After days of waiting, Americans finally learned the results of the 2020 U.S. Presidential election this past weekend, as it was projected that former Vice President Joe Biden would become the next president. It goes without saying that this obviously means changes for the country but, on another note, what does it mean for a show like Saturday Night Live, which uses political satire? Well, for one thing, it likely means that Alec Baldwin will be retiring his role as President Trump, a part that made him a fan-favorite among viewers. Now, in the wake of the election results, the actor has provided his thoughts on leaving the role.
Alec Baldwin took to Twitter (via the Hilaria and Alec Baldwin Foundation account) to give his response to the election results, and they were fairly honest. Check out his tweet down below:
Baldwin later tweeted another response to the loss of his Saturday Night Live gig. This one included a photo and a short caption:
Alec Baldwin was first announced to be playing Donald Trump ahead of Saturday Night Live Season 42 back in the fall of 2016. During the lead-up to the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election, Baldwin’s Trump would exchange one-liners with Kate McKinnon’s Hillary Clinton in debate parodies. Baldwin’s performance has since received acclaim from critics, fans and fellow Trump impersonators alike. The role would also earn him an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
The role may have brought him plenty of attention, but playing the president did get somewhat tiring for Baldwin. During the summer of 2019, he stated that he was “so done” with playing the role and said he couldn’t see himself returning to portray the president again. He did, however, return, with his most recent appearance being this past weekend.
With Joe Biden having been elected president, one would assume that Saturday Night Live will now feature more of Jim Carrey’s humorous (and debated) take on the former VP. The same goes for Maya Rudolph’s fan-favorite take on Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Both actors have played a big role during this COVID-era season of SNL, with some even wondering if they should receive formal cast member credits. While the chances of that happening are certainly slim, it’ll be interesting to see just how much they’re utilized moving forward.
One thing that can be said is that this is truly the end of an era on SNL. Over the show’s nearly 50-year existence, many actors have played presidents, from Chevy Chase’s Gerald Ford to Jay Pharoah’s Barack Obama. Now, Alec Baldwin’s President Trump will stand alongside them as one of the most notable impersonations in the show’s history. And although we won’t be seeing Baldwin’s Trump on a regular basis, it wouldn’t be surprising if the show found a way to utilize him in other ways.
Saturday Night Live airs new episodes Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
