The presidential election is quickly approaching, and with that Saturday Night Live fans are expecting plenty of sketches in the political realm when the show returns to the 2024 TV schedule in just a few weeks. People are already anticipating seeing Maya Rudolph return as Kamala Harris for sketches with current cast member James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump, and the Bridesmaids actress took a moment to discuss just how much buzz there is surrounding this moment, saying she’s “never experienced something like this.”
That’s a pretty big sentiment for one of SNL’s longest-running cast members. The electricity surrounding the upcoming election couldn’t come at a better time for the sketch comedy, as Saturday Night Live will be celebrating its milestone 50th anniversary. For Maya Rudolph, it sounds like things got crazy pretty much the second that we learned Kamala Harris was going to run. She appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, with RuPaul as the guest host, to explain how wild things have been. Rudolph said:
I have to tell you something. I have never experienced anything like this before, in any of the work I’ve ever done, this has been such a tremendous, exciting time for me that feels so much bigger than me or anything I’ve ever done. I mean I played her on the show already, but the minute it was announced that she was running, you know, I think I was home watching The Bear, and it was, like, announced that I confirmed doing SNL, and I was like, ‘I did what?’ Everybody’s just ready for it, which is wonderful.
I don’t think I could imagine going through a Harris-Trump election cycle without Maya Rudolph and James Austin Johnson, who’s drawn praise for his own scary accurate impression of Donald Trump on SNL. Rudolph marveled at the fact that the country is even in a position to have a presidential candidate who looks like her. She continued:
I would never have believed you if you had said, ‘Hey, one day you’re going to be playing the presidential candidate.’ For me, to think that I have anything to do with this by association is mindblowing. I spent so many years on SNL watching other people play presidential candidates and thinking, you know, there’s no one that resembles me in the race. To think that we’re here now and to think that I would ever be close by association is so incredible.
So it would seem that Saturday Night Live has locked down its presidential impressionists, but what about Kamala Harris’ running mate? The internet has been abuzz with suggestions to play Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, including Jim Gaffigan, Tom Arnold and Jim O’Heir. Steve Martin was also a fan favorite option, but he declined the offer.
Another new portrayal that we could see pop up on the 30 Rock stage is the current second gentleman. Kamala Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff was asked about Maya Rudolph’s impression of his wife, and he said he hoped SNL Season 50 would be adding a “good Doug character.” He suggested Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds or Chris Hemsworth, and hey, it’s parody, so why not shoot for the moon?
Fans are eagerly awaiting the return of Saturday Night Live, including Maya Rudolph, and thankfully there are just a few short weeks to go. SNL’s 50th season will kick off at 11:30 p.m. ET Saturday, September 28, on NBC, with episodes streaming with a Peaco*ck subscription.
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Heidi Venable
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Heidi Venable is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend, a mom of two and a hard-core '90s kid. She started freelancing for CinemaBlend in 2020 and officially came on board in 2021. Her job entails writing news stories and TV reactions from some of her favorite prime-time shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelor. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Journalism and worked in the newspaper industry for almost two decades in multiple roles including Sports Editor, Page Designer and Online Editor. Unprovoked, will quote Friends in any situation. Thrives on New Orleans Saints football, The West Wing and taco trucks.
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