Kate McKinnon displays her impeccable impersonation skills as Reese Witherspoon in a Billy on the Street video. Filmed on the bustling streets of New York, McKinnon joins Billy Eichner in the latest episode of his web series.
Created and produced by Eichner, Billy on the Street follows the hilarious and exuberant host as he asks random pedestrians about pop culture. The series aired on Fuse for three seasons, then found a home on truTV. After two seasons on truTV, Billy on the Street left the network and is now distributed by Funny or Die with Lyft as the official sponsor. The videos have featured a slew of A-list celebrities, including Chris Pratt, Neil Patrick Harris, The Jonas Brothers, Paul Rudd, Emma Stone, and many, many more. However, Eichner and McKinnon took the sketch one step further with McKinnon appearing not as herself, but as Academy Award-winner Reese Witherspoon.
Highly regarded for her work on Saturday Night Live, McKinnon has left her mark on the sketch comedy series with notable celebrity impressions, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Kellyanne Conway, Lori Loughlin, Ellen Degeneres, and Hillary Clinton. Now, McKinnon adds Witherspoon to her impressive roster. Emulating the Big Little Lies actress, McKinnon’s poise and Eicher’s enthusiasm had several interviewees fooled. The first woman they encounter believes she is talking to Witherspoon and notes her familiarity with Legally Blonde. Eichner even kicks off his video by introducing McKinnon as Witherspoon, continuing the ruse on the Twitter as well. From starstruck moments to suggesting Witherspoon run for President to Eichner lashing out at pedestrians, watch the full video below:
McKinnon’s appearance as Witherspoon in Billy on the Street comes as a pivotal time in both actresses careers. Witherspoon currently stars in HBO’s powerful series Big Little Lies and launched a Draper James clothing line. The Oscar winner also recently confirmed she is set to reprise her role as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde 3. McKinnon has been tapped to star in and executive produce The Dropout, a limited run series on Hulu based on ABC’s podcast of the same name. The Dropout follows the unbelievable true story of Elizabeth Holmes and her company, Theranos. Due to scheduling demands, this may also force McKinnon to end her tenure on SNL.
An imitation is a form of flattery, and a surefire way to captivate an audience. Billy on the Street and other improvisational web series have built a platform that tests celebrities' capabilities and pop culture knowledge of the common man. McKinnon and Witherspoon are two of the most respected and hardworking actresses in the business and the SNL star playing the beloved Southern belle is a healthy dose of fun. Perhaps the next Billy on the Street will feature Witherspoon impersonating McKinnon.
Source: Billy Eichner/Twitter