Mary Ellen Matthew’s job is as enjoyable because it appears to be like.
For the previous 25 years, the 59-year-old photographer has been taking pictures at all times iconic, typically whimsical portraits of stars to function “bumpers” — pictures that seem on display screen earlier than a industrial break — for “Saturday Night Live.”
“The bumpers are probably the least appreciated part of the show, but anybody who knows the show knows how much they mean,” the present’s head honcho, Lorne Michaels, writes within the foreword to Matthew’s new e-book, “The Art of the SNL Portrait” (Harry N. Abrams, out now).
The e-book follows within the footsteps of SNL’s fiftieth anniversary particular and options dozens of the practically 4,000 portraits Matthews has created of the present’s hosts and musical visitors over time.
It’s “the best job in the world and, quite certainly, the only one like it,” Matthews, who makes use of each real-life props and digital enhancing to create the portraits, writes within the e-book’s introduction.
There’s not often a boring second in her workday. Whereas lots of the pictures are shot within the studio, Matthews loves getting exterior and incorporating parts of the town. She fondly recollects capturing Jim Carrey hailing a cab with a llama named Pierre within the pouring rain and snapping Jason Momoa with a guitar on the sting of High of the Rock.
“His security and our security were like terrified,” she stated.
Right here, she shares six different pictures — and the tales behind them — with The Publish.
Tina Fey
When the previous forged member — who has lengthy been rumored as a high contender to interchange Michaels when he retires — hosted in 2018, Matthews needed to create a picture out of a high-brow style journal from the Forties or ’50s. She thought it’d be “sweet” to have Fey holding a hen however needed one thing extra “ridiculous” than just a little bluebird or peaceable dove. “I thought … how can we push that into a more playful place? And then I thought, it’s a big bird. And then what’s the most ridiculous bird that she could be holding? A vulture?” So, a inventory picture of the scavenger was digitally added to the shot. “It’s fun just to kind of keep twisting things,” Matthews stated.
Alec Baldwin
Baldwin has hosted the present 17 instances — greater than anybody else. When he did the honors in 2009, he had the concept for a “Godfather” re-creation and Matthews was more than pleased to make it occur, together with her personal twist. As an alternative of utilizing an actual cat, as within the opening scene of the Francis Ford Coppola basic, she opted for a clearly faux stuffed kitty. “I don’t like to make these re-creations too close to the original,” she writes. “It’s got to have something that’s off or not quite right.”
Billie Eilish
When the Grammy and Oscar-winner carried out on the present in December 2023, it was proper earlier than Christmas, a vacation Matthews famous that Eilish loves. “Sp, I got all this fake snow and thought, maybe, let’s do a snow angel,’” Matthews recalled. “And then I said, ‘Let’s just bury you,’ and she had this bright, illuminated smile and those beautiful eyes. I just love it.”
Melissa McCarthy
Matthews had the concept to recreate photographer Diane Arbus’s iconic “Identical Twins, Roselle, N.J., 1967” shot and McCarthy, who hosted in 2017, was the right artistic associate. “She could emote the those two twins in a comedic way … she’s just an absolute genius,” Matthews stated, including that hair and wardrobe “nailed it. “
Justin Bieber
The pop star carried out on the present in 2020, and Matthews was impressed by a cloud-print go well with the wardrobe stylist had for him. “I thought, I’ve got to tie this in as a background or have him float,” she stated. For the shoot, Bieber bounced on a mini trampoline and the cloudy background was added digitally.
Travis Kelce
Matthews was serious about Jim Morrison when she got here up with this idea for the Tremendous Bowl winner and multihyphenate, who hosted in 2023. “[I thought] what if Travis lit his stogie off of his flaming football [instead of a guitar],” she writes. “Very b—-s.”
