‘SNL’ Star Bowen Yang Says He’s Begged Lorne Michaels to Replace Him as JD Vance: ‘Please Reach Out to Zach Galifianakis’

Bowen Yang hopes his days of playing JD Vance on “Saturday Night Live” can soon end.

In a recent interview on “The Daily Show,” Yang, who previously played the vice president in an episode from October 2024, expressed his hope that someone other than himself would take over the role of Vance on the popular late-night comedy series Saturday Night Live (SNL), which was created by Lorne Michaels.

Lorne requested that I portray JD Vance,” Yang explained to Desi Lydic on ‘The Daily Show’. “I replied, ‘Oh no, oh no, oh no,'” he said. “While I try my hardest, each time I’m asked to play him, I ask Lorne, ‘Can you buy me back? You don’t have to keep me for this role.’

The “Wicked” actor went on to say, “Kindly contact Zach Galifianakis and Taran Killam. However, I am the one responsible for this.” (or “Please connect with Zach Galifianakis and Taran Killam. But remember, it’s my task.”)

According to Yang, one difficulty in portraying Vance lies in his distinct Midwestern accent, which required him to work with a speech coach to perfect the Ohio dialect.

Yang shared that he’s been working with a speech tutor to perfect his accent. The goal was to strike a balance between an Appalachian and an Ohioan tone. He admitted being careful not to mess it up.

Initially, Yang made his appearance as Vance in a high-profile skit that boasted several former “SNL” cast members. Sharing the stage with Yang were Maya Rudolph portraying Kamala Harris, Dana Carvey taking on Joe Biden, and Andy Samberg stepping into the role of Douglas Emhoff. The skit additionally showcased Jim Gaffigan as Tim Walz and James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump.

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2025-04-12 23:46