Brad Pitt portrayed Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the lead members of the White House coronavirus task force, in the Saturday Night Live sketch mocking US President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Cold Open parody starring Pitt appeared after Fauci joked to CNN earlier in the month that he'd prefer to have the famous actor play him in one of the comedy show's sketches.
In the video, Pitt is wearing a gray wig and "explains what the President was trying to say" when "taking some liberties with our guidelines", mimicking Fauci's affable discretion in correcting his boss and fellow New Yorker, Donald Trump. He took a pot-shot at Trump's insistence that an anti-coronavirus vaccine was coming "relatively soon", insinuating that what he really meant was a year and a half.
The Faux Fauci also poked fun at Trump's promise that "it [the coronavirus] will disappear like a miracle", noting that maybe "miracles shouldn't be plan A", and that "even Sully tried to land at the airport first", a reference to airline Captain Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger performing a water landing in the Hudson River in 2009, saving the crew and passengers, after both engines of his Airbus A320-214 were disabled by a bird strike. Of course, Trump's infamous "sarcastic" advice to inject disinfectants and use sunlight against COVID-19 could not be left out - Pitt "facepalmed", while politely admitting that he "should not touch his face".
The actor finished the sketch by removing his wig and expressing admiration for the real-life Anthony Fauci and his "calm and clarity in this unnerving time", along with medical workers tackling the pandemic.
Netizens loved the performance and how it brought to life Fauci's "dreamcast".
Brad Pitt as Dr. Fauci on SNL is the content I needed
— Casey RD LD (@casemjohns) April 27, 2020
I’ve never been more attracted to Brad Pitt then when he played Dr. Fauci on #SNLAtHome
— Anna Schutz (@annaschutz) April 27, 2020
Yes, the biggest “thank you” we can give to Dr. Fauci is the lifelong ability to be able to tell his grandkids that he was played by Brad Pitt.
— Kelly (@Cynikell) April 27, 2020
Some users pondered on Donald Trump's possible reaction to the sketch.
Do you wonder how mad/jealous Trump is because of Brad Pitt doing Dr. Fauci proud? No more briefings....gee.
— Lisa-Lin (@LL50220) April 27, 2020
It's because @POTUS can't stand the fact that Dr. Fauci got SNL recognition -as played by Brad Pitt - and Trump remains the 👇 pic.twitter.com/aBxvVf5TFl
— Stormy (@liveforallnow) April 27, 2020
Dr. Anthony Fauci is a top member of the White House coronavirus task force and a regular attendant of the COVID-19 press briefings that were rumoured to be suspended after Trump's fiasco suggestions to inject disinfectants and use bright light against coronavirus. The President himself Tweeted that the briefings are "not worth time and effort", as they are ruined by the "fake news" media.
