Who Is ‘Saturday Night Live’s Newest Donald Trump?
Saturday Night Live‘s November 6 episode hosted by Succession‘s Kieran Culkin with musical guest Ed Sheeran was filled with surprises including exciting cameos and guest appearances, but it was a specific casting reveal that really caught viewers’ attention.
Among the night’s big moments was the reveal of cast member James Austin Johnson taking on the part of former President Donald Trump. In the opening sketch, the new SNL player stepped up to fill the shoes of prior Trump impersonator Alec Baldwin.
James Austin Johnson (Credit: Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC)
The segment featuring SNL‘s version of Justice with Judge Jeanine saw Cecily Strong‘s Jeanine Pirro introduce Trump as one of her guests, unveiling Johnson’s take on the recurring role. Topics discussed in the sketch included talk of Aaron Rodgers‘ vaccination status as well as Glenn Youngkin’s win in the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial election.
The likeness between Johnson’s impersonation and Trump is almost uncanny. The comedian’s one of SNL‘s newest cast members along with Aristotle Athari and Sarah Sherman. And before joining NBC’s long-running series, Johnson’s credits included Tuca & Bertie, Future Man, and Adam Ruins Everything among others.
The evening went on to have even more surprises including a brief cameo from former series cast member Tracy Morgan as well as a guest appearance by Dionne Warwick for the show’s recurring sketch format The Dionne Warwick Show.
Below, get a peek at Johnson as Trump and gear up for the likelihood of seeing him in the role again as the NBC sketch comedy series continues to cover politics. Let us know what you think of the casting choice in the comments section.
Saturday Night Live, Season 47, Saturdays, 11:30/10:30c, NBC
