Marcello Hernandez is finally addressing those Sabrina Carpenter dating rumors.
Hernandez, 28, appeared on the Monday, January 26, episode of Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, where the Saturday Night Live star was asked about his friendship with Carpenter, 26.
“If I’m you, and I’m 28, I’m going to try to date her with all my might,” Shepard, 51, said of Carpenter. “Are you not trying your hardest to marry her?”
Hernandez simply responded, “I’m in a relationship with a Dominican girl. She’s an architect. She’s unreal. She went to Yale.” (The comedian debuted his romance with Ana Amelia Batlle Cabral at the premiere of Happy Gilmore 2 in July 2025, although they have reportedly been dating since at least January of last year.)
He added, “But Sabrina’s awesome.”
Hernandez and Carpenter sparked relationship rumors after he appeared as his viral SNL sketch character Domingo at her Short n’ Sweet concert in Los Angeles in November 2024. Domingo was the lucky audience member that Carpenter chose to “arrest” for being “too hot” before she performed her song “Juno” — a skit that she did at every tour stop.
“Well! You sure are gorgeous. I’m getting so flustered and overwhelmed. Is there anything you wanna say before I arrest you, Domingo?” Carpenter asked.
Staying in character, Hernandez sang to the tune of Carpenter’s hit “Espresso,” “Came all this way, had to explain, direct from Domingo. Sabrina’s a friend; she’s like my sis, but I would hook up, though.”
The character of Domingo originated in an SNL sketch where a group of bridesmaids — including one played by Ariana Grande — sang an “Espresso” parody about the bride romancing a man named Domingo at her bachelorette party. The sketch quickly went viral on social media and sparked a handful of follow-ups on the comedy show, including a February 2025 skit that included Carpenter, who was the musical guest during SNL’s 50th anniversary special.
Hernandez later shared photos from the concert via Instagram, including two snaps where he seemingly cozied up to Carpenter on a couch. The Florida native leaned back on the couch and rested a hand on Carpenter’s thigh as she wrapped one arm around his shoulders. Fans noticed the pair’s chemistry and encouraged them to get together, with some speculating that they already were an item.
“Please date already,” one user commented on the post, while another added, “Get together already!!!! You both look so cute!”
“Are they dating??” a third person asked.
During his podcast appearance on Monday, Hernandez revealed how Domingo’s cameo at Carpenter’s concert came to be.
“The Domingo thing was big. And [Carpenter] was all about it, and it was so cool,” he said. “And the writers, of course, I’ll shout out the writers too, because I love to shout out the writers. Kero Sullivan, Jimmy Fowley, Sudi Green and Ali Levitan. And they all came with me from New York to L.A. to The Forum. Now, to 14, 15,000 people were thinking about what I’m going to say, what the bit’s going to be. It’s so fun.”
“It felt old school in the sense that like a character from a TV show, you want to see them in another place,” Hernandez continued. “Truly an unreal experience. And Sabrina’s really down to clown. She’s down to think of something funny. She’s an actress.”
Nearly one year after her L.A. concert, Hernandez and Carpenter reunited when the singer hosted SNL in October 2025. The pair filmed promos for the episode together, including one where they referenced Domingo’s “arrest.”
“I think I might need to arrest someone for being too hot,” Carpenter said coyly as Hernandez held his wrists out and responded, “Oh well, I turn myself in.”
Carpenter then pointed to the camera operator and said, “You’re under arrest, cameraman!”
“Damn! Yeah, I can’t compete with that,” Hernandez said with a laugh.
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