Maya Rudolph has described playing U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday Night Live as a "tremendous, exciting time".
During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday, guest host RuPaul Charles asked the Bridesmaids actress how she was feeling about returning to the NBC sketch comedy show to portray the Democratic Party's presidential nominee.
"Interesting that you brought this up, because no one has asked me," she joked. "I've never experienced something like this before in any of the work I've done. This has been such a tremendous, exciting time for me that feels so much bigger than me or anything I've ever done. I've played her on the show already, but the minute it was announced that she was running, I think I was home watching (TV show) The Bear and it was announced that I'd confirmed doing SNL. I was like, I did what? Everybody's just ready for it."
The Loot star won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2020 for her first turn as Harris in December 2019. She has since played her on the show several times, earning another Emmy in the process.
Last month, Maya confirmed she would be reprising her impression of the politician as the campaign for the 2024 U.S. presidential election ramps up.
And the star - who originally appeared on the show between 2000 and 2007 - noted that she was thrilled to see a candidate whom she looks a lot like.
"I would never have believed you if you'd said, 'Hey one day you're going to be playing the presidential candidate,'" the 52-year-old insisted. "To think that I had anything to do with this by association is mind-blowing. I spent so many years on SNL watching other people play presidential candidates and thinking there's no one that resembles me in the race. To think that we're here now, and to think that I would ever be close by association, is so incredible."
The fiftieth season of Saturday Night Live is set to begin on 28 September.
