Can you believe Saturday Night Live (SNL) has been on the air since 1975? It’s been a staple for many decades and introduced the world to countless comedic powerhouses. The show is a huge part of modern pop culture, poking fun at current events and celebrities while giving us some truly hilarious sketches.
Impressions are a staple on SNL, and no one is off-limits! SNL cast members aren’t scared to parody anyone, from politicians to Internet influencers. While not every impression hits it out of the ballpark, some will have you seeing double! Here are 15 of the most spot-on impressions in SNL history.
1. George Bush
Will Ferrell is among the most successful and well-respected SNL alums, and impressions like this are why! Ferrell depicted former president George W. Bush on the show throughout his presidency, focusing on the leader’s Texan drawl.
The depiction wasn’t always flattering, as Ferrell often used made-up words and incorrect pronunciations. But the portrayal made Americans laugh at a time when humor was sorely needed.
2. Beyonce
Beyonce has been the butt of many jokes on SNL. With her music industry dominance, it’s not hard to see why. However, Maya Rudolph’s most current portrayal of Queen Bee is one of the funniest. Rudolph played a skit that parodied “Hot Ones,” a show with celebrities eating wings with scorching hot sauces.
Rudolph’s impression captures Beyonce’s soft yet dominant presence while depicting her in a crazy situation.
3. Sarah Palin
Here’s an impression that ruffled many feathers, but it’s often regarded as one of Tina Fey’s most hilarious. Tina Fey’s portrayal is said to have changed public perception of the former Alaska governor, making it one of the most impactful performances on SNL.
Fey did a fine job of replicating Palin’s mannerisms and speech, for better or worse. The impression became so popular that Palin ended up joining Fey in a skit that was both funny and awkward.
4. Justin Bieber
Kate McKinnon did a spot-on impression of the young pop star when Bieber constantly made news for his behavior. The skit poked fun at Bieber’s public persona, portraying him as a stuck-up, spoiled brat.
McKinnon acknowledged some of the drama surrounding the celebrity while parodying his infamous Calvin Klein underwear shoot.
5. Jennifer Aniston
Every once in a while, SNL will do an impression of a celebrity right in front of them! One example is Vanessa Bayer’s portrayal during one of SNL’s “Weekend Update” skits. In the scene, Bayer dresses up as Aniston’s character from “Friends.”
Midway through the skit, the real Jennifer appears to confront her. While Aniston reportedly wasn’t a big fan initially, she found the impression spot on!
6. Janet Reno
Janet Reno was the first female United States attorney general. While that doesn’t seem like a huge source of comedy, SNL has never been afraid to bring politics into the mix. As the first female attorney general, she had a higher profile than most of her predecessors, and SNL icon Will Ferrell took the opportunity to portray her.
The impression wasn’t particularly “good,” but it was hilarious! Reno took the portrayal in stride, appearing alongside Ferrell in one of the skits.
7. Bill Clinton
Many SNL actors portrayed former President Clinton throughout the show’s run, but one of the most spot-on comes from Darrell Hammond. As you can imagine, Clinton’s controversies during his presidential run were ripe for comedy. Hammond took what the public knew about Clinton and amped it up to 11, portraying him as a smooth-talking womanizer who could talk his way out of any scandal.
8. Sofia Vergara
Sophia Vergara is a Colombian-American actress known for her thick accent and beauty. SNL cast member Cecily Strong did an uncanny portrayal of the actress during a “Price is Right” parody.
Not only did Cecily nail the accent (it was scary good), but she also did a great job mimicking her mannerisms and humor.
9. Alex Trebeck
The late Alex Trebek was a TV staple, hosting a whopping 37 seasons of “Jeopardy.” Many cast members portrayed him on SNL throughout the years. In one interview, Trebek praised the show for the impressions and said he enjoyed them.
Some cast members used odd acting choices to parody the host, but one of the best impressions comes from Will Farrell. He managed to capture Trebek’s cool yet firm presence while going to extremes for humor.
10. Sean Spicer
Here’s a truly unhinged impression. Melissa McCarthy depicted former White House press secretary Sean Spicer. Spicer had a somewhat controversial run in the role, and SNL couldn’t help but poke fun at some of the more ridiculous moments at the White House podium.
Melissa McCarthy’s loud and aggressive portrayal highlighted Spicer’s more humorous eccentricities. It’s borderline insulting to Spicer but a laugh riot for everyone else!
11. Donatella Versace
Here’s another great impression from Maya Rudolph. On the show, Rudolph played a caricature of the famous fashion designer several times. Each one is more outlandish than the last, depicting Versace as a fabulous diva.
Not only did she get the looks right, but her exaggerated way of speaking poked fun at the fashion giant in a harmless way. The real Donatella reportedly loved it and found those skits hilarious.
12. Julia Child
The late Julia Child was a famous French chef known for her amazing recipes and commanding personality. She was a tall woman, and SNL poked fun at her stature by having Dan Aykroyd play her. Fortunately, the real Julia Child enjoyed the depiction.
Aykroyd depicted an exaggerated version of the celebrity chef as if she was hosting her show. The falsetto speaking voice and some ridiculous kitchen antics made for a memorable sketch.
13. Donald Trump
Alec Baldwin’s portrayal of former President Donald Trump was controversial. Trump wasn’t a fan and took every opportunity to insult Baldwin and SNL for the depiction. But it was a humorous impression to those who weren’t fans of the former President.
Baldwin portrayed the former President as a narcissistic and fully unhinged leader. He adopted Trump’s facial expressions while going on ridiculous rants. Like all SNL impressions, Baldwin exaggerated Trump’s mannerisms to create memorable sketches.
14. Liza Minelli
This impression comes from the incomparable Kristen Wiig. Liza Minelli is known for her over-the-top acting and dancing, and Wiig amplified those characteristics to get roaring laughs. The sketch “Liza Minelli Tries to Turn Off a Lamp” showed the actress and Broadway star being the most extra while trying simple tasks.
Wiig adopted Minelli’s signature voice and broke out some Fosse dance moves to get the laughs.
15. Jerry Seinfeld
Last but not least, we have Jimmy Fallon’s impression of Jerry Seinfeld. The actor’s show, “Seinfeld,” is one of the most successful of all time. He also has many distinct mannerisms, and Fallon did a knockout job of recreating them.
Fallon portrayed Seinfeld on the “Weekend Update.” Initially, it’s just Fallon acting like Seinfeld. However, the real Jerry Seinfeld joins him, and the two have a humorous back and forth. Thanks to Fallon’s great portrayal, it’s truly like seeing double.
What Impressions Will Come Next?
SNL continues to be a bastion of pop culture parody, and you can expect the cast to come up with crazy impressions and skits to have fun with whatever is happening in the world. SNL shows no signs of slowing down, so you can expect many years of new impressions to enjoy. With an ever-changing cast, you never know what the show will poke fun at next!
