When I had Chloe Fineman on my podcast, I learned she does the best Meryl Streep impression I’ve ever heard. Meryl Streep. That’s not doing a Walken. That’s nuance — an acute understanding of breathing and intonation. In short: Chloe was bringing in some real actor shit, but who was she?
I mean, I knew Chloe as a friend of Hannah Pilkes. I’d seen her on TV a bit and heard her name in the comedy community, but her Meryl stuck with me. It made me curious. Chloe’s was the kind of celebrity impression you want to tell your friends about, and I had to explore who else she could do. Did I ever.
From Roseanne to Bella Hadid to Drew Barrymore to even Anna Delvey, Fineman channels her subjects like very few performers can. As I found out, that extra bit of genius she possesses – that intangible thing that takes a good impression to a great impression – is rooted in her ability to create entirely original characters who feel as real as anyone you’ve ever met.
Then, I found her 2017 SNL audition reel. That’s when I started writing.
Chloe Fineman is absolutely one of the most talented new performers right now, and she’s long overdue for a break.
Luke is executive producer at Big Breakfast and a watcher of many web videos. Send him yours @LKellyClyne.