Skip To Content

    17 "SNL" Actors Who Looked JUST Like The Famous People They Impersonated, And 17 Who Failed The Assignment

    Pete Davidson looked nothing like Machine Gun Kelly.

    If you're anything like me, then you probably spend most of your time watching Saturday Night Live sketches, especially ones where actors impersonate famous people.

    Some of these impressions are so darn good because the actors look JUST LIKE certain celebrities, and others just...well, really, really don't.

    Kristen Wiig impersonating Jamie Lee Curtis

    These SNL celebrity impressions got me thinking about the good vs. bad ones that aired on TV. So, here are some SNL actors who totally looked like the famous people they impersonated, and others who definitely didn't:

    Note: We're talking about appearance here, people — not voices or mannerisms!

    MISSED THE MARK: What Bill Hader looked like as Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac (2012):

    Hader wearing a wig, chain necklace, and leather jacket

    What the real Lindsey Buckingham looks like:

    Buckingham at MusiCares honoring Fleetwood Mac in 2018

    You can watch Bill Hader's impression of Lindsey Buckingham here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Tina Fey looked like as Sarah Palin (2008):

    Fey wearing a bright colored suit, glasses, pulled back hair with bangs

    What the real Sarah Palin looks like:

    Palin giving a thumbs up at a conference in 2010

    You can watch Tina Fey's impression of Sarah Palin here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Molly Shannon looked like as Angelina Jolie (2000):

    Shannon as Jolie, wearing a long dark wig and a dark dress

    What the real Angelina Jolie looks like:

    Jolie at the Oscars in 2000

    You can watch Molly Shannon's impression of Angelina Jolie here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Eddie Murphy looked like as Stevie Wonder (1982):

    Murphy wearing sunglasses and Wonder's hairdo circa late '70s/early '80s

    What the real Stevie Wonder looks like:

    Wonder visiting Melbourne in 1981

    You can watch Eddie Murphy's impression of Stevie Wonder here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Leslie Jones looked like as Viola Davis (2017):

    Jones wearing a bright dress in a film panel sketch

    What the real Viola Davis looks like:

    Davis at the L'Oréal Paris Women Of Worth Awards in 2019

    You can watch Leslie Jones' impression of Viola Davis here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Aidy Bryant looked like as Adele in her "Hello" music video (2015):

    Bryant as Adele in her infamous "Hello" music video

    What the real Adele looks like in her "Hello" music video:

    Adele wearing fur in her "Hello" music video

    You can watch Aidy Bryant's impression of Adele here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Taran Killam looked like as Brad Pitt (2010):

    Killam impersonating Brad Pitt as a weather man in a suit

    What the real Brad Pitt looks like:

    Pitt at a press conference for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

    You can watch Taran Killam's impression of Brad Pitt here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Bowen Yang looked like as Fran Lebowitz (2021):

    Yang wearing a short wig, round glasses, and a suit with a shirt underneath

    What the real Fran Lebowitz looks like:

    Lebowitz with short hair, round glasses, and a suit with a shirt underneath

    You can watch Bowen Yang's impression of Fran Lebowitz here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Jay Pharoah looked like as Lil Wayne (2011):

    Pharoah wearing a sideways hat and chain on Weekend Update

    What the real Lil Wayne looks like:

    Lil Wayne backstage at the Grammys in 2010

    You can watch Jay Pharoah's impression of Lil Wayne here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Jay Pharoah looked like as Chris Tucker in The Fifth Element (2015):

    Pharoah wearing a leopard print body suit

    What the real Chris Tucker looks like in The Fifth Element:

    Tucker wearing a leopard print body suit and screaming into a microphone

    You can watch Jay Pharoah's impression of Chris Tucker in The Fifth Element here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Pete Davidson looked like as Machine Gun Kelly (2021):

    Davidson with bleached hair while wearing a light colored suit with a butterfly attached

    What the real Machine Gun Kelly looks like:

    Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox at the 2021 iHeart Radio Awards

    You can watch Pete Davidson's impression of Machine Gun Kelly here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Bobby Moynihan looked like as Guy Fieri (2010):

    Moynihan holding a plate of food with spiked, bleached hair

    What the real Guy Fieri looks like:

    Fieri holding a stack of burgers in the mid-2010s

    You can watch Bobby Moynihan's impression of Guy Fieri here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Rachel Dratch looked like as Drew Barrymore (2000):

    Dratch wearing a red wig and colorful, patterned suit

    What the real Drew Barrymore looks like:

    Barrymore at an awards show in 2000

    You can watch Rachel Dratch's impression of Drew Barrymore here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Maya Rudolph looked like as Beyoncé (2021):

    Rudolph wearing a black leather dress with long, wavy hair

    What the real Beyoncé looks like:

    Beyoncé at the 2021 Grammys

    You can watch Maya Rudolph's impression of Beyoncé here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Kristen Wiig looked like as Björk (2012):

    Wiig with dark hair wearing bun pig tails and a quirky outfit

    What the real Björk looks like:

    Björk at an event in Italy in the mid 2000s

    You can watch Kristen Wiig's impression of Björk here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Chloe Fineman looked like as Phoebe Dynevor in Bridgerton (2021):

    Fineman in a Daphne from "Bridgerton" costume

    What the real Phoebe Dynevor looks like in Bridgerton:

    Dynevor sewing as Daphne Basset in "Bridgerton"

    You can watch Chloe Fineman's impression of Phoebe Dynevor in Bridgerton here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Kenan Thompson looked like as Sinbad (2018):

    Thompson wearing a colorful shirt with a colorful vest over it

    What the real Sinbad looks like:

    Sinbad posing for a portrait in 1993

    You can watch Kenan Thompson's impression of Sinbad here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Fred Armisen looked like as Prince (2012):

    Armisen wearing Prince's signature purple suit, earrings, thin mustache

    What the real Prince looked like:

    Prince performing at the Grammy awards in 2004

    You can watch Fred Armisen's impression of Prince here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Amy Poehler looked like as Hillary Clinton (2008):

    Poehler wearing a blue pantsuit and short hairdo like Hillary Clinton

    What the real Hillary Clinton looks like:

    Clinton being inducted as President Obama's Secretary of State in 2008

    You can watch Amy Poehler's impression of Hillary Clinton here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Heidi Gardner looked like as Kristen Schaal (2017):

    Gardner with short, curly hair wearing a bright colored dress

    What the real Kristen Schaal looks like:

    Schaal at the premiere for "What We Do In The Shadows" in 2019

    You can watch Heidi Gardner's impression of Kristen Schaal here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Andy Samberg looked like as Prince William (2010):

    Samberg wearing a suit and tie and a Prince William-like hairdo

    What the real Prince William looks like:

    Prince William at the Royal Society's 350th Anniversary Convocation in 2010

    You can watch Andy Samberg's impression of Prince William here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Tim Meadows looked like as Oprah Winfrey (1997):

    Meadows wearing an Oprah-like hairdo and pantsuit

    What the real Oprah Winfrey looks like:

    Oprah at an awards show in New York City in 1996

    You can watch Tim Meadows' impression of Oprah Winfrey here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Abby Elliott looked like as Khloé Kardashian (2011):

    Elliott with long, wavy hair making a forced smile

    What the real Khloe Kardashian looks like:

    Kardashian on "Today" in 2009

    You can watch Abby Elliott's impression of Khloe Kardashian here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Harry Styles looked like as Mick Jagger (2017):

    Styles wearing a '60s Jagger-like hairdo and suit

    What the real Mick Jagger looks like:

    Jagger with the Rolling Stones in 1969 at Hyde Park

    You can watch Harry Styles' impression of Mick Jagger here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Sasheer Zamata looked like as Michelle Obama (2014):

    Zamata wearing a bright colored floral dress

    What the real Michelle Obama looks like:

    Obama at an event in New York City in 2014

    You can watch Sasheer Zamata's impression of Michelle Obama here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Ego Nwodim looked like as Dionne Warwick (2021):

    Nwodim wearing a grey wig and sequined suit

    What the real Dionne Warwick looks like:

    Warwick at a gala in 2018

    You can watch Ego Nwodim's impression of Dionne Warwick here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Beck Bennett looked like as Javier Bardem (2016):

    Bennett impersonating Bardem during a "Celebrity Family Feud" sketch

    What the real Javier Bardem looks like:

    Bardem at the premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" in 2017

    You can watch Beck Bennett's impression of Javier Bardem here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Larry David looked like as Bernie Sanders (2016):

    David wearing a suit and tie and glasses like Bernie Sanders

    What the real Bernie Sanders looks like:

    Sanders speaking at a high school in 2019

    You can watch Larry David's impression of Bernie Sanders here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Dan Aykroyd looked like as Julia Child (1978):

    Aykroyd wearing a Julia Child-like hairdo and outfit

    What the real Julia Child looked like:

    Child posing for a portrait in a kitchen in the late '70s

    You can watch Dan Aykroyd's impression of Julia Child here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Melissa Villaseñor looked like as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (2018):

    Villaseñor wearing AOC-like glasses and hairdo

    What the real Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez looks like:

    Ocasio-Cortez at a campaign rally in 2018

    You can watch Melissa Villaseñor's impression of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Chris Redd looked like as Mahershala Ali (2019):

    Redd wearing a plaid colored suit during a Celebrity Family Feud sketch

    What the real Mahershala Ali looks like:

    Ali at the Oscars Nominees Luncheon in 2019

    You can watch Chris Redd's impression of Mahershala Ali here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    HIT THE MARK: What Gilda Radner looked like as Patti Smith (1979):

    Radner wearing a Patti Smith-like hairdo and white tank top

    What the real Patti Smith looks like:

    Smith performing in Central Park in 1976

    You can watch Gilda Radner's impression of Patti Smith here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    MISSED THE MARK: What Kate McKinnon looked like as Judy Garland (2019):

    McKinnon in Garland's "Wizard of Oz" costume

    What the real Judy Garland looked like:

    Garland posing for a portrait in her Dorothy costume for "The Wizard of Oz"

    You can watch Kate McKinnon's impression of Judy Garland here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    And HIT THE MARK: What Kenan Thompson looked like as Steve Harvey (2018):

    Thompson wearing a bald cap, mustache, and suit like Steve Harvey

    What the real Steve Harvey looks like:

    Harvey hosting "Celebrity Family Feud" in 2020

    You can watch Kenan Thompson's impression of Steve Harvey here:

    View this video on YouTube

    NBC / Via youtube.com

    There are so many things you can watch on Peacock for free, but if you want even more content, you can sign up for Peacock Premium for $4.99 a month or Peacock Premium Plus for $9.99 a month after a seven-day free trial.