NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — “Saturday Night Live” has taken social media calls for show alum Maya Rudolph to reprise her role as Vice President Kamala Harris this upcoming season to heart, bringing the Emmy-winner back to 30 Rock right as the 2024 presidential election hits a critical point, according to reports from Deadline and CNN.
SNL representatives did not immediately respond to 1010 WINS/WCBS 880’s request for comment.
As soon as President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, making her the presumptive Democratic nominee, Rudolph’s fans began urging her to return and continue contributing to "SNL"’s long history of parodying the political cycle.
Pre-production on Rudolph’s Apple TV+ comedy series “Loot,” which was scheduled to begin filming in late August, has been paused for scheduling reasons and is expected to pick up in January, according to reports.
Rudolph, 52, first introduced her impression of Harris, 59, in the 45th season of "SNL," and her performance earned praise from the then-senator of California.
"She was hilarious, and I mean, my God, to be played by Maya Rudolph, are you kidding me? It was great. It was very funny. She's great. Look, she can give me pointers. She was great. I mean, she had it down." Harris told reporters after the character debuted.
Rudolph particularly shined in "SNL"’s Dec. 19, 2019 episode hosted by Eddie Murphy. Despite only having a few lines in the star-studded cold open parodying that year’s PBS Democratic debate, she earned herself the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2020 and became an instant meme.
With an Emmy win for the character under her belt, Rudolph returned to "SNL" in the fall of 2020 alongside comedy legend Jim Carrey, who portrayed Biden, on a recurring basis.
She has reprised the role on several other occasions after the 2020 election, including during a March 2021 episode that she hosted. This appearance earned her another Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy.
Rudolph was a regular "SNL" cast member from 2000 until 2007. She is currently nominated for four Emmys, which includes another Guest Actress in a Comedy Series nomination for her "SNL" hosting stint this past season.
The 50th season of "SNL" premieres on Sept. 28, allowing for exactly five episodes before Election Day on Nov. 5.