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With The Vatican conclave recently electing a new pope, fans of Saturday Night Live are reminiscing the time when Kevin Hart acted like the newly elected pope. This happened on March 2, 2013, when Kevin Hart, for his SNL debut, chose to do a sketch called New Pope.
Robert Prevost's selection as the new pope was followed by millions, and the same happened when Pope Francis assumed Pope Benedict's position in 2013. That was when Kevin Hart featured in a conclave-themed sketch - in season 38 episode 15 of the show.
He simply appeared at the Vatican's balcony as actress Quvenzhané Wallis, the new nine-year-old elected pope. The sketch showed his selection being applauded by most except for Pope Benedict, who played by Fred Armisen.
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What happened in the 2013 Saturday Night Live sketch called New Pope?
The sketch opened with Saturday Night Live season 38 actor Jason Sudeikis playing American journalist Wolf Blitzer. He was featured on his CNN show, The Situation Room, giving updates on the 2013 pope elections.
Cecily Strong played the reporter who was standing in front of the Vatican church, reporting live.
She told Wolf Blitzer about a strong contender, a Ghanian cardinal named Peter Turkson, who was played by Kenan Thompson.
As soon as she said this, white smoke emerged from the chimney behind her, signaling that the Sistine Chapel had elected a new pope.
Before this new pope came to light, Wolf Blitzer said that whoever was chosen needed to be a fresh face, capable of taking the church past the scandals into the 21st century.
Customarily, cardinals dressed in red come out on the balcony of St. Peter Basilica, which was replicated by the set designers of Saturday Night Live.
"The new pope is 9-year-old Oscar nominee, Quvenzhané Wallis," updated the reporter.
The actress portrayed in the role of the pope was played by Kevin Hart, who was revealed when he walked out of the balcony.
He was dressed in purple sequinned gown, inspired by the actress's Academy Award dress from the same year, when she was nominated for Beasts of the Southern Wild.
The dress was also paired with a tiny pope's hat.
Wolf, from the studio, asked what the new pope was doing, to which the reporter said that she was lifting her arms in her signature muscle-man pose, referring to Quvenzhané's scenes in the acclaimed movie.
Most people on the Saturday Night Live sketch seemed happy with Quvenzhané becoming their new pope, except for the frontrunner Peter Turkson, played by Kenan Thompson.
"It appears that Pope Quvenzhané is doing the Dougie, and Turkson is loving it," said the reporter.
The new pope grinned in response, but then the old pope Pope Benedict, played by Fred Armisen, entered.
The reporter said that the new pope was riding a cardinal like a horse and the viewers saw that happening.
Quvenzhané Wallis, who was nine at the time of this sketch but is now 21 years old, has a successful TV and film career. She has featured in a two-season series called Swagger and the 2024 movie Breathe.
For more updates on Saturday Night Live fans can follow the show's official Instagram page, @nbcsnl.
