Top 20 Hilarious Kate McKinnon SNL Impressions

Top 20 Hilarious Kate McKinnon SNL Impressions

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for Kate McKinnon’s funniest and most entertaining impersonations from her time on “SNL.”

#20: Joy Behar

In this hilarious parody of “The View,” Kate McKinnon plays one of the show’s mainstay personalities. Her take on Joy Behar is just as funny and unfiltered as the real woman. The comedian also channels the presenter’s outspoken liberal politics, setting up an entertaining clash between egos. Opposite Aidy Bryant’s Meghan McCain, McKinnon does some amazing acting as the two characters argue. The chemistry that she has with her fellow cast members only makes every witty line and interaction better. For anyone who knows the real show, this entire sketch feels like a documentary with such accurate performances.

#19: Betsy DeVos

For this “Weekend Update” segment, Donald Trump’s Secretary of Education discusses her recent “60 Minutes” interview. Kate McKinnon gives Betsy DeVos a vibe that’s all smiles on the outside and terror on the inside. The actress perfectly balances this awkward mix. Her version of DeVos includes brutal honesty, with a hilarious and inept vision of American schooling. The character even references “Home Alone” in her funny and rambling speech. McKinnon really sells the political desperation of it all, showing that the problematic figure hates her job. It’s such a lean and mean piece of political satire that feels timeless.

#18: Frances McDormand

If you know this Oscar winner from her films or acceptance speeches, she projects a one-of-a-kind and no-nonsense attitude. Kate McKinnon plays the actress on “Family Feud” as she jokes about everything, including her choice of wardrobe. Stepping up to answer a question, the comedian brings a surprising amount of accuracy to the overall impersonation. McKinnon finds a way to match the acclaimed performer’s voice and facial expressions. She jokes about her contestant’s honesty, intensity, and apparent skincare routine. At a certain point, you want McDormand to take over just to watch this impression continue.

#17: Angela Merkel

When this character appears on “Weekend Update,” Kate McKinnon gets to show off her accent work. She also shows off a sillier version of the German Chancellor. Her impression of Angela Merkel jokes about politics and even introduces a unique form of screaming. McKinnon’s giddy impersonation even explores a possible crush on President Obama. From poking fun at Trump to talking about German history, these segments let McKinnon run wild. This remix of the world leader is an endless source of fun. She might not be this open and flirty in real life, but the performer certainly gives the politician a rom-com spin.

#16: Laura Ingraham

Channeling the conservative host, Kate McKinnon delivers an underrated impression of Laura Ingraham. This character manages to be closer to the real person in startling ways. McKinnon plays the presenter with a clear bias, even going so far as to make up facts for entertainment. This hilarious take on the media personality even mentions sponsors that draw laughs. All the while, the role lets the actress make darker jokes about the state of political discourse. She even plays well opposite real politicians like Elizabeth Warren. With some clever writing, this take on Ingraham teeters between funny and all too real.

#15: Lisa Kudrow

During a sketch about auditions for “Jurassic Park,” Kate McKinnon comes along with a quick impression that’s unforgettable. She plays “Friends” star Lisa Kudrow in a hilarious impersonation. McKinnon actually nails the voice and cadence of Kudrow, playing her as she tries to escape a dinosaur. It’s such detailed work that you could close your eyes and imagine the TV icon saying it herself. Her pronunciation is even funnier in the context of a big action movie, giving the dialogue an ironic quality. The “SNL” cast member also shows you that she can steal a sketch in a few seconds.

#14: Jane Lynch

With her opening lines, Kate McKinnon shows why she’s perfect to play Jane Lynch. This sketch finds the latter actress hosting “Hollywood Game Night.” Dealing with regular players and celebrities, McKinnon’s Lynch doesn’t suffer fools in increasingly funny ways. She gets to make fun of “Glee” and engage in great banter with the contestants. The “SNL” cast member transforms into the TV star, giving this game show a great pace and some of its best lines. She also gets to work with talented stars like Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. As Lynch becomes angry with the unruly celebs, McKinnon shines as she critiques the entire concept of the show.

#13: Lindsay Graham

Kate McKinnon might not be your first thought when you think of Lindsay Graham, but she absolutely earns her part here. The cast member goes behind makeup and prosthetics for a convincing take on the senator. McKinnon turns the politician into an angry and hilarious force of nature. She questions Matt Damon’s Brett Kavanaugh, but also does some fantastic physical comedy. The whole performance looks as if she’s become possessed by Graham. Even with Damon’s fantastic work, the actress still steals the skit as the questioning goes south. It shows that McKinnon can take any role and make it her own.

#12: Theresa Caputo

With the incredible hair alone, Kate McKinnon plays a convincing version of the “Long Island Medium.” She captures the TV star’s accent, personality, and questionable skills. Her take on Caputo also puts people in tears, bringing out some hilarious reactions from other cast members. McKinnon also makes the most of some funny references to Long Island. From helping random shoppers to talking with animals, the character’s powers are endlessly entertaining to watch. The performer works with a fantastic script that parodies the highs and lows of being a medium. On top of everything else, the comedian brings out the best in Daniel Craig’s impression of Larry.

#11: Penélope Cruz

On the surface, Kate McKinnon is almost nothing like Penélope Cruz. This doesn’t stop her from doing a hilarious impression of the actress. Trading accuracy for silliness, this impersonation is absolutely ridiculous. McKinnon leans into Cruz’s accent as she does a shampoo commercial. Next to Sofía Vergara, the comedian encounters a wind machine and many hard-to-pronounce words. The “SNL” performer makes it all look and sound effortlessly funny. While the words seem to get harder, McKinnon’s vocalizations become even funnier. Her performance is so effective that you might never see a hair-care ad the same way again.

#10: Jodie Foster

It’s an understatement to say that McKinnon nails her impression of this award-winning actress, director, and producer. Best known for her appearances in films like “The Accused” and “The Silence of the Lambs,” Foster is easily recognizable by her unique voice and mannerisms. It’s no surprise, then, that Foster gives McKinnon a lot of material to work with for her spot-on impression. Whether she’s appearing on Piers Morgan Tonight or as one of the “sexiest” Bond Girls ever, McKinnon’s hilarious version of Foster is a delight to behold.

#9: Elizabeth Warren

This American politician from the Democratic Party is the Senior United States Senator from Massachusetts. She is best known for her fierce stance on corruption, her plan to eliminate student loan debt, and completing her fundraising without any corporate contributions. These also happen to be the things that McKinnon picks on in her bespectacled performance, most commonly on “SNL’s” “Weekend Update” segment with Colin Jost. Now that Warren is running for president in 2020, we can only imagine that McKinnon has her work cut out for her (and we can hardly wait).

#8: Kellyanne Conway

A presidential campaign manager turned counselor to the president, Conway seems like a pretty legit success story on paper. However, since her appointment, she has been charged with ethics violations, and is infamously known for her use of the phrase “alternative facts” as well as her reference to a “Bowling Green Massacre” that didn’t happen. She therefore gave “SNL” a lot of fodder, and McKinnon does not pull any punches in her delivery. Although she has made a lot of appearances as the White House Advisor, our favorites are her seduction of journalist Jake Tapper, her Broadway-style number on her reasons for joining with Trump, and her parody of Pennywise the killer clown.

#7: Kristen Stewart

Once the highest-paid actress in the world, this star of “The Twilight Saga” has blossomed from something of a caricature into a respected actress. Don’t get us wrong, we love her for her more mature roles, like for her work in 2014’s French film “Clouds of Sils Maria”. However, we still like to think of her as the withdrawn, lip-biting, nervous girl she introduced us to in 2008’s “Twilight”, and this is the version McKinnon channels for her incredible impression. Although she has also appeared on “SNL” as a host, we’re glad that the “SNL” writers didn’t hold back from teasing her.

#6: Jeff Sessions

You know him as the United States’ Senator from Alabama, who resigned to serve as the 84th United States attorney general. We still prefer to think of him as a Forrest Gump-type character sitting on a bench in a park, eating chocolates and talking to passersby. After President Trump and Sessions got into a disagreement that ended with the attorney general’s resignation, “SNL” orchestrated an imaginative portrayal of his move out. Then, when Sessions decided to run for Senate again in 2019, it wasn’t surprising that McKinnon skewered the politician on an appearance on “Weekend Update.”

#5: Rudy Giuliani

Although this American politician has previously been the mayor of New York and the United States Associate Attorney General, he is most known for acting as an attorney to President Trump in the 21st century. Despite his constant appearance in the news, especially for allegations of helping Trump to abuse his power, we prefer his appearances on “SNL.” What we mean, of course, is the shrivelled-looking, raspy-sounding interpretation that only McKinnon could pull off. Whether she’s filming a commercial for her shady services or playing off Alec Baldwin’s pouting Donald Trump, McKinnon as Giuliani is always a good time.

#4: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

There’s no denying that this strong-willed lady is a fighter. She has become famous for her perseverance, her dissenting views, and for refusing to step down as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Although Felicity Jones did a great serious portrayal of the legal crusader in 2018’s “On the Basis of Sex”, we can’t think of a better comedic one than Kate McKinnon’s representation on “Saturday Night Live”. We don’t know what we’d do without RBG’s regular appearances on “Weekend Update” with Colin Jost. Okay, yes, her appearance in “The Lego Movie 2” was pretty amazing too.

#3: Justin Bieber

Discovered at the age of 13 and since listed by Forbes magazine as one of the top 10 most powerful celebrities in the world, love him or hate him, he’s a big deal. Whether you think of the superstar as 2010’s cute Bieber, 2014’s bad boy Bieber, or 2018’s what-the-heck Bieber, we would take McKinnon’s version over those ones any day of the week. “Saturday Night Live”’s Calvin Klein ad alone is a classic, although Jingle Ballerz and any of the Celebrity Family Feuds are always a treat to watch.

#2: Hillary Clinton

Originally coming to the spotlight as the First Lady of the United States, Clinton has since made a name for herself as a Senator and later as the Secretary of State. Of course, she is best known for her second run for president in 2016, which lucky for us was at the same that McKinnon was available to spoof her on “SNL.” Although her cold opens are some of McKinnon’s best work as the American politician and diplomat, we can’t forget her presidential debates with Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump. We also give a nod to Clinton as a Christmas caroller in a particularly hilarious sketch.

#1: Ellen DeGeneres

You first loved her on “Ellen” from 1994 to 1998, but she has since become a superstar as the host of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”. She has written several books, hosted multiple award shows, won 30 Emmys, and won more People’s Choice Awards than any other celebrity. Despite all of her accomplishments, we’re so grateful that McKinnon does not go easy on the Louisianan comedian. While you can catch McKinnon’s impression in many of the sketches, we love watching her in all her glory while imitating DeGeneres as she hosts her talk show.

Did we forget another amazing “SNL” impression from Kate? Let us know in the comments below.