Lily Allen added a brand new wrinkle to the Madeline mythology throughout her look on Saturday Night time Dwell.
When Allen, 40, carried out “Madeline” as her second track on SNL on Saturday, December 13, she was joined on stage by Fifty Shades of Gray star Dakota Johnson. Johnson’s id was hidden by curtains all through many of the efficiency, as Allen sang about having “an association” with a big different.
“Be discreet and don’t be blatant / And there needed to be fee,” Allen sang. “It needed to be with strangers / However you’re not a stranger, Madeline.”
Johnson narrated Madeline’s response through a textual content: “I hate that you just’re in a lot ache proper now. I actually don’t wanna be the reason for any upset. He advised me that you just had been conscious this was occurring and that he had your full consent. If he’s mendacity about that, then please let me know. As a result of I’ve my very own emotions about dishonesty.”
“Lies will not be one thing that I wanna get caught up in. You may attain out to me any time, by the way in which,” Johnson learn. “When you want any extra particulars otherwise you simply have to vent or something. Love and lightweight, Madeline.”
Johnson stepped out on stage to kiss Allen on the cheek on the conclusion of the efficiency.
Allen was married to Stranger Issues actor David Harbour from 2020 to 2024 and subsequently chronicled their separation on her fifth studio album West Finish Lady, which was launched in October.
“I made this file in December 2024, and it was a method for me to course of what was occurring in my life,” Allen advised British Vogue that very same month. “There are issues which are on the file that I skilled inside my marriage, however that’s to not say that it’s all gospel. It’s impressed by what went on within the relationship [and] confusion, sorrow, grief [and] helplessness.”
There was infinite hypothesis about repeated references to Allen’s unnamed romantic accomplice having an affair with a lady named “Madeline” on West Finish Lady.
“So I learn your textual content, and now I remorse it / I can’t get my head spherical the way you’ve been taking part in tennis,” Allen sings within the “Tennis” refrain. “If it was simply intercourse, I wouldn’t be jealous / You received’t play with me and who’s Madeline?”
On the observe “Madeline,” Allen writes about confronting the opposite girl: “I do know none of that is your fault / Messaging you feels sort of assaultive / Noticed your textual content, that’s how I discovered / Inform me the reality and his motives.”
Lily Allen in December 2025. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Photographs for BFC
Allen advised London’s The Instances that Madeline is “a fictional character,” or, extra precisely, a assemble of a number of individuals.
“I simply really feel we live in actually fascinating occasions — by way of how we outline intimacy and monogamy, individuals being disposable or not,” she defined. “The way in which we’re being intimate with one another is altering as people. Numerous younger ladies will not be discovering the thought of marriage or perhaps a long-term relationship that engaging any extra.”
Allen continued, “I don’t know [that] it’s essentially dangerous. Numerous individuals from my dad and mom’ era stayed collectively ceaselessly and had been depressing. You didn’t have infinite alternative so you might have labored at one thing tougher. However now you don’t need to.”
Harbour, 50, has but to touch upon his separation from Allen, except for making a quick assertion to GQ in April.
“I’m protecting of the individuals and the truth of my life,” he mentioned. “There’s no use in that type of participating [with rumors] as a result of it’s all based mostly on hysterical hyperbole.”
Whereas not addressing his separation immediately, Harbour later advised Esquire UK that he was hopeful of discovering “love” once more.
“There’s private stuff that I wish to do, and folks that I wish to love, and be good to and nurture, issues like that,” he mentioned in November.
Allen’s look on Saturday Night time Dwell this week was her return to the present after an 18-year hole. She beforehand carried out on the sketch comedy present in February 2007.
Saturday Night time Dwell airs its vacation present December 20 on NBC at 11:30 p.m ET with host Ariana Grande and musical visitor Cher.
