Jim Carrey Steps Down From Joe Biden Role on SNL

Jim Carrey said on Dec. 19 that he will no longer play President-elect Joe Biden on Saturday Night Live. Find out why he will not be returning to the role on the NBC show.

By Corinne Heller Dec 19, 2020 7:08 PMTags

Jim Carrey's term as President-elect Joe Biden on Saturday Night Live has come to an end.

On Saturday, Dec. 19, more than a month after the U.S. election, the 58-year-old actor bid farewell on Twitter to the guest role he had been playing since October.

"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 wrote. "I would love to go forward knowing that Biden was the victor because I nailed that s--t. But I am just one in a long line of proud, fighting SNL Bidens!"

A source told E! News that Carrey was only scheduled to play Biden through the election. CNN reported that Carrey made the decision to end his role, citing its own source. The insider told the outlet that the actor would have found it difficult to travel back and forth for the show in the long term because he lives in Los Angeles and SNL films in New York.

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Carrey made his debut as Biden on the NBC sketch comedy series' season 46 premiere in October, taking over a role previously played by Woody Harrelson, Jason Sudeikis and John Mulaney. During his time on SNL, Carrey's Biden sparred with Alec Baldwin's character, President Donald Trump.

Will Heath/NBC

Like other celebrity guests taking over famous recurring roles on SNL, Carrey personalized his impression of Biden. While appearing with a silver-white wig and aviator sunglasses, the actor's version of the President-elect was also often reminiscent of actor's zany In Living Color character Fire Marshall Bill. On his last appearance on the show on Nov. 7, he as Biden and Maya Rudolph, playing Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, used his Ace Ventura "loohooser" line while mocking Trump over his election defeat.

NBC and SNL have not announced a replacement actor to play Biden on future episodes.

(NBC and E! are part of the NBCUniversal family.)