In Los Angeles, Steve Martin’s next role won’t be the Midwestern politician many internet fans had anticipated. After Maya Rudolph’s highly praised impression of Kamala Harris on “Saturday Night Live,” viewers eagerly speculated on who the late-night show would choose to play Harris’ new running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Walz’s similar hairstyle and signature glasses sparked fans to draw comparisons with Martin, who has frequently been a guest on “SNL” but has never joined the cast officially. The Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday that “SNL” producer Lorne Michaels reached out to Martin with an offer to take on the role for the upcoming 50th season, premiering on September 28. Martin, however, declined.
“I wanted to say no and, by the way, he wanted me to say no,” Martin explained. “I said, ‘Lorne, I’m not an impressionist. You need someone who can really nail the guy.’ I was picked because I have gray hair and glasses.”
At first, Martin indulged in the humorous speculation, even writing on the social platform Threads that he “just learned that Tim Walz wants to go on the road with Marty Short.” Yet, he noted that taking on the role would demand a significant, ongoing commitment.
“It’s ongoing,” Martin said to the Times. “It’s not like you do it once and get applause and never do it again. Again, they need a real impressionist to do that. They’re gonna find somebody really, really good. I’d be struggling.”
Meanwhile, Maya Rudolph is set to return to her Emmy-winning portrayal of Kamala Harris on the show. According to Deadline, Rudolph adjusted the shooting schedule for her comedy series “Loot,” delaying it from August to January, to accommodate her role on “SNL” throughout the election season. Rudolph also serves as an executive producer and star of “Loot.”
Rudolph’s journey as “America’s fun aunt” on “SNL” began in 2019 when Harris was still a presidential candidate and continued after Harris was announced as Joe Biden’s running mate.
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