CULTURE

Watch Saturday Night Live’s Perfect Us Spoof

Nailed it.

March 31, 2019

IMDb

It was only a matter of time before Us got the Saturday Night Live treatment. On last night’s episode, which was hosted by Sandra Oh, a pre-taped credit card commercial sketch doubled as a hilarious spoof of Jordan Peele’s blockbuster sensation.

In it, the SNL rookie Ego Nwodim starred as a concerned credit card customer and the red-jumpsuit-clad doppelgänger who answers her call. For those of you who’ve seen Us (and if you haven’t, well, what are you waiting for?), some of the props used in the sketch might trigger PTSD. Especially those scissors. The sketch even has its own terrifying reveal at the end, just like Peele’s version.

But perhaps the most impressive part of the sketch was how well Nwodim mimicked Lupita Nyong’o’s evil voice in the film.

Nyong’o came under fire recently after she revealed that she based the throaty performance on a neurological condition called spasmodic dysphonia.

“We understand that hearing the unique sound caused by symptoms of spasmodic dysphonia was the spark of inspiration for the voice of this character,” the National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association said in a statement. “What is difficult for us, and for the thousands of people living with spasmodic dysphonia, is this association to their voice with what might be considered haunting.”

When Nyong’o was asked about the controversy, she didn’t hesitate. “The thought that I would, in a way, offend them was not my intention,” Nyong’o said during an interview with The View on Thursday. “In my mind, I wasn’t interested in vilifying or demonizing the condition. I crafted Red with love and care.”

The advocacy group Respectability accepted Nyong’o’s apology, writing, “We appreciate Lupita Nyong’o’s heartfelt apology.…We hope Nyong’o will use this experience to continue lifting up all marginalized groups including the 1-in-5 people who live with disabilities.”