Which cast member impersonated Barack Obama on SNL from 2012 to 2016?

Jay Pharoah impersonated Barack Obama on SNL from 2012 to 2016. He debuted the impression during the show’s 38th-season premiere on September 15, 2012, succeeding Fred Armisen as Obama.

Pharoah joined Saturday Night Live in 2010 as a featured player and became known for a wide range of celebrity impressions, including Kanye West, Jay-Z, Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, and Denzel Washington. His Obama impression was especially notable because it arrived during the 2012 presidential campaign and continued through the remainder of Obama’s presidency.

A common mix-up is Fred Armisen, who played Obama on SNL before Pharoah. Armisen’s version was used during Obama’s first presidential term, while Pharoah took over in 2012. Pharoah left SNL in 2016, ahead of the show’s 42nd season, which marks the end of the period stated in the question.