Steve Martin’s next role will not be the Midwestern politician the internet hoped he’d portray.
With Maya Rudolph’s wildly popular impression of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday Night Live, fans clamoured to see who the late-night comedy show would pick to play Harris’s new running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
With similar hairstyles and their signature glasses, many fans quickly drew comparisons between Walz and Martin, who’s been a frequent SNL guest but never a formal cast member.
The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that SNL producer Lorne Michaels called Martin to offer him the role on the upcoming 50th season, premiering Sept. 28, which he declined.
‘Gray hair and glasses’ not enough
“I wanted to say no and, by the way, he wanted me to say no,” Martin said. “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.”
Although Martin initially leaned into the fun, writing on social platform Threads that he “just learned that Tim Walz wants to go on the road with Marty Short,” he also noted the impression comes with a long-term commitment of performing on the show.
“It’s ongoing,” Martin told 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.”
Rudolph, for her part, will reportedly reprise her Emmy-winning role on the show as Kamala Harris, and she seems to understand the undertaking. Deadline reported that Rudolph pushed the shooting schedule for the comedy series Loot from August to January to accommodate playing the role through the election season. Rudolph executive produces and stars in the series.
The Bridesmaids actor first played “America’s funt” — or “fun aunt” — on SNL in 2019 when Harris was running for president and continued with the role after she was announced as Joe Biden’s running mate.
