States at the moment. Marcello Hernández, son of a Cuban mother and a Dominican father, is the new darling of the cult show Saturday Night Live (SNL). He also presents a particularly interesting figure, at a time when Latin American diasporas are targeted by the violent policies of the Trump administration.
“Will he have a fate similar to that of other SNL alums like [Eddie] Murphy, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey ?” even wonders The New York Times. The three comedians all rose to fame after appearing on the sketch show.
Judging by his new solo adventures outside of television, Marcello Hernández could well follow in the footsteps of his elders and become a superstar of American comedy.
A breathtaking charisma
“In his Netflix show, just released, Marcello Hernández stands out for his breathtaking charisma, but also for a thirst for success in showbiz”, estimates the American daily. The comedian has indeed entered the small circle of “Netflix specials”: on January 7, the platform put his first one-man show online, American Boy.
Marcello Hernández embodies on stage a character of a young Latin American proud of his origins and his culture, who speaks to many.
“I, who am Puerto Rican, writes the journalist of site The Latino Newsletter, I recognized myself in his humor and especially in what he said about the condition of Latinos under Trump, in the MAGA era. We are forced to move forward bearing the label of‘Other’ while remaining proud of our national identity. Permanently besieged by xenophobia and racism. The worst, the most violent, is not understanding what earns us so much hatred.”
A touching mama’s boy
Marcello Hernández rehumanizes Latin American immigrants by telling anecdotes from his childhood with a “mama’s boy” character, he who grew up with a single mother in Miami, where there is a strong Cuban and Latin American diaspora.
In turn, he supports and dismantles the clichés about his community – dancing constantly even when you are sad, growing up with an ultra-protective mother and above all confronting racism.
Humor carried by singular gestures and phrasing.
“With his long hair over his big anime character eyes, Marcello Hernández, 28, moves like a kid who grew up too fast and drank too much coffee – he looks like one too. His deep, serious voice surprises, and his face is a caricaturist’s delight – however, if we had to exaggerate one of his features, we would be hard-pressed to choose between his heart-shaped, fleshy mouth and his Ultra Brite smile,” also describes the New York Times.
The springboard of SNL
It’s in SNL that he has sharpened his characters and made himself known to the general public since 2022. “For almost four seasons, the comedian has infused the cult satirical show with a good big dose of typically Latina energy, both through the characters he plays but also by bringing Spanish-speaking guests like Bad Bunny and Pedro Pascal into his sketches,” relate Decider.
From his debut on the NBC show, which has just celebrated its 1000e episode, The Kid from Miami generated a lot of interest. One of his most popular characters is that of Domingo, a caricature of the Latin lover. And his sketches have regularly been the most viewed and viral in recent months.
So perhaps Marcello Hernández will finally become the new superstar who will emerge from the show, in the wake of his elders. For the New York Times, the talent and the mania are there, as evidenced by his scenes in clubs in New York, in which he shows other facets proving that he can be “as determined to make people laugh as to be loved”. So all that’s missing is a little luck for him to be crowned the new king of American humor.
date: 2026-02-07 22:36:00
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