SNL’s Trump, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz impersonators revealed

Saturday Night Live has found its political candidates for 2024.

As the NBC sketch comedy show enters its 50th season, its creator and longtime maestro Lorne Michaels has decided on his new DC stars including Kamala Harris (Maya Rudolph), Tim Walz (Jim Gaffigan), Joe Biden (Dana Carvey) and Douglas Emhoff (Andy Samberg). SNL Cast members James Austin Johnson and Bowen Yang will play Donald Trump and JD Vance, respectively.

All cast members were announced at Saturday night’s cold open for the Season 50 premiere.

In a current one Hollywood Reporter In the cover story, Michaels teased the fact SNLThe Trump impression would have to be reinvented – just like when actor James Austin Johnson took the place of Alec Baldwin, a friend of the series. “James, who I think is brilliant, played Trump as a kind of diminished Trump. The guy in the back of the hardware store was holding court, and that played because it felt relevant,” Michaels said. “But we have to reinvent it again because you’ve seen the debate.”

It was previously announced that Rudolph would return as Harris, whom she has played for several years now, partly because of the former SNL Actor does a killer Harris impression and that’s partly because, as she said THR In 2022, “when they call, they know I’ll be there.” Recently, Michaels said he never considered anyone else for the role after Harris announced her candidacy this summer, although it required some scheduling , keeping Rudolph in the role. Among other things, the LA-based mother of four had to postpone the production start date of her Apple TV+ series prey.

Almost immediately after Walz was named Harris’ running mate, the Internet began trying to cast a Steve Martin lookalike in the role. As “Weekend Update” co-host Colin Jost noted, that’s exactly what’s happening now. “As soon as news like Kamala’s candidacy comes out, the debate begins in America about who will carry on her role SNL” he said THR. “Before we even talked about it, there was a list of 10 people who should play Tim Walz.”

And sometimes the internet even has good ideas. Finally, Michaels called his old friend. But like Martin said The Los Angeles Times“I wanted to say no, and by the way (Lorne) wanted me to say no.” Michaels insightfully confirmed the last part THR: “It’s not what he does. But there’s a lot of what he does that you’ll see.” (Michaels intends to bring back as many former hosts and cast members as possible as the show celebrates its 50th season.)

Of course, in an important election year you get people to play politicians – like SNL I’ve done it before with people like Baldwin and Jim Carrey (who once played Joe Biden) – doesn’t always go over well with the current cast. “If you’re someone in the cast who says, ‘I have a better impression than the person coming in,’ that’s probably frustrating,” Jost acknowledged, “but it’s kind of the reality of our show.”