There was always a joyousness behind Kate McKinnon’s portrayal of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on “Saturday Night Live,” one you could tell came from a place of deep respect and affection.
Hers was a wild and energetic Justice, prone to dance breakdowns and a regular flow of what she dubbed “gins-burns” at her fellow political figures. But always with a wink and a knowing smile.
In the wake of Ginsburg’s death at 87 years old, McKinnon called her a “real-life superhero,” playing on the oft-used phrase “caped crusader,” evoking an image of Ginsburg swooping in to save the day, as she did for many progressives over the years.
“For so many of us, Justice Ginsburg was a real-life superhero: a beacon of hope, a warrior for justice, a robed crusader who saved the day time and again,” said McKinnon in a statement received by Deadline.
“Playing her on ‘SNL’ was a profound joy because I could always feel the overwhelming love and gratitude that the audience had for her.”
She went on to share how much it meant to her getting to meet Ginsburg, adding, “It was one of the great honors of my life to meet Justice Ginsburg, to shake her hand, and to thank her for her lifetime of service to this country.”
The Justice was all smiles in snaps captured from their meeting during a New York performance of “Fiddler on the Roof” in August 2019. By this point, McKinnon knew that Ginsburg was a fan of her impression.
“I liked the actress who portrayed me,” she told NPR in 2018, per Vulture “And I would like to say ‘Gins-burn’ sometimes to my colleagues.”
McKinnon is poised to break Maya Rudolph’s record as longest-tenured female cast-member on “Saturday Night Live” when she returns for her 10th season of the long-running NBC staple.
She has a long way to go, though, to beat the all-time male leader, co-star Kenan Thompson, who is back for his record-extending 18th season.
McKinnon has a knack for using her impressions to help the nation process big moments, as she did when she had her Hillary Clinton perform an emotional take of “Hallelujah” after her real-life counterpart lost the 2016 election.
With the new season looming, and it being another election year, it is almost certain McKinnon will find some way to pay tribute to the woman who’s impressed her so much. And you can bet fans will be tuning in to mourn alongside her.
