Mamala’s back!
Maya Rudolph returned to the “Saturday Night Live” stage to revive her Emmy-winning role as Vice President Kamala Harris for the show’s milestone Season 50 premiere.
“Well your fun aunt has returned,” Rudolph said.
The comedian, 52, appeared as the Democratic presidential nominee, 59, on Saturday in a hilarious skit with Andrew Dismukes and Jim Gaffigan, who portrayed ABC moderator David Muir and Harris’ running mate Tim Walz, respectively.
“I’ve got to be honest here folks. When Kamala Harris called and asked to be her Vice President, I said, ‘uh, yeah,’” Gaffigan — as Walz — said. “This is personal for me. I love this country. And as a former teacher, I need the money. This suit is from Costco!”
“SNL” alum Dana Carvey also made his triumphant return to 30 Rock for the first time in nearly eight years to play President Joe Biden.
“A lot of people forget that I’m president – including me,” Carvey said as he resembled Biden’s stare into the camera. “But guess what … and by the way, I think I did a pretty good job. I passed more bills than any president in history but there’s still work to do. And guess what … and by the way…”
Andy Samberg starred as Harris’ husband Douglas Emhoff.
James Austin Johnson reprised his role as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump while Bowen Yang starred in his JD Vance portrayal.
Rudolph was a cast member on “SNL” from 2000 to 2007. She first played Harris on a Sept. 28, 2019, episode for the NBC sketch comedy’s spoof of the Democratic primary debate alongside featured host Woody Harrelson as Joe Biden, Larry David as Bernie Sanders, Kate McKinnon as Elizabeth Warren, and Bowen Yang as Andrew Yang.
The “Bridesmaids” actress’ portrayal of Harris became an instant hit, earning her an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2020. The impersonation even won over Kamala’s heart.
“That girl being played by @MayaRudolph on @nbcsnl? That girl was me,” the then-California senator posted to X, formerly Twitter, after the debut.
She returned to “SNL” a handful of times to play the vice president — aka “Funt,” America’s Fun Aunt — after the 2020 election alongside Jim Carrey, who took over duties as Joe Biden in October 2020, including during her hosting stint in March 2021, which earned her another Guest Actress In a Comedy Series Emmy.
This won’t be the last we see of Rudolph as Harris on “SNL,” either.
The star is slated to play Harris in several episodes of Lorne Michaels’ late-night comedy program leading up to the November Presidential election, moving around her schedule to do so, according to Deadline.
In July, sources told the outlet that Rudolph paused the Season 3 production of her Apple TV+ comedy series “Loot,” which was scheduled to film on Aug. 26, due to scheduling reasons. Production for the show will reportedly pick back up in Jan. 2025.
“SNL” fans begged for Rudolph’s return after President Biden dropped out of the race on July 21, but her comeback wasn’t guaranteed.
During an Aug. appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” with RuPaul, who was filling in for Kimmel, Rudolph revealed that no one had contacted her from the show.
“Will we be seeing Kamala on ‘SNL’ anytime soon?” RuPaul asked.
“Interesting that you brought this up,” Rudolph replied, “because no one has asked me.”
She was always keen to play Harris again but was confused when the headlines of her return came out.
“I’ve never experienced something like this in any of the work I’ve done. This has been such a tremendous, exciting time for me that feels so much bigger than me or anything I’ve ever done,” she said on the late-night talk show.
“I’ve played her on the show before, but the minute it was announced that she was running, I think I was home watching ‘The Bear’ and it was announced that I’d confirmed doing ‘SNL.’ I was like, ‘I did what?’ Everybody’s just ready for it!”
Rudolph admitted how special it’d be to bring the impersonation back to Rockefeller Center.
“I spent so many years on ‘SNL’ watching other people play presidential candidates and thinking there’s no one that resembles me in the race. To think that we’re here now, and to think that I’d ever be close by association, is incredible,” she told RuPaul.
Rudolph ended her interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” by teasing her “SNL” comeback, telling the studio audience, “I mean, I don’t know. We’ll see!”
On Friday, Sept. 27, Rudolph appeared in a “SNL” Season 50 promo as herself. She made no mention of Harris but did break out in a Southern accent, a possible nod to the memes critiquing the presidential nominee’s accent at certain rallies, and teased that “rumor has it, a very special guest is coming around these parts this week,” leading many to believe she’d be reprising the role.
