The phrase “sometimes good things come to those who wait” is often more accurate than it should be. In the case of Cecily Strong and the words “Emmy nominee” that’s something of an understatement. After eight years as a member of the “Saturday Night Live” ensemble and watching co-stars Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Vanessa Bayer, and Aidy Bryant earn Emmy nods, she’s finally gotten the recognition from her peers she so richly deserves with her first nomination this year.
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A nominee this year alongside McKinnon (a winner in 2016 and 2017) in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Category, Strong has cemented herself as one of the most impressive “SNL” players in the fourth decade of the landmark NBC program. From impressions of Melania Trump and Diane Feinstein to her regular Weekend Update visitors Cathy Anne and ”The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party“, the Illinois native deserves to be mentioned alongside many of great comedic talents the series has showcased. Basically, she deserved this nomination and Emmy season hype years ago.
Strong jumped on the phone from her current digs in upstate New York last week to discuss her nod, shooting “SNL” virtually, took some time to break down some of her best-known impressions of the season, and explained why those “cut for time” episodes happen in the first place.
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The Playlist: Congratulations on the Emmy nomination.
Cecily Strong: Thank you so much. Doesn’t get old to hear. I’ll tell you. It’s very nice.
What was your reaction when you found out?
I didn’t believe it. I was confused, and I had to figure out with my friend Kevin. We were like, “What does she mean? Nominated for what? Does she mean the show’s nominated?” And it took a minute for the site to be refreshed or something. And even then I was like, “Let’s give it 24 hours for them to announce there’s been a mistake.”
Once you realized it was real, what does it mean to you personally especially knowing you’ve been on “SNL” for eight seasons. Maybe “It’s about time”?
No, definitely not, “It’s about time.” [Laughs.] It feels more like a really nice icing on the cake. I’m so happy. I’ve done a lot of things I really liked [on the show]. And I’ve worked with a lot of really great people. And I was O.K. with never having a nomination and knowing that all of this is part of my life and legacy at “SNL.” So. this really feels like just an added wonderful bonus during a tough time, especially.
“SNL” was one of the few shows that was able to keep going when the stay-at-home orders hit. How tough was that experience for you personally?
Yeah, it was really tough. I was staying at an Airbnb in Hudson Valley. I packed for three weeks. I’ve been here ever since. So, I think I packed sweatshirts and leggings and my garlic press and a salad bowl and whatever was in my crazy mind on March 24th. So I had nothing. They were like, “Do you have any costumes?” And I was like, “No, I have sweatshirts and leggings.” For the first week, I think I wasn’t ready. Just still kind of in a shock, sad, grief place. And by the second show, I did feel like, “O.K., now I’m ready to make our jokes and to make the best ones I can.” We had to learn all these weird programs and we did it all over Zoom, but then the directors would have access to our cameras so they’d see what we’re filming and they can give us notes. And the other people are doing the lines through our headphones on Zoom. I had to download a teleprompter app because we wrote that Gretchen Whitmer [skit] so fast and then had to film it. And then we’re doing our own hair and makeup. They sent us a green screen that my friends and I hung from the stairwell down to the floor. I think my friend Kevin was ironing it and luckily I have artistic friends and he made me really beautiful props, but it was definitely like, “Wow, this is nonstop work. And work that I’m not good at. All this technical stuff.”
That Gretchen Whitmer skit is fantastic though. Was it last minute in the sense that something newsworthy regarding her broke and the writers and all of you guys said, “Hey, let’s do this”?
Right. And I suggested doing her because I’m from the Midwest. And then they went, “No, we don’t need it.” It’s like everything that’s as last minute as we do on the show, except nobody’s around each other. So, everyone’s talking into their can on a string and it takes two hours to even get to you that they’re going, “Yeah, we want it.” So, we found out they wanted it on Thursday. Luckily Fran [Gillespie] and Sudi [Green] who are totally brilliant, put this thing together. They wrote all of it really. I may have suggested one joke or something. They wrote it that night and we filmed it that night. And my dog was running around. It was wild. It was very fast, but it was worth it because I wanted to give a little fist bump to Gretchen Whitmer anyway.
What was your take on her from an impression standpoint? Was there one thing that was key to you? Because I keep remembering she has her Labatt’s beer in her hand.
I got in trouble for the beer. That’s what we drank. Well, I shouldn’t say “we.” I was never an underage drinker. “Wink, wink, wink.” But Labatt’s is Canadian and of course, her response was, “Well, I would drink Michigan craft beer.” She was a tough broad who was just like, “Look what I got to deal with,” kind of thing. I think originally the idea was Andrew Cuomo and Gavin Newsom and Andy Beshear were all given these cool nicknames and they were treated like royalty. And she’s called, “That woman from Michigan.” And everyone’s storms her statehouse with assault rifles. But she remains Midwestern calm all through it.
She gives no f**ks in the skit.
Yeah, she’s just out drinking a beer.
Your version of Tulsi Gabbard was also fantastic. Who came up with the idea to play her as Glenn Close in “101 Dalmatians”?
We weren’t quite sure how to do it. “I can kind of do the voice I think, but what’s going to be our take? What’s the best way to do this?” And it was all Kent [Sublette] and, again, Sudi and Fran. Kent’s very quiet and I remember hearing. I said, “What did you just say?” And he says, “I don’t care for those Dalmatian puppies,” or something. And I was like, “That’s so funny.” So then we did it that way and I was like, “Well, I hope I can do that laugh. We’ll try.” As long as I’m in that white suit that’s 50% of the impression.
It’s almost a given that “SNL’s” debate sketches are must-see TV every election. You’ve gone through at least two cycles of debate skits so far. Does the cast get excited about them?
It’s tough because when you have to do politics every week, as much as we do, sometimes it can get a little tiresome, especially if it’s the same bunch of characters. So this one, even though you know, “O.K., this is going to take up 20 minutes of the show” which just means some weird little character piece may go, but I remember it being like, “Cool, I get to be a part of this fun.” And it’s fun to watch all these new characters and all these new takes. And I’m off to the side, laughing so much at everybody’s bits that they’re doing.
There’s another political figure who you may not get to play that much longer, the esteemed Senator from Maine, Susan Collins.
Oh, yeah.
Where do you get that impersonation of her? Was there any particular inspiration?
The first time they had me doing her, I think it was where Matt Damon played Brett Kavanaugh which was just such a freaking brilliant performance. But originally the head writers…I think it was Colin [Jost] and Kent at that point had written her sort of as the voice of reason and like, “Oh, what have I done,” or something. And I remember telling them, “No, no, no, no, no. We’re not going to do her like that.” Because I know a million angry women right now, angry with Susan Collins. So we’ve got to have a little bite in there. She knows what she’s doing. When it comes to Senators, Susan Collins has been pretty great for a long time. I didn’t want to treat her like she was not at all complicit. I liked doing her like we’re just treating her as spineless and keeping it silly. I don’t want to ever do anything that feels mean or below the belt. I thought this was the best take for that. And it was important to me to be like, “Yeah, I’m going to stick it to her a little bit.” She reminds me of Midwestern women. There’s something about opening your mouth really wide and sort of sticking your tongue out a little bit. It’s more of that. I’m trying to take that part of her voice that you can hear. I listened to old interviews too because it’s important to me, if we’re making fun of her for that, that’s a below the belt thing.
The other real-life character that you have a great take on is Jeanine Pirro.
Yeah. I think I did it twice this year. We just had a shorter year, and they were probably closer together. And then twice the year before But I didn’t do her…oh, we had her in a cold open. That’s why. The one that Elizabeth Warren came to. Yeah.
Oh right. What was that experience with Ms. Warren like?
We had no idea [she’d be there] and then all of a sudden you’re like, “That’s Elizabeth Warren!” And she was super cool. And I’m gushing over this woman and I’m in my Pirro outfit, but I thought, “This is so cool that she’s here today.” After I think she’d just stepped down [from the race]. And it was just really beautiful. We all teared up watching her and Kate. I love being a part of this show for things like that that are just like, “I can’t believe I get to witness this.”
There are two skits from this past season that you got to be a part of that I’m sort of obsessed with. One was when RuPaul was the guest host. It’s called the “Check Splitting” scene, but I refer to it as…
“Designing Women”
…at a diner. Yes! And you’re doing Julia Sugarbaker with RuPaul basically doing the iconic Mary Jo Shively speech from the show.
I’ve watched that Mary Jo speech so much, “The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia.” Even Kevin been my quarantine prison buddy here, we always will tell each other, “Just so you know. And so your children will someday know.” It just comes up in speech. And it was a thing we’ve laughed at for years and years, but it took Ru being the host to make it as a sketch. And that was my birthday. It was the coolest show. That was one of the top ten moments in my life playing “Designing Women” with RuPaul. Forget it.
Were you guys nervous? I remember my friends and I were hoping that if the cast did gay-centric skits that the regular filled audience would still laugh. Were you relieved and happy that that episode was as well received and people laughed as much as they did?
Oh, totally. But I think Ru is so talented and so good. And I think America is finally waking up to drag culture anyways and loves it. And I feel like in general, most of my sketches, I’m like, “Well, this might be a little gay for this audience. So we’ll see.” That’s why I couldn’t call it the “Designing Women” sketch, but it was kind of like, “Wink.” You know?
Totally. By the way, was that your idea? Did you pitch it to the writers?
Yeah, so that was James [Downey] and I. We’ve joked about writing it forever and never did. And then we were like, “Let’s just do it. Ru’s here. We’re not going to get this chance.” And I was so excited because it was the one live sketch, I think, where Ru played a woman.
The other sketch that I wanted to ask you about was a sketch that was cut for time. Before I ask you about it, in general, how does that work out? Because some of these sketches that are cut for time are really, really good.
A couple of years ago it would really get me down. And I’ll see that it will get some other people down. But at this point, sometimes they really are truly cut for time because you were supposed to be in the show and we really did go long for whatever reason and that’s why it’s cut. But there are certain things that I think will have a great life online, so I don’t get too bothered.
Well, one thing that I feel like will become a classic and you will hear about forever is “Cast List” with Will Ferrell.
Yeah. I knew you were going to say it. [Laughs.]
It’s genius! You can watch it again and again and catch something else you missed the first time. Do you know why that was cut for time and were you surprised that it was?
I think because it was an embarrassment of riches. I’m such a fan of Will Ferrell. And I think he makes me break more than anyone else. Just looking at his face for 30 seconds [and] I’m going to start to laugh. There was just so much good stuff. And they put it all online. And, again, I think that was another one there was the Democratic debate. [Those sketches] take up a lot of time, and so you’re going to lose something that’s not topical necessarily. But oh my God, people love it. I was like, “I didn’t even know it was this loved.” I laughed through that entire show. But it definitely got seen too.
I know “SNL” has been announced as returning this fall. Are you going back into the studio like “The Tonight Show” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers”?
Nobody knows. And I don’t even ask anymore because it’s like, “What’s changed?” One day we’ll find out. I feel like that’s just the way to be in the Corona days. It’s just like, “You know what? They’ll call me and tell me when they’ve made a decision where we’re going to do it, how, when. But I know the plan is to definitely do it somehow.” And I might be filming in Vancouver in which case I’ll do another version of “SNL” at home, but I’ll be back whenever I can. And everybody wants to do it. We just have to figure out how.
What’s the project in Vancouver that you’ve got on deck?
Again, I have no idea when and what the logistics are, but I’m at some point, hopefully going to work on this really fun show with Apple written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. They did “Despicable Me” and they wrote this really fun musical show. And so hopefully we’ll be shooting that soon.
I hope you get to go and because Canada certainly seems a lot safer than the U.S. at the moment.
Right. Although it is like, “Will Trump let me back in?” I don’t know.
Do you want to come back in? That’s the bigger question.
You know what’s so funny? I’m so in love with New York right now. I’m trying to buy a house in Hudson Valley. I just feel like I’ve never spent a summer out here like this. And I feel so like I was taken care of and healed as much as possible. And so I feel like finally, I want to call myself a New Yorker and have a home here.
Aw, that’s awesome. I have friends who bought a house up in the Hudson Valley recently. They, like you, went up for the COVID stay at home and never went back.
And we were like, “This is really nice. I’m gardening. Who am I? I feel good today. I’m not used to that.”
I hope that for the virtual Emmys, you are able to set something up in your garden, someplace nice.
There’s a GIF I love. I think it was on “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” It’s this woman who does the longest fall ever. She just kind of tripped a little trip at first, but then just keeps falling until she crashes into a lamppost that breaks and goes into a car. And I was like, “That’s what I want my stock footage to be.” If they’re like, “We couldn’t get her tonight,” because I’m in Vancouver. I just hope they show that. That’s my version of me sitting in the audience.
“Saturday Night Live” should return sometime this Fall on NBC.