Will Ferrell just brought back one of his most famous SNL impressions after spending some time with Jenna Bush Hager, and it turns out it was exactly what she was hoping for.
The Elf actor, along with his co-stars from the upcoming new comedy film, The Hawk, slipped into his impersonation of George W. Bush, the Today co-anchor’s father and former president, while playing a game of “Putt or Dare.” The impression, which only lasted a few seconds, was enough to elicit a joyful reaction from those around him, but especially from Jenna herself, who admitted she was secretly hoping he would do it before their segment concluded. Read more about the viral and wholesome moment below.
Will Ferrell Surprises Jenna Bush Hager With His George W. Bush
Right now, the actor and writer is in the middle of promoting his upcoming movie, The Hawk, a Netflix original and comedy starring himself and other big names, like Molly Shannon, Luke Wilson, Fortune Feimster, and more.
In the middle of their promo and press tour, they made a stop at NBC Studios in New York City on July 16th, to be featured in a segment on Today with Jenna and Friends, hosted by the famous Jenna Bush Hager and co-host Sheinelle Jones. Will and the cast participated in a spirited interview before being asked to compete in the game, “Putt or Dare,” where they were told to perform a challenge if they missed a short putt in the studio.
After missing his first shot, the Step Brothers star was given the ‘dare’ of doing three celebrity impressions, and he took on the challenge like a pro. He began with a few lines from his iconic Anchorman character, Ron Burgundy, before breaking and taking on the voice of late baseball broadcaster Harry Caray.
When it was time for his final impression, he decided to do one that he had famously performed during his years on Saturday Night Live, and hadn’t done in quite a while, prompting the segment to go viral: Jenna’s father, former President George W. Bush.
“Here’s the thing about golf,” he began, while looking at Jenna. “We used to talk about this when you were just a little girl. You need a lot of strategery to get the ball in the hole.”
“That’s your dad,” he added after breaking character.
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Jenna Reacts To Will's Impression Of Her Dad
Once the leading comedic actor began his impression of the 43rd president, it didn't take long for the Today anchor to react.
Jenna had a big smile on her face watching Will, and after he said his first line out of the blue, she shook her head and admitted, "I was hoping this was coming!" She continued nodding and laughing as Will carried the impression out.
It had been a while since the world had heard the Talladega Nights performer pull out his impression of the 80-year-old president, who served two terms between 2001 and 2009. He was, however, quite famous for it, as he began doing it all the way back in late 2000, according to NBC. Will only occasionally revisit the impression, seemingly doing it whenever he's on air with Jenna, as he stepped into the role of her dad during a 2022 interview.
Additionally, in 2024, Jenna admitted that she and her late mother, Barbara, would encourage her dad to watch the actor's impression of him.
"I like to harass my dad," she joked on Today with Hoda & Jenna. "When he was the president, Barbara and I would show him the 'Saturday Night Live's' where they made fun of him and stuff. He loved it."
