‘SNL’ host Timothée Chalamet tackles Bob Dylan songs that are almost completely unknown

Popular musical artists made surprise appearances on the most recent episode of “Saturday Night Live” — but they weren’t the one fans might have expected.

The fact that host Timothée Chalamet just earned an Oscar nomination for his role as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown” raised the possibility, however slim, that Minnesota’s most celebrated artist might appear on the late-night show for only the second time in its 50-year history. Or maybe Joan Baez? After all, Chalamet’s co-star Monica Barbaro, got a nomination of her own for playing the folk singer in the film.

Neither cameo happened.

However, Lin-Manuel Miranda showed up in the cold opening, reprising his role as Alexander Hamilton. The founding father is stopped mid-rap by a gloating Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson).

Chalamet did pay tribute to Dylan while performing three songs as musical guest, one of the few times an actor has done double duty (Gary Busey pulled it off in 1979 while promoting “The Buddy Holly Story”).

“I’m so grateful ‘Saturday Night Live’ is still doing weird stuff like this 50 years in,” Chalamet said during the opening monologue. “They’re either really nice for letting me do this or incredibly mean and this is all a big prank. I sincerely can’t tell.”

Chalamet could have chosen popular songs featured in the film, like “Blowin’ In the Wind” or “Like a Rolling Stone.” Or he could have chosen to tip his hat to the “Blood on the Tracks” album, which, like “SNL,” is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

But the actor chose to be as unpredictable as the legend he portrayed.

“You might not know the Bob Dylan songs I’m performing,” he told the audience. “But they are my personal favorites.”

In the first half of the show, he did “Outlaw Blues” from 1965’s “Bringing It All Back Home” and “Three Angels” from 1970’s “New Morning,” tunes Dylan has rarely, if ever, done live.

As the show was winding down, Chalamet scooped up an acoustic guitar and strummed through a slightly more familiar number: “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” which Dylan first recorded in 1962, but didn’t put on one of his own albums until 1971.

For both segments, the 29-year-old actor dressed in bulky clothing as if he was preparing to step into a Hibbing winter.

Singer-songwriter James Blake was a member of his back-up band; Adam Sandler popped by to handle one of the introductions.

Chalamet’s performance probably won’t win him any recording contracts, but he might have done enough to strengthen his chances to take home the best lead actor Oscar in March, although oddsmakers are betting on Adrien Brody for his role in “The Brutalist.”

Chalamet, who has hosted two times in the past, played various characters throughout the evening, including an unorthodox doctor, a bungee-workout instructor and a barista who wants to a be a stand-up comic.

Dylan’s only “SNL” appearance came back in 1979 when he performed three songs from “Slow Train Coming.”