Who played Sarah Palin on SNL during the 2008 U.S. election?

Tina Fey played Sarah Palin on SNL during the 2008 U.S. election. Her resemblance to the Republican vice-presidential nominee made her an especially effective choice for the role.

Fey first appeared as Palin in the season 34 premiere on September 13, 2008, alongside Amy Poehler, who played Hillary Clinton. Fey had left SNL in 2006, but returned for several guest appearances during the campaign.

The impersonation became one of SNL's defining political-comedy moments. A frequently repeated line, “I can see Russia from my house,” was spoken by Fey's Palin character—not by Palin herself—and was written for the sketch by producer Mike Shoemaker.

Fey reprised the role several times through 2008 and in later election-related appearances. She won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2009 for the performance. Amy Poehler, Kristen Wiig, and Maya Rudolph were all major SNL performers, but none was the principal performer behind the show's famous 2008 Palin impression.