Alec Baldwin returned to Saturday Night Live on October 19, 2024, playing Fox News anchor Bret Baier opposite Maya Rudolph’s Kamala Harris in a cold open about Baier’s interview with Harris. The appearance came three months after the involuntary-manslaughter case against Baldwin over the fatal 2021 Rust set shooting was dismissed in July 2024; it was not an acquittal.
What happened in the SNL cold open?
The October 19, 2024 episode, hosted by Michael Keaton, opened with Baldwin as Baier and Rudolph as Harris. The sketch exaggerated the interruptions in Baier’s real interview with Harris, with Baier repeatedly cutting her off and pressing her for answers.
It also mocked Baier’s acknowledged mistake of airing the wrong clip of a response from Donald Trump. Baldwin’s Baier joked, “Yes, I do look like someone made a businessman in Minecraft,” a line reported by The Associated Press on October 20, 2024.
At the end, Rudolph’s Harris finally interrupted to say, “Before I go, can I just say the thing I’ve been trying to say this whole time? Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!” Baldwin joined her for the familiar sign-off. CBS/AP reported that Baldwin had delivered the phrase 45 times, citing Saturday Night Network; that figure is an attributed tally, not an audience or impact measure.
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Why was Baldwin’s return notable?
The appearance followed the July 2024 dismissal of the involuntary-manslaughter case against Baldwin in connection with the October 2021 fatal on-set shooting during production of Rust. Contemporary coverage described the trial as ending in a mistrial or the case as dismissed. The Independent reported that the judge dismissed the case after finding that the state had withheld evidence. These descriptions concern the procedural outcome; Baldwin was not acquitted.
The Independent’s October 20, 2024 report covered the dismissal and the SNL appearance. In a later interview at the Torino Film Festival, published by Variety on November 26, 2024, Baldwin said of his experience with Rust: “This is obviously the most difficult thing I’ve ever dealt with in my life.”
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How Baldwin described getting the role
In the same Variety interview, Baldwin said SNL often called him on Saturday mornings to ask what he was doing that night, then told him the role. On being asked to play Baier, he recalled: “I don’t know how to do that?” He added that the team put “the monster wig” on him.
Where to watch the episode
Peacock’s October 24, 2024 recap identifies the cold open and says SNL episodes stream on Peacock. That general statement does not confirm that this particular episode is currently available in every region; check Peacock’s live catalog where you are.
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Baldwin’s history with SNL
The Associated Press reported in 2024 that Baldwin had hosted SNL 17 times. Hosting appearances are distinct from playing Baier in this cold open: the October 19 episode was hosted by Michael Keaton.
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