Alec Baldwin Will Play SNL’s Donald Trump in Season 42
Boy, that SNL train keeps right on chugging today. Following word that Lin-Manuel Miranda (and maybe Emily Blunt) would follow Margot Robbie as this weekend’s Season 42 premiere host, there’s even more breaking news. Jack Donaghy himself, Alec Baldwin will take over the role of Donald Trump, with the first debate promo already online.
The Hollywood Reporter confirms that Baldwin will play the role of Trump all season (the relevance of which will ideally be diminished after November), taking over from Darrell Hammond and the departed Taran Killam. This weekend’s Season 42 premiere will naturally take aim at Monday’s presidential debate, even releasing the first promo above.
Baldwin’s 30 Rock role has drawn frequent comparison with Trump’s campaign over the last year, while the casting also follows Season 41's repeat appearances from Larry David as Bernie Sanders. Baldwin is certainly no stranger to SNL either, having previously hosted a whopping 16 episodes.
Elsewhere of Season 42, new cast members Mikey Day, Alex Moffat and Melissa Villaseñor will replace Taran Killam, Jay Pharoah and Jon Rudnitsky, while returning cast will include Vanessa Bayer, Beck Bennett, Aidy Bryant, Colin Jost, Kate McKinnon, Kyle Mooney, Bobby Moynihan, Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson, Sasheer Zamata, Michael Che, Pete Davidson and Leslie Jones.
New Season 42 additions to the writing staff include UCB alum Joanna Bradley, Anna Drezen and Kristen Bartlett, along with Jimmy Kimmel writer Zack Bornstein, comedian Julio Torres, and BriTANicK stars Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney. Unclear are which existing writers will return for Season 42, at least apart from new co-head writers Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider.
SNL Season 42 will premiere this weekend.
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