If “Saturday Night Live” is looking for a celebrity to play Melania Trump, they should give Laura Benanti a call.
Stephen Colbert pointed out Monday night on “The Late Show” that the “Supergirl” actress is a dead ringer for Donald Trump’s wife.
The first thing Colbert did was ask Benanti if she wanted Trump to become president. She held her breath and shook her head.
When Colbert tried to soften it to her “maybe not necessarily” rooting for him to win the White House, Benanti responded, “yeah, not necessarily,” before mouthing “no” to the audience.
Colbert then brought out a photo of Benanti and one of Melania, and the resemblance between the two is striking.
“I’m going to have a second career as an impersonator,” Benanti quipped before making the same “‘Zoolander’ blue steel look” — Colbert’s words — Melania made in the photo.
Benanti then explained some observations she has had while watching Melania at Trump’s campaign rallies.
“I’ve never actually heard her speak. I’ve only ever heard her clap and appear vaguely like she’s looking for the nearest exit,” she said, making a nervous clapping gesture.
“But my favorite thing that she does is occasionally, when he’s talking, she’ll be behind him, and she will look directly into the camera like …,” Benanti continued, making the same intense Melania face. “And I feel like she’s sending me a message or something. Blink once if you’re fine. Blink twice if you’re like, get me the hell out of here. Blink three times just to show us you can blink.”
She then joked about hoping Trump stays in the election long enough to make a Melania impression marketable.
“She’s my meal ticket, so let’s do this, Trump,” Benanti joked. “Make America great again!”
“Saturday Night Live” has been known to get celebrities who look like presidential candidates to play them in sketches during the election season. Some of the most notable include Tina Fey as Sarah Palin and Larry David as Bernie Sanders.
