Any impressionist will feel at home on "SNL." Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the “SNL” cast members with the best impressions.
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00:00I believe that diplomacy should be the cornerstone of any foreign policy.
00:05And I can see Russia from my house.
00:09Welcome to Ms Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the SNL cast members with
00:14the best impressions.
00:16By now tonight, the news I have to bring to you, it's not good. In fact, it's kind of bad.
00:24Number 10. James Austin Johnson
00:27As one of the recent breakout stars of the 2020s,
00:30James Austin Johnson came to SNL ready to impersonate.
00:34This is Donald Trump, hopefully your favorite president of all time,
00:38better than Lincoln, better than Washington, frankly, better than Ezra.
00:43This is especially noticeable with his Donald Trump impression. While many other performers
00:48have tried to capture the politician, Johnson might have the most accurate take yet.
00:53His version of Trump finds a way to nail the mannerisms,
00:56voice, and general speech patterns of the former president.
01:00Now you may have seen, I've been opening my rallies with my wonderful song,
01:05Justice For All, which I performed with the J6 choir. That's a very real thing,
01:10very disturbing, very disturbing.
01:12Given the constant political stories, the actor has found himself especially busy
01:17perfecting his impersonations, which also include Joe Biden.
01:21I didn't say, don't go to the movies. I said, stop seeing Spider-Man.
01:27He's also got a rather impressive take on Adam Driver.
01:31This is Adam Driver as Kylo Ren from Star Wars on the show Girls. Okay, here we go.
01:39Hannah, do you know how difficult it is to be on the dark side of the force?
01:44No, you don't, because you're a child.
01:479. Will Ferrell
01:49As one of the defining cast members of the late 1990s and early 2000s,
01:53Will Ferrell was able to impersonate plenty of people during his tenure.
01:57His best impression of them all might have been George W. Bush.
02:01Now, let me make something very clear.
02:05There was utterly no legal or military justification for this strike.
02:10With a Texas drawl and a can-do attitude, this exaggerated version of the politician
02:15was always entertaining and sometimes liked to make up words.
02:19We are almost out of time, so I will instead ask each candidate
02:22to sum up in a single word the best argument for his candidacy.
02:26Governor Bush?
02:28Strategery.
02:31Outside the political arena, Ferrell entertained audiences with his take on
02:36everyone from singer Robert Goulet to announcer Harry Caray.
02:40The latter hosted his own science show that allowed the comedian to mystify guests
02:44and make audiences laugh.
02:46We all know that the moon is not made of green cheese.
02:51Yes, that's true, Harry.
02:53But what if it were made of barbecue spare ribs? Would you eat it then?
02:59As a multifaceted player, the actor could even take the reigns of celebrity jeopardy,
03:03as Alex Trebek.
03:05Before we begin the double jeopardy round, I'd like to ask our contestants once again,
03:10please refrain from using ethnic slurs.
03:15Number eight, Chloe Feynman.
03:17If you need to impersonate a celebrity,
03:19Chloe Feynman has a huge catalogue of incredible performances.
03:22Aw, Christmas lights. So colourful.
03:26You know, one year I got the blinking ones.
03:30I left my Christmas tree on all night and learned my cat was epileptic.
03:35She's able to embody someone like Jennifer Coolidge
03:38with both their facial expressions and vocal abilities.
03:41For Saturday Night Live at Home,
03:43Feynman really shined with her one-woman show featuring all kinds of different famous people.
03:48I'm Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and since this has started, I've won two Emmys.
03:52No, I haven't.
03:53The performer can even turn the likes of Timothy Chalamet into one of her most hilarious characters.
03:59I've got my hat. I put it like so.
04:03Not to be outdone, her work as Jojo Siwa and Britney Spears can't be missed either.
04:08She can easily disappear into eccentric people,
04:10revealing their personality quirks that make for fantastic comedy.
04:15My loneliness is literally saving me.
04:18Number seven, Melissa Villasenor.
04:20People who paid close attention to SNL would have taken notice of this talented performer.
04:26She might not have always gotten the spotlight,
04:28but her impressions were one of the show's secret weapons.
04:31I'm just a girl. Don't eat me, big dinosaur.
04:35Melissa Villasenor made the most of her screen time
04:38with superb singing impersonations of Gwen Stefani and Lady Gaga.
04:51She could also make a strong statement as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,
04:55paving the way with impressions of newer political figures.
04:59Jo, I worked as a bartender in a Mexican restaurant like 11 minutes ago.
05:05This job is a freaking breeze.
05:08Her most dynamic and electrifying performance might have been Kristen Wiig.
05:13Few people have mastered the former cast member,
05:15but Villasenor completely transforms into Wiig from the voice to the laugh.
05:20I didn't throw anything. Why would you think I threw it?
05:25Because you are half giggling and I saw you throw it.
05:29I'm sorry. I was just being weird. Sorry.
05:32The comedian could have easily spent several more years
05:35showing off her impressionist abilities.
05:37Number six, Jay Pharoah.
05:39Some cast members have one or two great impersonations if they're lucky,
05:44but Jay Pharoah seems to have an endless array of voices.
05:48I mean, look, on the downside, y'all got the trailer clogging things up,
05:52but on the upside, Will Smith is in your neighborhood.
05:56He could effortlessly turn into actors like Will Smith
05:58and Kevin Hart without missing a beat.
06:01Here's the thing. There's no way he's my son.
06:04Yeah, here's the thing, Mom. Let me explain, first of all.
06:08Not only can he capture a performer's cadence,
06:10he can nail down several nuances that make his work even more special.
06:15When he wasn't stealing scenes as Kanye West,
06:18he could do one of the best Denzel Washington impersonations we've ever seen.
06:22You're too young.
06:23You're too old.
06:26I love this guy.
06:28He even found a way to combine many of his impressions
06:31into one epic Weekend Update segment.
06:34So Chappelle's like, hold on, baby. Everybody just calm down, son.
06:39If anybody deserves more time to shine on SNL, it would definitely be this comedian.
06:44Number five, Kate McKinnon.
06:45Throughout the 2010s, Kate McKinnon was one of the brightest stars on SNL.
06:50She had plenty of chaotic and eccentric takes
06:52on celebrities who made sketches and Weekend Update even better.
06:57I'd be happy to talk about the last 30 years.
07:00Her version of Hillary Clinton took on Donald Trump in 2016,
07:04while her unique look at Elizabeth Warren helped introduce us to another political leader.
07:09First off, right, we're going to cut military spending.
07:13So immediately dead in the water.
07:16She also found a way to turn Ruth Bader Ginsburg into a dancing queen.
07:21On top of her roles as famous women,
07:23McKinnon wasn't afraid to take on powerful men, either.
07:26This ain't no trial. This ain't no due process.
07:30Do you know what this is, Judge Kavanaugh? Do you know what this is?
07:35Her underrated Lindsey Graham performance drew laughs,
07:38while her Rudy Giuliani was an inspired remix of the former mayor.
07:43Anyway, I'm glad I made it to the show on time, because first I went to 30 Rocks.
07:48That's a granite quarry in New Rochelle.
07:51We couldn't imagine the last decade of Saturday Night Live
07:54without her funny and ridiculous roles.
07:57Number 4. Phil Hartman
07:59Of all the Saturday Night Live cast members,
08:01Phil Hartman was among the most gifted sketch performers.
08:04I'm the president. Only I need to understand.
08:07He brought a dedication and seriousness to comedic roles that made him stand out.
08:12This included his amazing work as both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
08:17With the latter, Hartman was able to make a trip to McDonald's a memorable event.
08:22Say, you gonna finish these fries?
08:25Uh, no. You want some?
08:27Well, if you're not gonna eat them.
08:29He could also deliver the goods as diverse media figures,
08:33such as Phil Donahue and Frank Sinatra.
08:35Come on, swing, baby, you platinum.
08:38In recurring segments, he played Ed McMahon in hilarious sketches parodying The Tonight Show.
08:44For those of you who just are joining us, this is our final show and Ed is drunk.
08:49You are correct, sir, yes.
08:52The actor could steal the spotlight in any sketch,
08:55giving both enviable leading and supporting performances.
08:59Number 3. Darryl Hammond
09:01As one of the longest-running cast members in SNL history,
09:04Darryl Hammond was a reliable presence on the show for over a decade.
09:08His greatest talent was a whole host of highly accurate impressions.
09:12Could I just say that in my plan,
09:14the lockbox would be used only for Social Security and Medicare?
09:20It would have two different locks.
09:24Hammond's version of Al Gore sparred with Will Ferrell's George W. Bush,
09:28creating one of the best impressions of the vice president.
09:31There's also his underrated John McCain, or his early take on Donald Trump,
09:35that predated Alec Baldwin and James Austin Johnson's work.
09:39Over the next 13 weeks, I'll be looking at you.
09:42Over the next 13 weeks, I'll be looking for someone
09:45with an appreciation for the classier things in life,
09:48like solid gold telescopes and 40-foot TVs.
09:52This doesn't even count for his tremendous and long-running work as Bill Clinton.
09:57What? Yeah, I just bit my lip and did the thumb thing. How'd you like that?
10:02The performer's most iconic impersonation might just be Sean Connery
10:06on the Celebrity Jeopardy sketches.
10:08As the foil to Alex Trebek, his Connery was an endless source of comedy.
10:12The sound a doggy makes. Mr. Connery.
10:17Mool.
10:19No.
10:20Well, that's the sound your mother made last night.
10:23Number 2. Dana Carvey
10:25Joining the cast in 1986, Dana Carvey was a comedic powerhouse from his first season.
10:31His plethora of unusual characters from Garth to Church Lady helped reinvigorate the show.
10:36Well, isn't that special?
10:38He also helped make the election cycles of the late 1980s and 1990s hilarious.
10:44His depiction of George H. W. Bush remains one of his best performances,
10:48turning a straight-laced president into a goofy caricature.
10:52I'm gonna raise, I'm gonna raise, I'm gonna raise, I'm gonna raise taxes.
11:04If that wasn't enough, Carvey turned Ross Perot into a gift that kept on giving.
11:09Now, is this the way we're gonna play the game here? Are you guys gonna keep
11:12asking these asinine questions till you see some dirty pictures? Is that what you want?
11:16Whether working with intricate satire or silly material,
11:19the comedian made any impression unforgettable.
11:22His work as Bob Dylan proved that he didn't even need words to get a laugh.
11:28Have a seat, everybody, ready, down the chair, have a seat.
11:34Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
11:37Fred Armisen, the versatile performer could do everyone from Barack Obama to Prince.
11:44Sometimes I just wanna chill.
11:49Maya Rudolph, her star power propelled impressions of Donatella Versace and Beyoncé.
11:55Oh, Lord, why is it worse?
11:57Dan Aykroyd, the original cast member provided such memorable impressions that include Jimmy Carter.
12:04Peter, what did the acid look like?
12:06Um, they were these little orange pills.
12:09Were they barrel-shaped?
12:11Uh, yes.
12:12Okay, right, you did some orange sunshine, Peter.
12:15Anna Gasteyer, without her, we wouldn't have fond memories of her endearing Martha Stewart sketches.
12:21I spend 364 days a year suppressing the demons inside me,
12:26but on All Hallows' Eve, I invite them to dance.
12:29It's a good thing.
12:30Eddie Murphy, the comedic legend had no shortage of impressions from Stevie Wonder to James Brown.
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12:57Number 1. Bill Hader
12:59Nothing short of a fan favorite, Bill Hader is synonymous with SNL impressionists. He can do
13:05all kinds of original and iconic characters that have become a part of the show's history.
13:101.21 gigawatts? You're doing a great job, Scott. Hey, everyone, three cheers for Scott!
13:16Hader can do killer impressions of all kinds of celebrities, including Al Pacino
13:21or horror great Vincent Price.
13:23Am I in the shot? Lou, the talking skeleton doesn't work if I'm in the shot.
13:27What's rehearsal even for?
13:29He even turned someone like political strategist James Carville into comedy gold.
13:34I mean, I know Romney looks like a president,
13:36but we don't always get the job we look right for. If we did, I'd be the king of the snakes!
13:43His absurd approach to impersonations makes him one of the few performers who can be both
13:48precise and crazy. He is one of the most versatile comedic actors of his generation,
13:53transforming into roles like Keith Morrison with 110% dedication.
13:59That's our show. For Dateline, I'm Keith Morrison.
14:03And when I was four years old, I saw a birthday clown drown in a pool.
14:08Did we forget another great impressionist from SNL? Let us know in the comments below.
14:13I went down to the most luxurious place on earth, Mar-a-Lago.
14:19Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo,
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