Comedy-drama directed by Jason Reitman Saturday night (written by Gil Kenan and Reitman) features a rich cast including Inheritance star Nicholas Braun, who plays not one but two roles in a biographical film. A video illustrating the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of the award-winning NBC program Saturday Night Live, follows longtime showrunner Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LeBelle) as he prepares his dysfunctional cast and crew to air the first episode of SNL in an origin story steeped in nonstop humor and chaos.
In an interview with PoulticeReitman explained why Nicholas Braun was cast as both performer Andy Kaufman and creator Muppets, Jim Henson. Reitman said they thought of Braun “immediately” for the role of Henson. Benny Safdie was initially supposed to play the role of Kaufmanbut became unavailable when his movie Smashing Machine has been greenlit by A24. Read his comments below:
We kept wondering who could replace (Benny Safdie as Kaufman)… we kept coming back to Nick Braun. At one point we thought, “Well, you can play more than one character on 'SNL.' Why didn't you do it in the movie?”
What does it mean for Nicholas Braun to play two roles in Saturday night
This is no different from a real episode of SNL
Braun, who was brilliant as Greg Hirsch's energetic nephew in the HBO series Inheritanceplayed by two meticulously introverted performers Saturday nighteven opening the film as Henson. Capturing the mannerisms, voice and humor of two distinct characters is no easy task, and it wasn't a responsibility Braun took lightly as he scoured the Internet for Kaufman and Henson films to study and emulate (via Vanity fair.) This is no different from reality Saturday Night Live, where actors often play multiple iconic characters throughout the season, such as many recurring characters played by Bill Hader and Andy Samberg.
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The real story of Saturday night and what happened on the first episode of SNL are explained
The 2024 film Saturday Night Live chronicles the show's origins and first episode, as well as the true story of Lorne Michaels' late-night sitcom.
But unlike the heroes SNLBraun had to imitate real people, which could be done incorrectly AND flat. Still, Baun was excited to get two roles, regardless of the added responsibility. “I'll be there more often and be a bigger part of what this movie is – and then I'll also be responsible for playing two really important, legendary guys“ he said. “I was touched. I just felt honored to be entrusted with their task.So he donned the appropriate Foreign Man accent and blond beard and stood in front of the flashing red camera light.
Our take on two Nicholas Brauns on Saturday night
The show must go on
Just a few weeks before the cameras started Saturday nightBraun was asked to play two characters, and he put a lot of work into portraying not one, but two comedy legends. Just like the original cast and crew Saturday Night Livecast and crew Saturday night faced a creative process full of chaos and last-minute changes. This goes to show that whether you're in the business of making movies or making people laugh, the show must go on.
Source: The Wrap, Vanity Fair
