The Best And Worst Presidential SNL Castings Of All Time For Each President

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During their 2020 debate, Both Baldwin and Carrey amplified the politician’s mannerisms and speech, which many viewers enjoyed. Carrey personified Biden’s quirkiness and smiles, and Baldwin sounded almost exactly like Trump. Carrey’s portrayal of Biden was short-lived on SNL, and he stepped down shortly thereafter; he posted on Twitter, “Though my term was only meant to be 6 weeks, I was thrilled to be elected as your SNL President…comedy’s highest call of duty. I would love to forward knowing that Biden was the victor because I nailed that s***. But I am just one in a long line of proud, fighting SNL Bidens!” Baldwin’s Presidential term on SNL also ended that year; he wrote on Twitter: “I don’t believe I’ve ever been this overjoyed to lose a job before!”

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Mikey Day played off of Biden’s exclamations, enthusiasm, and fun handshakes. He also focused on Biden’s tendency to improvise during his speeches. The clip also includes another comedic style, with Scarlett Johansson as Republican Senator Katie Britt, which she played with a bit of dark and dry humor.

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Woody Harrelson relied more on looking a bit like Biden rather than focusing on mannerisms and speech, which may have lost touch with viewers. 

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Baldwin’s commitment to Trump’s facial expressions, the sound of his voice, and gestures all match Trump closely. 

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John Cena hosted Saturday Night Live and played Trump in the same episode. He starred in “Through Donald’s Eyes”; although it was a creative take on a day in Trump’s life, his speaking was limited, and appearance was the focus of the parody in just a few quick glimpses of his character.  

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Jay Pharaoh captured Obama’s expressions and calm way of speaking. 

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Fred Armisen often spoke quickly and was one-note in his portrayal of Obama, often appearing to be a bit frightened or awkward. 

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Will’s charming, humorous take on Bush and commitment to his facial expressions helped make him a fan favorite. 

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Chris Parnell was entertaining to watch as George W. Bush. However, his oration sounded different than Bush’s, and he did not include much variety in his portrayal of the character. He only played him for one year, in 2000. 

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Darell Hammon had fun with his role as Clinton, which also helped the viewers relax and have fun. His use of smiles, whether subtle or big, also helped him play the character. In this photo, President Bill Clinton shares a laugh with Darrell Hammond at the 53rd Annual Dinner of the Radio and Television Correspondents in April 1997. 

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Michael McKean did not look too much like Clinton during his portrayal of him, nor did he sound too much like him either. He only portrayed Clinton from 1994-1995. 

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Dana Carvey mirrored Bush’s speech well; one of my favorite sketches was of him hunting with his son, the other Bush president. Here, Carvey and Bush share a moment together

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Phil Hartman’s commitment to his character, confident manner of speech, and intense eye contact helped make him a favorite of viewers. Here, Danny DeVito as Mikhail Gorbachev and Phil Hartman as Ronald Reagan are pictured during the “Gorbachev’s Tour” skit in December 1987 on SNL.

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While Joe Piscopo may have looked a bit like Reagan, he appeared rushed in his portrayal of the character and also appeared to be a bit uncertain. 

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Here, Chevy Chase (left) as Gerald Ford, Dan Aykroyd (right) as Jimmy Carter pose for the “Debate ’76” skit, which aired in September 1976.