It was initially news to Maya Rudolph when it was announced she would be returning to “Saturday Night Live” to play Vice President Kamala Harris.
That’s according to Rudolph, who appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Monday, where guest host RuPaul asked her ,“Will we be seeing Kamala on ‘SNL’ anytime soon?”
“Ok, interesting that you brought this up cause no one’s asked me,” Rudolph joked.
Everyone has been wondering since Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president whether Rudolph, who has appeared as Harris on the late-night show in skits in recent years, would reprise her portrayal.
Rudolph told RuPaul she has “never experienced anything like this before in any of the work I’ve ever done.”
“This has been such a tremendous, exciting time for me, that feels so much bigger than me or anything I’ve ever done,” Rudolph said. “I played her on the show already, but the minute …it was announced that she was running, I think I was home watching [series] ‘The Bear,’ and it was announced that I had confirmed doing ‘SNL’ and I was like ‘I did whaaaa?’”
“Everybody’s just ready for it,” Rudolph said, which she believes is “wonderful” and “cool.”
“I would never have believed you if you had said ‘Hey, one. day you’re going to be playing the presidential candidate,’” she said. “For me to think that I have anything to do with this by association is mind blowing.”
Rudolph explained she didn’t envision it because there has never been a presidential candidate who looked like her, until now.
“Saturday Night Live” will celebrate its 50th season when it returns to NBC with new episodes on September 28.