Who's Maya Rudolph? Emmy-winner returning as Kamala Harris for 'SNL'
Emmy-winning actor Maya Rudolph is set to return as Kamala Harris in the 50th season of Saturday Night Live (SNL), premiering September 28. The former SNL cast member has reportedly cleared her schedule for the upcoming episodes, even pausing pre-production of her Apple comedy series Loot. Rudolph first portrayed Harris in a 2019 Democratic National Committee town hall sketch, earning critical acclaim and an Emmy award for her performance. Learn more about her.
Fans eagerly anticipate Rudolph's return as Harris on 'SNL'
The return of Rudolph as Harris has been eagerly awaited by fans since Joe Biden dropped out of the upcoming US presidential race. Actor Amy Sedaris was among those calling for Rudolph's return. This follows a tradition of popular political impersonations on SNL, such as Tina Fey's impression of Sarah Palin during the 2008 election season. As for Donald Trump's character, previously played by Alec Baldwin, it has been taken over by cast member James Austin Johnson.
Know more about Rudolph
Daughter of singer Minnie Riperton, Rudolph was a cast member on SNL from 2000 to 2007. Her achievements include winning five Primetime Emmy Awards from 15 nominations. In 2024, Time recognized her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. During her time on SNL, she had supporting roles in films such as 50 First Dates, A Prairie Home Companion, and Idiocracy. Additionally, she lent her voice to animated films including Shrek the Third.
Rudolph shared her experience of meeting Harris
In a previous interview, Rudolph spoke about her first meeting with Harris. "I got to meet her, and she is so fantastic. She is so incredible; she is so energizing and I just feel so good to be associated with someone so positive," Rudolph recalled. The actor further revealed that Harris exudes joy and life, adding that it's a pleasure to associate with such positivity.
'I was a bit overwhelmed...': Harris
Harris herself has expressed her admiration for Rudolph's impression of her. In a 2019 interview with Seth Meyers, Harris shared, "I grew up watching Saturday Night Live. The thought that anyone would be in any way depicting me on Saturday Night Live was just - I was a bit overwhelmed." She added with a touch of humor, "I will tell you that I fully intend to make sure she (Rudolph) has a full eight years of work on SNL."
