For over two decades, Maya Rudolph cemented her place as one of SNL’s most hilarious cast members with her memorable impersonations. Rudolph joined the famous sketch comedy show in 2000 and remained a tenured member until 2007. However, SNL has always been home for Maya Rudolph.
Since her exit, she has returned for several cameos and hosted the show three times in 2012, 2021, and 2024. From fictional characters, icons, and music stars to politicians, Maya Rudolph has one of the SNL’s most memorable performances on the show. Here’s a look at Maya Rudolph’s 9 most hilarious impersonations on NBC’s Saturday Night Live.
1. Halle Berry
Maya Rudolph’s impersonation of Halle Berry on SNL is one of the actor-comedian’s notable impressions on the show. However, unlike other impersonations, Halle Berry’s has been done as frequently as others. Impersonating Halle Berry was inevitable, especially because of her emotionally-laden acceptance speech at the 74th Academy Awards on March 24, 2002.
However, few people could have impersonated Halle Berry as Maya Rudolph did on SNL season 27, episode 16, which aired on April 6, 2002. The episode had Cameron Diaz as the host and Jimmy Eat World as the musical guest artist. During the “Weekend Update” segment, comedian and actor Dean Edwards impersonates Denzel Washington alongside Maya Rudolph as Halle Berry. Still in shock at her win, Maya Rudolph’s Halle Berry is still thanking everyone, including the lady from the Pine-Sol commercials.
2. Christina Aguilera
Maya Rudolph’s impersonation of multi-Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Christina Aguilera on SNL is one of Rudolph’s many celebrated impressions. As Christina Aguilera, Rudolph showed her comedic skills and keen sense for celebrity parodies. The impression involved an exaggerated Christina Aguilera’s vocal stylings, particularly Aguilera’s unique use of riffs and melismas. Rudolph leaned into the pop star’s vocal powerhouse persona, adding humor by highlighting Christina Aguilera’s breathy tones and dramatic vocal runs.
3. Donatella Versace
Although not the first to portray Italian fashion designer, socialite, and model Donatella Versace, Maya Rudolph’s impersonation of Donatella stands out for audiences. Rudolph portrayed Donatella several times on SNL, with each performance outdoing the former. Even the real-life Donatella Versace was reportedly impressed by Rudolph’s impersonation. Donatella reached out to give additional pointers to Maya Rudolph. As the sister of Versace’s founder, Rudolph’s portrayal of Donatella is often over-the-top, diving into the excess and flamboyance associated with her.
4. Whitney Houston
Maya Rudolph impersonated Whitney Houston a couple of times, but her spot-on impression makes it one of her most memorable SNL portrayals. Known for her lively energy and playful take on the legendary singer, Rudolph’s Whitney Houston exaggerated the singer’s distinct vocal stylings, mannerisms, and personality quirks. Rudolph impersonated Whitney Houston while she was a tenured member on Saturday Night Live.
5. Oprah Winfrey
With exaggerated enthusiasm, dramatic expressions, and spot-on portrayal of Oprah Winfrey’s voice, Maya Rudolph’s impersonation is humorous and affectionate. It easily captured Oprah’s larger-than-life presence on television. One of Rudolph’s iconic sketches of Oprah was in an SNL episode where she comically interacts with guests on an Oprah fictional show, humorously portraying Oprah’s signature energy and enthusiasm for giveaways.
6. Pamela Bell
Besides impersonating real-life celebrities and icons, Maya Rudolph was also known for her hilarious performances as fictional characters. One such character is Pamela Bell, known for her intense, over-the-top singing and comedic expressions. Pamela Bell was one of Maya Rudolph’s recurring characters while she was a cast member on Saturday Night Live. While it’s hard to pick a specific Pamela Bell impersonation as the best, her Super Bowl rendition of the National Anthem ranks as one of Rudolph’s Best
7. Maya Angelou
Maya Rudolph’s impersonation of Maya Angelou perfectly blended satire and reverence. Rudolph portrayed Maya Angelou in a mock TV show, with the legendary poet and civil rights activist as host. On the show, Maya Angelou pranks high-profile celebrities with absurdly polite pranks. In the sketch, the pranks are lighthearted and intentionally harmless. This was done to stay true to Angelou’s gentle and warm persona, with Rudolph delivering lines in an exaggeratedly earnest and intellectual tone. It was a memorable performance as Maya Rudolph returned to SNL as a guest for the impersonation.
8. Beyoncé
Maya Rudolph impersonated Beyoncé several times during her time on Saturday Night Live. She also did several impersonations as a guest on the show. Rudolph’s Beyoncé impersonations are some of her most memorable celebrity impersonations because of Rudolph’s perfection and Beyoncé’s A-list status. Rudolph captured Beyoncé’s unique vocal style and superstar aura while adding a humorous twist.
Kamala Harris
At the time Maya Rudolph was a tenured member of Saturday Night Live, Vice President Kamala Harris was still San Francisco’s District Attorney, the first person of color to hold the position. However, Harris became a notable public figure nationwide after announcing her candidacy for president. Rudolph first impersonated Kamala Harris in 2019. Rudolph reprised the role multiple times as Harris gained national prominence and eventually became the vice-presidential nominee on Joe Biden’s ticket in 2020.
Maya Rudolph recently impersonated Kamala Harris on November 2, 2024, a few days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The real Vice President Kamala Harris joined Rudolph in the SNL skit. The episode had the highest number of U.S. viewers since Saturday Night Live season 50 premiered on September 28, 2024. Although Maya Rudolph received praise for her performance again, it wasn’t enough to get Kamala Harris a win over Donald Trump at the polls.
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