Who is Chloe Fineman? The New ‘Saturday Night Live’ Cast Member is a One-Woman Impression Machine
@Savannah Walsh
Come September 28, Saturday Night Live fans should expect some prime Marianne Williamson content. The sketch comedy series’ three new cast members were announced today—and one does a killer impression of the spiritual presidential candidate. Chloe Fineman joins fellow newbies Shane Gillis and Bowen Yang for Season 45 of Saturday Night Live.
If you’re unfamiliar with Fineman’s impressions, it’s time to get acquainted. She’s got a vast arsenal, ranging from Elizabeth Holmes to Timothée Chalamet. Typically adorned in a wig and gutsy enough to tag her subjects, her Instagram more than makes the case for her SNL hiring. Here’s the need-to-know about SNL’s newest star.
She hails from the Groundlings improv theatre
Fineman’s comedy background includes studying improv at Los Angeles’ Groundlings Theatre. Per The Hollywood Reporter, she was named a New Face at Montreal’s Just for Laughs Festivalin2018. Fineman has also performed with UCB in “Character’s Welcome.” On Instagram, she regularly shares Groundlings sketches and photos from her standup.
She’s really, really good at impressions
Undoubtedly, Lorne Michaels & Co hired Fineman, in part, for her Instagram feed full of diverse and hilarious impressions. Her latest came on August 13, a Williamson portrayal that hits its peak when she perfectly utters, “I don’t believe in that, girlfriend.” Although Kate McKinnon has previously played the meme-able author, Fineman could easily assume the role.
Just as impressive is that Fineman usually tags the person she’s interpreting in her Instagram posts. Whether she’s tackling Jojo Siwa, clad in an exaggerated bow, or perfecting her Timothée Chalamet with a curly, dark-haired mane, she manages to be surprising, on-point, and utterly hilarious. This sampling of her feed gives viewers a sneak peek of her future SNL sketches:
Elizabeth Holmes
Maisie Williams
Hannah Gadsby
Anna Delvey
She’s already got famous fans
Fineman’s nearly 62,000 Instagram followers already include some famous admirers. Celebrities including Busy Phillips (who she’s hilariously parodied) and Maren Morris regularly comment on Fineman’s impressions. “Obsessed with everything you do,” Phillips wrote under her pitch perfect take on Natasha Lyonne. After taking a deep dive into her Instagram, it’s hard not to walk away with the same sentiment.
She’s appeared on fan-favorite TV shows
The season 45 premiere of SNL won’t be Fineman’s first time on the small screen. Her resume includes appearances on series such as Jane the Virgin, Mozart in the Jungle, and Search Party. Her first crop of SNL hosts will include Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Woody Harrelson, and Kristen Stewart.
