Maya Rudolph sets 'SNL' return as Kamala Harris for 2024 election

Jay Stahl and Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY
Updated ·2 min read
2

Maya Rudolph will be back on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" this fall to play the VP.

The NBC sketch-comedy series alum is set to reprise her role as Vice President Kamala Harris in the run-up to the Nov. 5 presidential election.

To return for several episodes (the show is due back in late September), Rudolph will wait to resume work on her Apple TV+ comedy "Loot." The series was slated to begin filming the show's third season on Aug. 26. According to Deadline, the cast and crew were told earlier this week that production has been paused due to scheduling constraints.

Maya Rudolph as Vice President Kamala Harris and Martin Short as Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff during a 2021 "SNL" sketch. Rudolph is set to reprise her role as Harris during the 2024 presidential election.
Maya Rudolph as Vice President Kamala Harris and Martin Short as Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff during a 2021 "SNL" sketch. Rudolph is set to reprise her role as Harris during the 2024 presidential election.

Internet rallies for Maya Rudolph to return as Kamala Harris on 'Saturday Night Live'

Rudolph first played Harris in September 2019 during SNL's "DNC Town Hall," during which she sparred with Woody Harrelson's Joe Biden and echoed one of Harris' most viral lines from the first round of Democratic primary debates, when Harris confronted Biden in July 2019 about his opposition to school busing in the 1970s. She won an Emmy in 2020 as guest actress in a comedy for the role.

On July 21, Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential election and later that day, endorsed Harris to replace him atop the ticket. His self-removal from the race made way for Harris to become the presumptive Democratic nominee — and made room for Rudolph to reprise her role as the former California senator.

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," Biden said in a letter addressed to Americans. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and my country for me to stand down and to focus solely on my duties as President for the rest of my term."

Maya Rudolph's 'SNL' return follows calls for her to reprise role as Kamala Harris

The internet rallied for Rudolph to return as Harris on "SNL."

"Maya Rudolph plsssssss get back in costume," another user Nicole Raquel Dennis wrote in a post on X alongside a video of Harris.

"Hope Maya Rudolph has cleared her schedule," journalist Yashar Ali said.

"Maya Rudolph coif that hair and slip that pantsuit on baby. You’re up," social media user Joopiter wrote on X.

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Contributing: Saman Shafiq

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Maya Rudolph to play Kamaala Harris on 'SNL'

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