Maya Rudolph: the unambiguous winner of the Kamala Harris VP pick

Amid a flurry of predictions over how the selection of Kamala Harris as Democratic vice-presidential nominee will play out, it became clear that one person will emerge an unambiguous winner – Maya Rudolph.

The actor and comedian played the role of Harris in sketches aired on Saturday Night Live when Harris and other Democratic presidential hopefuls debated each other last year, before Joe Biden’s triumph.

The actor portrayed Harris as a “America’s cool aunt” and a “smooth-talking lady lawyer,” as well as a politician keen to land a talked-about moment that could be shared widely on the internet. Her performances seemingly won the approval of the California senator who said in October: “I fully intend to make sure she has a good eight years of work on SNL.”

Further SNL appearances for Rudolph, in the short term at least, now appear likely with the actor responding to Harris’s selection by exclaiming “Oh shit” during an Entertainment Weekly panel discussion on Emmy nominees. “I’m just as surprised as you are, guys,” Rudolph said. “That’s spicy.”

Rudolph didn’t confirm that she would return as Harris but said that SNL, which will return later this year, was her “favorite place to play”. The show itself tweeted a gif of her character.

Rudolph added: “I just didn’t really anticipate traveling during a pandemic, but if there’s anyone that can work it out, I’m sure Lorne has some sort of invisible helicopter that can get me there,” in reference to Lorne Michaels, the creator and executive producer of SNL.

The prospect of a reprise excited users of Twitter, where Rudolph is a largely popular figure.