Top 10 Hilarious Kate McKinnon SNL Performances

Kate McKinnon has never been one to limit herself to female roles, and being cast as Canada’s most infamous pop star was a stroke of genius. Capturing the musicians’s cocky physicality uncannily, the role is funny not only for the exaggerated impersonation, but also because of how realistic it is. It’s worth putting on display not only for her expected comedic abilities, but also for how much it shows her versatility as an actress. Some might even say that McKinnon’s portrayal of Bieber is a preferable alternative to the real thing.

From a young man to an old woman, Kate can squeeze comedy out of any role. As Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, she embodies the woman’s badassery in absolutely ridiculous fashion. What’s brilliant about this impression is the way that she manages to satirize the duality of her old age and her extreme energy. She also shows off her improvisation skills, particularly when she manages to make Colin Jost break character. It showcases McKinnon’s undeniable charm, ability and versatility. We just hope that she keeps on Ginsburning in the seasons to come.

Women certainly don’t have it easy in Hollywood, but it even less of a cakewalk back in the film business’ golden age. Debette is a senile actress who participates in panels of actresses discussing women’s roles in the film industry, describing some horrifically quirky trends that she was put through. She captures the character’s age with her voice and mannerisms even more than the makeup does, and more often than not causes her co-stars to break. She may be old, but even so we have a feeling she’ll be sticking around studio 8H for quite a while.

The liberal German chancellor may be a bit more of an obscure figure than her other impressions, but McKinnon was able to make her one of her best characters. With an exaggerated German accent, she plays the overworked and awkward politician to perfection. The satire here is widespread, from German and American politics to German culture and women in government. Her love for Barack Obama and frustration with Donald Trump presents a hilarious view of politics, and McKinnon’s crazy-eyed performance is all over the place, nailing every punch line she’s given.

Kate McKinnon’s impression of Ellen DeGeneres proves that she can anchor a sketch almost all by herself. Her impersonation of Ellen’s voice and mannerisms is as on-point as it gets. However, the funniest aspect of the role is the physical humour, as she changes into ridiculous sitting positions, even while she addresses her audience. McKinnon hits the perfect notes of Ellen’s humour and comedy style, both making fun of it and respecting it. As “SNL”’s first openly lesbian cast member, she was a natural choice to play this gay icon, and even Ellen herself approved of the performance.

We hope to never see a situation like this in real life. Sheila is a particularly unappealing woman who always manages to hook up with an equally unappealing man at a bar’s last call. It’s a different role than she normally performs, but McKinnon manages to deliver her signature charm even as a gross character. She’s hooked up with the likes of Dave Chapelle, Louis C.K., and Larry David, with her counterparts always delivering equally hilarious performances. She always goes all the way for the sake of laughs, unafraid of getting nasty, and it’s just one of the many reasons we love her.

Mrs. Rafferty should be the luckiest woman alive, but as it turns out...she’s not. The chain smoker is involved in several miracles along with her friends, although her story always turns out to be a bit less miraculous than the others’. The contrast between her deadpan performance and the other character’s genuine stories brings the hilarity to these sketches. She embodies the character from head to toe, and her tales are so earnestly delivered, we can almost visualize them happening, which brings an entirely new level of comedy to the character. Let’s just hope next time she’s able to keep her pants.

Kate McKinnon was invaluable to the show during the 2016 election, due in large part to her impeccable impression of Donald Trump’s counsellor, Kellyanne Conway. Conway has the unfortunate task of having to defend the businessman’s unhinged behaviour, and McKinnon perfectly captures her impressive ability to dodge questions. This is a multi-faceted impression, from exhausted Kellyanne, to crazy Kellyanne, to terrifying Stephen King-inspired gutter clown Kellyanne. It can be a bit cruel at times, but that doesn’t make it any less funny. All the craziness of the Trump campaign and administration is encapsulated in McKinnon’s impression.

With Russia in the news so much lately, Olya is the mouthpiece for life in the Eastern European country. Once again utilizing an exaggerated accent, Olya appears on Weekend Update to discuss how awful her life is. While she often appears to misunderstand American customs, she always reveals that she’s referring to an even sadder Russian custom. It’s probably one of “SNL”’s darkest characters, as we laugh at her misery. Every movement and facial tic adds to the bleak picture of Olya’s horrifying life, once again proving McKinnon’s physical comedy prowess. Hopefully Putin doesn’t get mad and hack our beloved Kate.


Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honourable mentions:

Mrs. Santini


Penelope Cruz


Teresa Caputo

Many talented “SNL” players have played Hillary Clinton, but none of them have brought the same finesse as Kate McKinnon. Playing a Trump-era iteration of Clinton, she brilliantly displays her chilling determination and desperation to win the presidency. Radiantly satirizing her struggle to win over voters, her impression is scarily accurate, from the voice to the quirks to the uptight personality. Sparring with the equally entertaining Alec Baldwin as Trump and Larry David as Bernie Sanders resulted in some of “SNL”’s most memorable moments of political satire. McKinnon hasn’t been on the show for long, but her Clinton will no doubt be seen as legendary in the years to come.