Maya Rudolph Poses As Beyoncé, Blue Ivy Makes SNL Debut [Video]
Maya Rudolph pulled off a killer Beyoncé impersonation on Saturday Night Live over the weekend, as Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s new daughter, the six-week-old Blue Ivy, became perhaps the youngest ever subject of a SNL parody.
In one of the better SNL skits of recent times, Rudolph starred opposite Jay Pharoah, who played Jay-Z (and also did a bang-up job). Best line from the sketch? Probably Rudolph cooing, “Look at her Jay, sleeping peacefully in her crib, lying on one of Diana Ross’ finest wigs.” Well, I chuckled.
The 39-year-old Rudolph was returning to SNL for the first time in over four years – her career was launched by her appearances on the show from 2000 – 2007. It’s fair to say it was a successful comeback, and she got some plum parts. She also posed as Michelle Obama in a sketch where the First Lady, who recently backed a drive against obesity, catches President Obama with a fattening sandwich in hand.
But the Beyoncé skit was Rudolph’s best moment, and she was joined in the sketch by a gaggle of celebrity friends including fake versions of Prince, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, and LL Cool J. Justin Timberlake (er, the real one) also did a fine job as Justin Vernon, lead singer of Bon Iver. The stand out line, for me: “Sorry I’m late. Whatever. I was just wandering barefoot in the woods of Wisconsin.”
The next host for Saturday Night Live is Lindsay Lohan, on March 3. Good job beating this, we say! Here’s Rudolph’s excellent Beyoncé take-off:
