'SNL': Aidy Bryant explains how they made '(Do It On My) Twin Bed'

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Leading up to the June 20 deadline for Emmy voters to submit nomination ballots, EW.com is featuring interviews with some of the people whose names we hope to hear when nods are announced on July 10.

In a season of memorable SNL moments, it was surprisingly easy for EW’s staff to agree on a favorite: the ridiculously funny and all-too-real music video “(Do It On My) Twin Bed.” The standout short landed a spot on EW’s list of the 50 Best TV Scenes of the year, earning a prime slot at No. 14.

The December Digital Short was a season highlight, and not just because it was the first music video featuring all the women of SNL. Maybe it was the fact that we’ve all sort of been there and, well, done that. Or perhaps it’s due to the inclusion of the cast’s embarrassing yearbook photos, or Jimmy Fallon’s glorious rap breakdown. There was so much to love that we went straight to Aidy Bryant to chat about the conception of the song and whether she’s still rocking those seventh-grade overalls.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Are you actually given sheet music for something like this?

AIDY BRYANT: Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider, who were the writers with Kate [McKinnon] and I, we all started working on it, and we had a tune in mind. We knew that we wanted it to have a Britney or Pussycat Dolls kind of vibe. It’s a weird system, but we basically call our amazing music producer Eli [Brueggemann] and sing into his voicemail Tuesday night at five in the morning, and then he comes in on Wednesday morning and puts it to music so that at the Wednesday table read, we can perform a fully produced piece of music so Lorne and the producers can see if it’s something they really want to do for the show.

From the cast point of view, is there a marked difference in performing a song or making a music video versus just your average sketch?

What’s crazy about it, I think, is the production value. And any kid dreams of being in a music video, too. Basically, in five days we made a full blown insane music video with multiple setups. When you think about the sheer time of it, it’s unbelievable because of the graphics and the sets. They built it all—we weren’t in real apartments. Then we shot everything on Friday, and by Saturday it was all edited together. All those graphics of the childhood photos were done in a day. That’s what blew our minds.

What was your reaction to seeing the finished product?

Part of what we loved about it was all the girls—it was pre-Sasheer—they were all in it and everyone got a moment and a joke, and that’s hard to do.

Was that why it took off so well with fans?

I think people liked that it was all the girls. They’ve done a lot of really amazing Lonely Island music videos, but they’ve never really done one with all of the girls.

Where did the seventh-grade photo element come into play?

Oh yes, this is my favorite part. So Sarah Schneider, one of the writers, she had an idea where maybe we would just dance in front of framed photos of ourselves. And then we were all texting our parents being like, “Sh-t, I need you to send me a photo.” And basically, as they were coming in, we were just crying laughing while we were looking at them because they are all so cringe-worthy, awkward, and dorky, and we loved the idea of dancing so sexily in front of these dorky photos. I think it was the directors who had the idea to put a gigantic green screen behind us, and make it so that we were little sexy stars.

Do you still have those overalls?

I wore so many overalls when I was younger. Or short-alls, I should call them, because I never wore the full pants one. I lived in Arizona so I needed some airflow. I’m obsessed with the fact that I have, like, a velvet T-shirt on.

Did the ladies get to pick which guys they were paired up with?

I wish it was that sexy and cool. No, it was more like scheduling.

How did Jimmy Fallon approach his rap verse? I imagine he was more than eager.

We wrote that for Jimmy and he nailed it at the table read. We were really lucky. Actually, that part about “just shirt, no pants, like Winnie the Pooh” is something I always say to my boyfriend when he’s dressed like that. So I was so happy when that made it in.

Do you ever listen to the song nowadays?

Oh my God, yes. The writer, Chris Kelly, he listens to it every day on his way to work. We love it so much, it’s almost sad. Also, when I’m feeling down, it’s such a great way to be like, “Oh my God, I was in a full music video… and I was shaking it for real.”