How many times has Maya Rudolph played Kamala Harris on SNL?
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Maya Rudolph is a beloved Saturday Night Live alum. She was one of the most energetic and versatile cast members on the show between 2000 and 2007. Like Tina Fey before her, however, Rudolph has benefited, in recent years, from political campaigns.
Tina Fey was called back to SNL due to her uncanny impersonation of Sarah Palin in 2008, and now Rudolph is being summoned by the internet to make her SNL comeback to portray Kamala Harris.
Maya Rudolph has played Kamala Harris 9 times
Rudolph has already played Harris before, but given how big of a splash her impression has made on the general public, we thought it'd be interesting to chart how many times she's stepped into the VP's shoes.
Maya Rudolph has portrayed Kamala Harris nine times over the last five years. The SNL alum debuted her Harris impersonation in the season 45 premiere, alongside Woody Harrelson's Biden routine. The bit proved to be such a hit that Rudolph was called back two more times during the season.
Rudolph's screen time really increased in season 46, though. She portrayed Kamala Harris an additional six times, including the season premiere. Rudolph's return was such a success that she took home a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
Rudolph hasn't starred in a Harris sketch since 2020
The comedian talked about the pressure of impersonating a real-life politician during a 2020 interview with actress Natasha Lyonne. She said that she watched the Vice Presidential debates through gritted teeth, but ultimately found it helpful when it came to emulating Harris' demeanor:
"“I hate debates in life... Nevertheless, I was paying attention to physicalities and also just trying to see how she was doing."
Rudolph also pointed out that real life can oftentimes be more ridiculous than the parodies that SNL specializes in. She recalls being stunned when a fly landed on the head of Harris' debate opponent, Mike Pence. "You want to say to the person next to you like, 'Are you f**king seeing this?," she recalled. "As if things hadn’t been weird enough getting us to this point. So f**king strange and hilarious."
Rudolph has not yet confirmed whether she will be returning to SNL to portray Harris, but given the fact that the latter is now going against Donald Trump for the presidency, now's the perfect time.
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