While on Saturday Night Live, the cast are goofy & over-the-top with their comedic performances. However, many of these performers are capable of giving fantastic performances, comedic or dramatic, on other TV shows & movies. Someone like Will Ferrell is a legend on SNL but has given audiences great performances in the film in which he appears.
Some cast are even Academy-Award & Emmy winners or gave performances that deserved such prestige. The range of many cast from SNL is impressive, but often gets underappreciated. Here are the 10 best performances from SNL alumni of all time.
Chevy Chase - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Clark Griswold is Chase's most iconic role and for good reason. He's a good-natured dad who goes to extremes to make his family happy that often backfire. In Christmas Vacation, he is trying to create the perfect Christmas for his family but keeps bumping into obstacles, such as the lights not working, a tree that's too large, and a surprise visit from his crazy relatives headed by Randy Quaid. Chase's shining moment comes when he doesn't get the bonus he was waiting on getting from work, and all his pent up rage and frustration is unleashed. He's a hilarious optimist who tries to remain in good spirits for his family, despite everything falling apart.
Kristen Wiig - Bridesmaids
Kristen Wiig is easily one of the greatest SNL cast ever, especially in the 21st century. Her comedic talents shine as Annie in Bridesmaids, a maid-of-honor who becomes jealous of the bride's new friend who continuously upstages her. Wiig has so many moments to show comedic chops in hilarious scenes, such as the dress scene where the whole crew of bridesmaids get sick or when she becomes trashed on a plane. However, she shows great dramatic talent as her whole life begins to descend into chaos, and must get her act together. Wiig is an absolute riot in Bridesmaids, along with fellow SNL star Maya Rudolph.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Veep
This is the most highly-honored performance on this list, as Louis-Dreyfus won six primetime Emmy awards for her performance in Veep as Selina Meyer. Meyer is crafty, witty, and knows how to get what she wants. However, she remains likable as Louis-Dreyfus remains hilarious, yet still gives lots of emotion and depth. We could have also mentioned Louis-Dreyfus's work in Seinfeld, but Veep is the role that has shown every aspect of her talent as an actress.
Mike Myers - Austin Powers Franchise
One of the most iconic sets of films to come from an SNL actor is the Austin Powers franchise. This franchise completely rests on the shoulders of Myers and he owns it. Myers as Austin Powers is iconic as a quirky, overly-sexual British spy who is smooth in every way. Myers shines equally as Dr. Evil, a hilarious parody of a James Bond villain who doesn't understand monetary value. His evil schemes are great, but his silly evil laugh and love for Mini-Me are what wins the audience over. Myers doesn't stop there as he also plays Fat Bastard & Goldmember, two goofy villains who are just as crazy and funny as their names.
Robert Downey, Jr. - Avengers: Endgame
Robert Downey, Jr. is not a highly ed SNL cast member. In fact, many probably don't know that he was even on the show in the 1980s. Downey, Jr. has turned out some incredible performances, including being nominated for two Academy Awards for his work in Chaplin and Tropic Thunder.
However, his legacy is and will be Tony Stark, and nowhere is that more realized than in Avengers: Endgame. Stark has gone through so much in his MCU arc and it finally comes to a close in a staggering, emotional battle that requires him to make the ultimate sacrifice. Downey, Jr. has played this character perfectly and he portrays Tony beautifully in Endgame.
Eddie Murphy - Dolemite Is My Name
Eddie Murphy has turned out a great film career, with emotional & riotous performances, including Coming To America, Beverly Hills Cop, and an Oscar-nominated performance in Dreamgirls. However, his most recent effort in Dolemite Is My Name may be his best yet. He portrays Rudy Ray Moore, an underappreciated legend who many consider being the godfather of rap. The film chronicles the creation of the film, Dolemite, a cult classic created by Moore himself. Murphy's ion and desire to leave his mark make the audience fully invested in the film, while also laughing like crazy at his performance.
Will Ferrell - Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy
Since leaving SNL, Ferrell has portrayed some of the funniest movie characters including Buddy the Elf in Elf & Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights. However, his most iconic has to be legendary news anchor Ron Burgundy. Not only is Burgundy eternally quotable, but his cockiness & suave nature make him larger than life. He is dim-witted but makes up for it with his love for reading the news and having salon-quality hair. His news team comprised of Paul Rudd, David Koechner, and Steve Carell work brilliantly off of each other, enhancing the comedy for each character. If you don't know who Ron Burgundy is, let's just say, he's kind of a big deal.
Bill Hader - Barry
HBO's hottest drama-comedy is Barry, starring Bill Hader. This show has everything. Assassins. Comedy. An amazing ing performance from Henry Winkler. It's Hader, though, who shines as Barry, a former hitman who's trying to leave his former life to pursue acting, which he believes to be his purpose.
Barry as a character is an anti-hero who does some despicable things in order to keep his former life a secret and escape. However, Hader's charm, likability, and humor makes Barry an intriguing character that creates conflicting feelings within the audience.
Adam Sandler - Uncut Gems
Adam Sandler has a reputation for making some truly awful movies. It's still hard to forgive him for Jack & Jill. However, when Sandler has a chance to do some dramatic acting, he's proven he has what it takes. He's so despicable in Uncut Gems as a jewelry dealer with an outstanding gambling addiction, which damages almost every relationship he has with his family & gets him into trouble with the wrong people. Sandler still remains somewhat likable simply because it's hard to hate Sandler in anything. Sandler even generated Oscar buzz for this movie. It's too bad he didn't get nominated because it'd be incredible to call him an Academy-Award nominee.
Bill Murray - Lost In Translation
Bill Murray is a comedy legend with roles in iconic films like Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, and The Royal Tenenbaums. He gives his best performance in Lost in Translation, which completely redefined how people looked at Bill Murray as a dramatic actor. In this film directed by Sofia Coppola, Murray plays a middle-aged actor who comes at a crossroads in his career when he stops getting starring roles. Murray plays the role perfectly, not only showing great emotional restraint but also providing an introspective into where Murray was in his own career. It's no wonder that Murray received an Oscar nomination for this role.