ICONIC comedian Jim Carrey has been cast to play Joe Biden on the new season of Saturday Night Live.
SNL, which is now in its 46th season, will debut on October 3.
Carrey replaces Woody Harrelson, who appeared as Biden in season 45.
What is Saturday Night Live?
Saturday Night Live is a show that features an ensemble of actors who perform comedic sketches, satirical news, and digital shorts with the help of a weekly celebrity host.
Debuting in 1975, the show is filmed live from New York City.
The show is currently in it’s 46th season.
Is Jim Carrey playing Joe Biden on Saturday Night Live?
Legendary comedy actor Jim Carrey, who has hosted the show several times, will take on the role of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Saturday Night Live.
SNL made the announcement in a Tweet on September 16, penning: “Jim Carrey is our new Joe Biden!”
Most recently, former “SNL” cast member Jason Sudeikis and actor Woody Harrelson played the 77-year-old politician.
SNL is known for it’s comedic, sometimes controversial, political commentary.
The new season will also have three new cast members: Andrew Dismukes, Lauren Holt, and Punkie Johnson, the show tweeted.
SNL boss Lorne Michaels explained of the new season: “You’ll see the same people. I mean, Maya Rudolph is coming back, and Alec [Baldwin] will be back. And Jim Carrey is going to do Biden,” to Vulture.
Michaels told Vulture that the casting process began with The Mask actor expressing interest in the part, and then “it came down to discussions of what his take was … He will give the part energy and strength, and hopefully it’s funny.”
Amid reports that executives are rumored to be relaunching the Ace Venture franchise, Carrey has been keeping busy with work despite coronavirus conditions.
When will the season air?
Season 46 will return to screens on October 3.
The show’s 45th season was interrupted due to the coronavirus in March, where the cast and crew were filming several episodes from home.
The Emmy-award winning series plans on having “a limited in-studio audience.”
What did fans say about the news?
Fans met the news with a mixture of intrigue and questions on social media.
“For those Sudeikis fans. I agree, he was great. But we have zero idea of his schedule/availability/desire to perform the role. There are many factors in casting. I think Carrey will be excellent,” one person tweeted.
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“That’s a shame. Jason Sudeikis was the perfect fit for the role,” another agreed.
“I loved Woody Harrelson as Biden, I think Carrey will be great too. Would have been nice to see a cast member get it though,” one Twitter user diplomatically declared.
“You’ve got a huge cast. None of them are capable of the job????” a user angrily wrote.