Maya Rudolph Reveals Goal of SNL’s Kamala Harris After VP Debate: ‘Make Sure She Wins’

On Wednesday night, after Kamala Harris swatted a fly-infested Mike Pence in the vice presidential debate, Maya Rudolph appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to discuss her SNL version of the California senator and returning to Studio 8H to film the late-night sketch show for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

“It was nuts. You and I were there for the first show after September 11, and when anthrax was in the building—that was another doozy, that was crazy—and I feel like there was a reminiscent feeling,” Rudolph told Fallon. “You were in the center of everything going on. And honestly, SNL is doing an unbelievable job of making everyone feels safe. Everyone’s tested every time you walk in.”

Rudolph delved into the shooting process a bit, revealing how scripts were kept on iPads and that she didn’t even get to see her lines until they went to air.

“I wasn’t even thinking about what Kamala speaks like. I was just worrying, ‘Do I have pants on? Is there a booger hanging out? Is everything OK?!’” she recalled.

The Emmy-winning actress expressed how grateful she was to be playing Harris, who made history as the first Black woman and South Asian woman to be on a major party’s presidential ticket.

“When in my wildest dreams did I ever think there would be a candidate that looks even remotely close to whatever this is,” she explained, pointing to her face.

When Harris was announced as Biden’s VP choice, Rudolph just so happened to be recording an Emmys-themed interview with Entertainment Weekly, telling the publication “oh shit” when she heard the news.

“You know why? Because we’re in the middle of a pandemic, and I was like, how am I going to get to New York? Oh shit. That’s complicated,” explained Rudolph, adding, “Because it’s my civic duty. I gotta do it. I gotta get there and do whatever I need to do to make sure she wins this election, and also that I do a good job.”