Maya Rudolph is returning to âSaturday Night Liveâ next season â and her role just got a lot bigger.
Rudolph will reprise her portrayal of Vice President Kamala Harris when the NBC show returns for its fiftieth season this fall, a source with knowledge of Rudolphâs plans told CNN. Rudolph will play Harris through the 2024 election.
NBC and representatives for Rudolph did not respond to CNNâs request for comment.
When U.S. President Joe Biden announced he would not seek a second term and endorsed Harris to be the Democratic nominee, there was immediate interest from âSNLâ producers to have Rudolph back, the source said. However, her availability was initially unclear.
According to , Rudolphâs schedule cleared up this week as production on the third season of her Apple TV+ comedy series âLootâ was pushed to January. (âLootâ films in Los Angeles, and âSNLâ shoots in New York City.)
Rudolphâs portrayal of Harris on âSNLâ has become a fan-favorite.
She first appeared as Harris in an âSNLâ sketch in 2019. She won the Emmy Award for outstanding guest comedy performance in 2020 and another Emmy for her hosting role on âSNLâ in 2021.
Harris herself has said that she likes Rudolphâs impression of her.
âI grew up watching Saturday Night Live,â she told in a 2019 interview. âThe thought that anyone would be in any way depicting me on âSaturday Night Liveâ was just â I was a bit overwhelmed.â
âI will tell you that I fully intend to make sure she (Rudolph) has a full eight years of work on âSNL,â Harris joked at the time.
No word yet on who might play former President Donald Trump this upcoming season, but James Austin Johnson has portrayed him on the long-running sketch show most recently. With Rudolph returning as Harris, sheâs certainly going to need a sparring partner as the race heats up.
Season 50 of âSaturday Night Liveâ is set to begin on September 28.