Saturday Night Live Season 50 is on the horizon, and it coincides with a major U.S. event. This fall will mark the 2024 U.S. Presidential election and, as it stands, it seems that the race will likely be between former President Donald Trump and current VP Kamala Harris. On the sketch comedy series, the latter politician has mostly been played by esteemed series alum Maya Rudolph, and fans may not be surprised to hear that she’ll officially return for more guest spots. However, some may wonder where that leaves the third season of Rudolph’s comedy series, Loot (which is streamable with an Apple TV+ subscription). Well, details on that front have been provided as well.
The official report of Maya Rudolph returning to play Vice President Harris or “Mamala” comes by way of Deadline. As noted by the trade, this move comes after a wave of fans across social media expressed their hope for Rudolph’s return after Harris opted to run on the Democratic ticket. It goes without saying that the Bridesmaids cast member’s portrayal of the former California senator has become quite popular. The actress – who’s won two Emmys for her guest-hosting stints on SNL – does indeed nail the role. You can check out one of her performances down below:
It’s likely that when the Bless the Harts alum – who was an SNL Season 49 host – appears as Kamala Harris this season, she’ll be acting alongside current cast member James Austin Johnson. At this time, Johnson is the show’s go-to actor for Donald Trump and has been praised for his work as well. Surely, fans will be delighted to see the two funny stars share the stage at 30 Rock. There is still, however, that matter of the aforementioned streaming show.
According to Deadline, filming on the third season of Loot was set to begin on August 26. However, now that its lead actress and EP has another professional commitment, pre-production has been put on ice for the time being. The trade reports that cast and crew members were informed of the schedule shift this past week. While fans can take comfort in the fact that the upcoming season will still happen, it may be disappointing for some to know that it’s being delayed.
Loot sees Maya Rudolph play the role of Molly Wells, who ends up a billionaire after divorcing her wealthy husband of 20 years. With that, Molly seeks to run the charitable foundation she forgot she’d launched. The comedy series’ ensemble also includes actors like Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Joel Kim Booster, Nat Faxon and Ron Funches. The show, which premiered in 2022 and returned for its second season earlier this year, has received positive reviews, and Rudolph is currently a 2024 Emmy nominee, thanks to her performance.
This SNL news represents a relatively bittersweet turn of events. On the one hand, fans will get to see more of Maya Rudolph’s winning performance as Kamala Harris. But, on the other hand, the wait for the third season of Rudolph’s underrated show just became a bit longer. I suppose the public should just be grateful, though, that they’re getting the actress and comedian in one form or another. Let’s hope she makes a serious splash later this year, when she returns to the series that made her a star.
Saturday Night Live Season 50 premieres on NBC on September 28 as part of the 2024 TV schedule. In the meantime, fans can grab a Peacock subscription and stream past episodes.
