Yahoo News SNL fans left baffled and impressed by Joe Biden impression in season premiere
It’s the new season premiere of SNL tonight (October 2) and fans were confused at who played Joe Biden in the show’s opening sketch.
The 47th season of the long-running comedy show saw an opening featuring an actor disguised as Joe Biden and it took fans on Twitter some time to work out who it was.
One Twitter user wrote: “My family is in a major disagreement. Is this Owen Wilson as Biden?” While a second wrote: “Is that Owen Wilson playing Biden?”
A third added: “I think it’s Owen Wilson playing Biden but I’m not sure.”
You can see some of the initial reaction here:
And now, a message from the President of the United States. #SNLPremiere pic.twitter.com/PaZvnXLX6f
— Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) October 3, 2021
Who was playing Biden on SNL tonight? Was it Owen Wilson?
— Jo Mannies (@jmannies) October 3, 2021
Owen Wilson is very good at the Joe Biden impression. SNL cold open was a hot start
— Luke Campbell (@LCWorldPeace) October 3, 2021
Owen Wilson as Joe Biden seems like such an obvious slam dunk. Why did none of us not think of this 2 years ago?! #snl
— Justin Avery Smith (@JustAVerySmith) October 3, 2021
However, fans and viewers of the show later started to point out that it was in fact new SNL cast member, James Austin Johnson.
“New cast member James Austin Johnson opens the 47th season of SNL as the new Joe Biden” CNN’s Frank Pallotta tweeted, adding: “And this isn’t even Johnson’s best impression. His Trump is possibly the best in the country, which leads me to wonder if Trump runs again could Johnson pull a Dana Carvey and play both roles?”
New cast member James Austin Johnson opens the 47th season of SNL as the new Joe Biden. pic.twitter.com/rP8t3LqgGd
— Frank Pallotta (@frankpallotta) October 3, 2021
SNL finally found its Biden. James Austin Johnson is great.
— Frank Pallotta (@frankpallotta) October 3, 2021
Many fans were impressed by the accuracy of the impression with one calling it “stunning” and another saying it was “the best I’ve ever seen”. However, some did say they preferred Jim Carey’s impression from last season.
You can some of the responses here:
@nbcsnl ugh! Didn’t like the new Joe Biden character. No!!
— Georgie Cornelius (@missgigi2011) October 3, 2021
I enjoyed #SNL newcomer James Austin Johnson as Joe Biden. @nbcsnl
— Gary Sprengel (@GarySprengel) October 3, 2021
SNL @nbcsnl continues to have a problem finding someone to play Joe Biden. In the cold open of tonight’s season premiere, Darrell Hammond, usually an extraordinary impressionist, was nothing like Biden. It was painful.
— Steven Goldstein (@StvenGoldstein) October 3, 2021
SNL recently unveiled the cast of its new season, with Beck Bennett and Lauren Holt both leaving the show.
Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Cecily Strong, and Kenan Thompson will all be returning along with the rest of the show’s ensemble – Michael Che, Mikey Day, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Colin Jost, Alex Moffat, Kyle Mooney, Ego Nwodim, Chris Redd, Melissa Villaseñor, and Bowen Yang.
Three more hosts have been unveiled too to follow up on Wilson: Kim Kardashian West will host on 9 October, followed by Rami Malek the following week, and Jason Sudeikis on 23 October.
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