Brad Pitt's 'SNL' performance gets a thumbs up from Dr. Anthony Fauci
Brad Pitt received some of the best reviews of his career for his surprise performance as Dr. Anthony Fauci during the cold open of Saturday Night Live at Home this past weekend. Now he’s picked up accolades from the person that matters most: Fauci himself.
During a recent appearance on the Telemundo news show Un Nuevo Dia, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases — and America’s leading scientific voice during the coronavirus pandemic — gave Pitt an enthusiastic thumbs up.
“I think he did great,” said Fauci, who had nominated the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star for the role. “I mean, I'm a great fan of Brad Pitt, and that's the reason why when people ask me who'd I like to play me I mention Brad Pitt because he's one of my favorite actors. I think he did a great job."
Like the real Fauci, Pitt’s version of the good doctor introduced himself to America as the ultimate truth-teller, pushing back on some of the misinformation about the virus spreading through the media ... often from the White House. During the three-minute sketch, Pitt pointed out that —contrary to President Donald Trump’s comments — vaccines would not be ready “relatively soon,” the coronavirus won’t go disappear like a “miracle,” and the tests are the opposite of “beautiful.” On Telemundo, Fauci gave Pitt an “A” for accuracy. “Everything he said on SNL is what’s going. He did a pretty good job putting everything together.”
But Fauci’s favorite part of Pitt’s portrayal came at the end of the cold open, when the actor removed his gray wig and dropped the Brooklyn accent to speak from his heart. “I think he showed that he is really a classy guy when at the end he took off his hair and thanked me and all of the health care workers,” Fauci said. “So not only is he a really great actor, but he is actually a classy person.”
For his next classy act, maybe Pitt can call in a few favors with People Magazine and get Fauci on the ballot for this year’s Sexiest Man Alive title.
Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. on NBC.
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