Overview

• Bowen Yang has openly requested that SNL producer Lorne Michaels replace him as J.D. Vance, suggesting actors like Zach Galifianakis or Taran Killam.
• Yang has portrayed the role since SNL's season 50 premiere in September 2024, appearing in multiple cold opens featuring political satire.
• He has invested significant effort into the role, including working with an accent coach to perfect Vance's Appalachian-Ohio dialect.
• Yang has expressed concerns about his physical dissimilarity to Vance, acknowledging the challenges of public perception given his Asian identity.
• Despite his reservations, Yang remains committed to delivering an authentic performance while continuing to advocate for a casting change.