Matt Villines, director of memorable Saturday Night Live shorts including the Bruno Mars-starring “Sad Mouse,” has died. Villines and Osmany Rodriguez made up “Matt and Oz,” the duo whose names were sometimes emblazoned on their sketches. He was 39.
According to SNL co-head writer Bryan Tucker, Villines had been battling cancer. “Matt was not only an excellent director,” Tucker explained in a post. “He was a warm, kind guy who got an enormous amount done without raising his voice.”
Former cast member and writer Mike O’Brien, who collaborated with Villines on his appealingly odd shorts like “Uber For Jen” and the Oprah biopic trailer, wrote: “Last night my good friend Matt Villines passed away. He was kind, passionate & fearless and I miss him already.” Other SNL cast members and alums, including Seth Meyers, have posted about Villines’ death on social media.
Along with the aforementioned pieces, Villines also was behind the camera for the incredibly catchy “(Do It On My) Twin Bed” music video, which made hilarious use of the SNL players’ awkward childhood photos. Watch some of his work below.
Uber For Jen from Matt and Oz on Vimeo.