Matt Villines, a comedy director most famous for his work on Saturday Night Live, has after a battle with cancer.
He was 39 years old.
Known as one-half of the directing duo Matt & Oz (along with Osmany Rodriguez), Villines was responsible for directing some of the best pre-taped sketches in the post–Lonely Island era of the famous NBC sketch show.
These included “(Do It In My) Twin Bed,” “Sad Mouse,” and “A Thanksgiving Miracle.”
Villines moved from Oklahoma to Los Angeles many years ago and met Rodriguez at film school.
The pair shot footage for an early version of SuperDeluxe.com and shared videos on Funny Or Die, prior to being offered jobs there.
They joined Saturday Night Live in 2012.
On Monday, SNL co-head writer Bryan Tucker revealed in a Facebook message that Villines passed away “after a long battle with cancer.”
Tucker added in part:
“Matt was not only an excellent director. He was a warm, kind guy who got an enormous amount done without ever raising his voice.”
In addition to their work on SNL, Villines and Rodriguez have also directed an episode of Fox’s The Last Man on Earth.
In the wake of his death, several Saturday Night Live cast members and crew shared moving tributes on social media.
“He was one of my favorite people. He taught me a ton about filmmaking and even more about being kind even when you’re stressed or frustrated or sick,” wrote SNL writer Mike O’Brien, who worked with Villines on “Sad Mouse” and “The Jay Z Story.”
“Was lucky enough to get to work with Matt Villines at SNL and I am going to miss him deeply. Wonderful guy,” Moynihan wrote.