Jim Carrey Resigns from Playing Joe Biden on ‘Saturday Night Live’

UPDATE: As revealed during the December 19 episode of “Saturday Night Live,” cast member Alex Moffat will now play Joe Biden going forward, succeeding Jim Carrey.

EARLIER: Jim Carrey has called it quits on playing president-elect Joe Biden on the ongoing Season 46 of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” The comic actor, who played Biden on six episodes of the season so far dating back to October 3, made the announcement via Twitter on Saturday.

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“Though my term was only meant to be 6 weeks,I was thrilled to be elected as your SNL President…comedy’s highest call of duty,” Carrey tweeted. “I would love to go forward knowing that Biden was the victor because I nailed that shit. But I am just one in a long line of proud, fighting SNL Bidens!”

Carrey has not appeared in the last two broadcasts of “Saturday Night Live,” and neither has Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump, to the relief of some audiences fatigued by the show’s election content this season — and to the bafflement of others.

This now leaves for the door open for another actor, possibly a current cast member, to step in and play Biden. Prior to Carrey, Joe Biden was portrayed by former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Jason Sudeikis. Biden has also been played by Woody Harrelson, John Mulaney, and, in 1991, by Kevin Nealon when the show took on the U.S. Senate’s confirmation hearings of Justice Clarence Thomas, who was eventually nominated to the Supreme Court.

Carrey played Biden opposite former “Saturday Night Live” player Maya Rudolph as incoming Vice President Kamala Harris. Throughout his run on the show, Carrey helped reenact the presidential debates along with Alec Baldwin and Rudolph, bringing an over-the-top irreverence to the role of Joe Biden that was not quite an impersonation, but rather the actor’s own spin on the politician.

Carrey was cast by series creator Lorne Michaels on “SNL” after pitching the role of Joe Biden himself.

On Saturday, December 19, “Saturday Night Live” alumna Kristen Wiig returns to emcee the episode, featuring musical guest Dua Lipa. Last week’s “SNL” was hosted by first-timer Timothée Chalamet, joined by musical guest Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Other hosts this season — back in Studio 8H after a handful of virtual episodes earlier this year — have included Jason Bateman, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Adele, Issa Rae, Bill Burr, and Chris Rock.

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