Ron Howard reacts to Tom Hanks’ SNL impression on Conan
By Hector Cruz
Ron Howard responds to frequent collaborator Tom Hanks’ impersonation of him on SNL during an appearance on Conan.
Tom Hanks and Ron Howard have worked together numerous times throughout the years, most recently in the forthcoming film Inferno, which opens in theaters this Friday. During the Hanks-hosted episode of SNL over the weekend, the beloved actor debuted an impersonation of the child actor-turned-director, which Howard rated during an interview with Conan O’Brien on Tuesday to promote their latest project.
O’Brien first showed the SNL clip before getting Howard’s reaction. In the sketch, Hanks played Howard — sporting his signature baseball cap, black coat and red hair — as the host of “America’s Funniest Pets” whose joined by the female hosts (played by Cecily Strong and Kate McKinnon) of the French version of the series, who provide inappropriately dark commentary of the footage.
“I love Tom Hanks, but what a pain in the ass,” Hanks as Howard says in the skit.
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Howard admitted that Hanks warned him about the impression, which he occasionally does around him. The director complimented his long-time friend as a talented actor, but called his mimicking skills into question.
“Would you say he’s an impressionist? Do you think that’s any kind of real impression of me?” he asked incredulously.
O’Brien acknowledged that Howard doesn’t wildly wave his arms as Hanks did in the clip, before changing his mind, saying, “You just did it! And you do it a lot backstage.”
The host wondered whether the impersonation was payback for what Howard put Hanks through during the filming of Inferno, explaining that he put him underwater during one scene without using a body double, which Howard tied back to his work in Splash.
Howard then returned the favor by offering his own impression of Hanks while recounting the shooting of the difficult underwater scene on the last day of filming. Watch the entire clip below, along with the SNL sketch in question:
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The SNL episode hosted by Hanks was not only funny throughout its entirety, but also turned out to be the one of show’s highest-rated installments in years, thanks in part to the final presidential debate sketch featuring McKinnon and Alec Baldwin, with Hanks as moderator Chris Wallace. The actor also starred as a Donald Trump supporter in a new “Black Jeopardy” sketch, played breakout character David S. Pumpkins in a Halloween-themed skit, and assumed the role of “America’s Dad” by reassuring the American people that everything would be okay after the presidential election in his opening monologue.
Conan airs Monday-Thursday at 11 p.m. on TBS, while SNL returns November 5 at 11:30 p.m. on NBC with host Benedict Cumberbatch and musical guest Solange.