Bill Hader has named the one SNL character he won’t play again due to “offending” a viewer.
Hader, who currently stars in HBO seriesd Barry, appeared on the US sketch show from 2005 to 2013, playing several fan favourite characters.
This included Italian talk show host Vinny Vedecci. However, after meeting an Italian woman who was “offended by it”, he decided he would never reprise the role.
In a new interview with The Independent, Hader said: “An Italian woman told me she was offended by it, and I was like, ‘All I’m trying to do is the old comic staple, you know, gibberish and everything.’ And she was like, ‘Right, but my father spoke like that and he actually spoke Italian.’
He continued: “Your sensibility changes when you get older. I don’t think I would do that again.”
However, he has backtracked on his claim that he would also never play the role of gay nightclub guide Stefon again.
In 2022, he told The Guardian the idea of a return for Stefon was “floated”, but that he told producers: “I don’t think that’s really a good thing to do now.”
Hader appeared to be referencing the debate that gay characters should be played by gay actors.
But he said he has changed his mind and would reprise the role if asked.
“Honestly, I don’t know why I said that,” he said, adding: “I probably would play him.”
Elaborating on the reasoning for his earlier comments, the actor said: ”I think just being asked a question at that point in time kind of made me anxious.”
Hader, who also played a gay character in The Skeleton Twins, continued :“I’ve never had any gay man come up to me and be offended. I’ve always had people come up and say how much they love those roles.”
Find The Independent’s full interview with Hader here.
‘Barry’ season four is available Mondays on Sky Comedy and streaming service NOW
