'I'd struggle': Why Steve Martin turned down SNL approach to play Tim Walz
Steve Martin has turned down the chance to play Tim Walz on 'Saturday Night Live' because he is "not an impressionist".
Steve Martin has turned down the chance to play Tim Walz on 'Saturday Night Live'.
The 'Only Murders in the Building' actor - who has hosted the NBC sketch show 16 times over the years - has confirmed showrunner Lorne Michaels approached him about portraying the politician after Kamala Harris named him her running mate for the upcoming presidential election, but he insisted he isn't a good enough impressionist and would only have been chosen because of his physical similarities to the Minnesota governor.
He told the Los Angeles Times newspaper: “I wanted to say no and, by the way, he wanted me to say no.
“I said, ‘Lorne, I’m not an impressionist. You need someone who can really nail the guy.’ I was picked because I have gray hair and glasses.”
And the 78-year-old star was reluctant to take on the role because he knows he could end up tied to the show for years to come.
He said: “It’s ongoing. It’s not like you do it once and get applause and never do it again. Again, they need a real impressionist to do that.
"They’re gonna find somebody really, really good. I’d be struggling.”
Steve had previously joked about his resemblance to Tim and the online suggestions he play him on 'Saturday Night Live'.
Referring to the comedy tour he and Martin Short are embarking on next month, he wrote on Threads earlier this week: “I just learned that Tim Walz wants to go on the road with Marty Short."
Maya Rudolph is to reprise her portrayal of current Vice President Kamala for the election campaign, having first played her on the show in 2019 during the Democratic presidential primaries and again when she was officially appointed current president Joe Biden's running mate.
Alec Baldwin previously spent years playing Donald Trump after taking on the role of the former 'Apprentice' star before the 2016 election.
