Matt Damon revived his impression of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during the cold-open of Saturday Night Live on May 9, 2026 [1].
The performance marks a return to a high-profile satirical character that first gained attention during the Justice's confirmation hearings. By revisiting the role, the show used a familiar comedic trope to address current political tensions and the stability of U.S. judicial and executive norms.
Damon, who has hosted the program three times [2], performed the sketch alongside other cast members and guests. Colin Jost portrayed Pete Hegseth, while Aziz Ansari appeared as Kash Patel [3]. The sketch served as the opening segment of the episode, which also featured musical guest Noah Kahan [4].
The Kavanaugh impression was originally performed by Damon in 2018 [5]. This revival sought to satirize modern political topics, including a specific joke suggesting that former President Donald Trump could win a third term [6].
The sketch relied on the exaggerated mannerisms and tone that characterized Damon's first outing as the Justice. By pairing Kavanaugh with figures like Hegseth and Patel, the production highlighted a specific circle of political influence within the current landscape [3].
Saturday Night Live typically uses its cold-open to set the tone for the evening's political commentary. The decision to bring back a character from eight years ago suggests a desire to link current events to the judicial battles of the late 2010s [5].
“Matt Damon revived his impression of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during the cold-open of Saturday Night Live”
The revival of the Kavanaugh impression indicates a continuing cultural fixation on the ideological shift of the U.S. Supreme Court. By linking the 2018 confirmation era to current figures like Kash Patel and Pete Hegseth, the show suggests that the political strategies of the previous decade remain central to the current administration's trajectory.
