Maya Rudolph, Dana Carvey return to ‘SNL’ as Kamala Harris, Joe Biden

Saturday Evening Dwell introduced out some large weapons to kick off its fiftieth season, which coincides with a serious presidential election.

As was beforehand introduced, Maya Rudolph returned on Saturday to play now-presidential hopeful Kamala Harris within the present’s chilly open. After a month of hypothesis over who would play Harris’ working mate Tim Walz after Steve Martin stated he turned down the gig, the reply turned out to be comic Jim Gaffigan. Rudolph additionally reunited with SNL castmate Andy Samberg, who returned to Studio 8H to play Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff.

On the opposite aspect of the aisle, present solid member James Austin Johnson was again because the present’s resident Donald Trump, whereas Bowen Yang crammed the sneakers of the previous president’s present veep decide, J.D. Vance.

However within the greatest shock of the chilly open, SNL grasp impressionist Dana Carvey returned to the present as President Joe Biden. Carvey performed a variety of U.S. presidents and different politicians all through his time on the SNL solid from 1986-1993, most famously President George H.W. Bush.

Carvey final hosted SNL in 2011, however has appeared a handful of instances since then, most just lately in 2016 when he popped up twice as his beloved Church Woman character. However he is nonetheless an energetic member of the SNL household, presently cohosting the Fly on the Wall podcast with fellow alum David Spade, by which the duo share hilarious tales of their time on the present and interview each previous and present solid members.

Biden was beforehand performed on the present by Jason Sudeikis, Woody Harrelson, John Mulaney, Jim Carrey, Alex Moffat, James Austin Johnson, and Mikey Day, along with Kevin Nealon enjoying the then-senator in a 1991 sketch on the Clarence Thomas hearings.

Rudolph has returned to host and cameo on SNL a number of instances since leaving the solid in 2007. Amongst her return appearances was portraying Harris in the course of the 2020 presidential race, an impression that scored her an Emmy as Excellent Visitor Actress in a Comedy Sequence. She gained one other Emmy for internet hosting the present in 2021.

Season 50 commenced with three new solid members, Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim, and Jane Wickline, following the departures of Punkie Johnson, Molly Kearney, and Chloe Troast.

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Coinciding with the present’s new season, Jason Reitman‘s biographical SNL film, Saturday Evening, debuted in choose theaters in Los Angeles, New York Metropolis, and Toronto. The movie can have a restricted launch on Oct. 4, earlier than opening huge on Oct. 11, which is the official anniversary of the present’s first ever episode in 1975.

The legendary NBC sketch present will maintain its official fiftieth celebration on Feb. 16, 2025, with a three-hour primetime particular.

SNL returns with host Nate Bargatze and musical visitor Coldplay subsequent Saturday at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock. Watch the chilly open above.