"SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" RETURNS IN MARCH

"SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" RETURNS IN MARCH

March Shows To Feature Award-Winning Actress Natalie Portman and Current Oscar? Nominee Matt Dillon with Music from Chart-Toppers Fall Out Boy and The Most Talked-About Band of the Moment - Arctic Monkeys

NEW YORK - February 28, 2006 - After a top-rated, historic February outing (with a record-extending hosting stint by Steve Martin and rare performance by Prince), and a three-week Olympic hiatus, "Saturday Night Live" is back.

Award-winning actors and red-hot musical guests headline the two March episodes of SNL on March 3 and March 11 (NBC, 11:30 - 1:00 AM ET).

One of the most talented and sought-after young actresses working today, Natalie Portman hosts SNL on March 3. Portman will soon be seen in the Wachowski Brothers' controversial and eagerly awaited "V For Vendetta." Known to millions of fans for her work in George Lucas' hugely successful "Star Wars" prequel trilogy, Portman is also an acclaimed Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner for her work in Mike Nichols' "Closer" opposite Julia Roberts, Jude Law and Clive Owen. She also earned praise for her work in Zach Braff's "Garden State," "Cold Mountain," "Where The Heart Is," "Anywhere But Here," "Everybody Says I Love You," "Mars Attacks!" and "Heat." Portman rose to early acclaim in two roles - her debut as a young girl protected by a hitman in "The Professional" and the ensemble comedy "Beautiful Girls."

Joining Portman and also making their SNL debut is Fall Out Boy. Grammy nominees this year as Best New Artist, the Chicago-based quartet has been topping the charts with their multi-platinum major label debut "From Under the Cork Tree" - buoyed by the smash hits "Sugar We're Going Down" and the current single "Dance, Dance." The band has been hailed as the "Artist of the Year" by Alternative Press and "Breakout" band of the year by Entertainment Weekly.

On March 11, fresh from the Oscars, Best Supporting Actor nominee Matt Dillon hosts the show. With over two decades of film work in his career, Dillon has received rave reviews, and numerous nominations (including an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Independent Spirit Award) for his work in "Crash," which won a Best Ensemble award from the Screen Actors Guild. One of the most diverse actors of his generation, Dillon boasts a resume full of credits that run the gamut from his breakthrough performance in "The Outsiders" to his comedic turns in "There's Something About Mary." He was most recently seen in "Herbie Fully Loaded" opposite Lindsay Lohan and will next be seen in the summer comedy "You Me and Dupree" with Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson and will also star as Charles Bukowski's alter ego in "Factotum," which garnered praise at the Cannes Film Festival. Dillon won an IFP Spirit Award in 1990 for his work in "Drugstore Cowboy" and followed it up with numerous memorable roles in a wide variety of films including "Beautiful Girls," "Singles," "In & Out," "To Die For" and "Wild Things." He made his writing and directing debut in 2002 with "City of Ghosts."

Performing alongside Dillon on March 11 is the most talked-about band of the year thus far - Arctic Monkeys. Debuting stateside armed with the fastest-selling British debut ever and a deafening amount of buzz to go with it. The band "deserve[s] every ounce of it," according to Time magazine. The album "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" boasts infectious melodies, crashing guitars, raw energy and "whip-smart lyrics," says Time. The Monkeys' SNL performance marks not only their American television debut, but also their only appearance during their current North American tour.