NBC’s late-night sketch comedy mainstay Saturday Night Live has churned out more than its fair share of stars over the course of its incredible 48-season (and counting) run. And the show’s latest performer who seems destined to blow up in a big way is Chloe Fineman. The 34-year-old California native has seen her profile continuously rise during her time on the show, largely on the strength of her near-endless array of spot-on celebrity impressions that cover everyone from Jennifer Coolidge and Nicole Kidman to Elmo and even the rest of the SNL cast.
In her latest role, which you’ll start seeing February 28, Fineman portrays an original character named Günter — a vaguely European, decidedly goofy “vodka seltzer sommelier” leading a new marketing campaign for Nütrl centered around the brand’s use of an umlaut (those two little dots over the u) in its name. The campaign is using humor and an odd premise to get the word out about the drink, which is positioned as an intentionally simple alternative to the flooded market of hard seltzers out there. The spirits-based seltzer prides itself on its short ingredient list — each 100-calorie, 4.5-percent-ABV can contains only vodka, seltzer and real juice — and that simple recipe caught the attention of Fineman (and Günter).
We caught up with the SNL star to talk about the new campaign along with her other favorite drinks, New York vs L.A. and whether Lorne Michaels can be converted to a Nütrl drinker.
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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What was it about Nütrl that made you want to work with them?
I like simple drinks like vodka seltzers, first of all. And I loved the idea of Günter, this kind of fun character, and the slogan “Nütrl! The one with the umlaut!” really made me laugh.
And I think I’m just like a basic bitch and I like a simple drink, so I was just like, ‘I can get behind this. Vodka, seltzer, real juice, let’s go.’
So you were already on board with spirits-based seltzers before Nütrl approached you?
It’s the first thing I ever drank as a girl [laughs].
Really?
Yeah. Vivid memories. I think it was a hard lemonade.
Oh sure, I remember those. Hard lemonade and hard iced teas in college, those were the mistake drinks.
Yeah, of course.
Outside of these sorts of spirits-based seltzers, are there any other alcoholic beverages that you enjoy regularly? Any favorite cocktails?
Carlo A
I definitely like a paloma, which you could put Nütrl in. Think about that, make your own little cocktail. And I’m definitely like a skinny margarita kind of girl. I like simple, simple, simple, and I hate overly sweet anything.
You mentioned that you were drawn to the silliness of this campaign and Günter. How much of that did you have a role in creating? Does Günter come at all from any older original characters of yours?
The idea of Günter and the catchphrase were already there, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is perfect, Günter is like a cousin to a couple of characters that I do.’ So then it was really fun to improvise and kind of create the ‘weird’ of this character and figure out what makes this character wacky. We created the wig, created the outfit and it was a lot of improv and trying different funny things. We definitely laughed all the time, so that was delightful.
On SNL, you’re probably best known as an impressionist. Out of your celebrity impressions, who do you think would be most into Nütrl?
Ooh! That’s a good question. I’m trying to think of who has a similar wig. I think Nicole Kidman, probably. I think any of the Oscar ladies because it’s such a lovely drink. Maybe we could say Drew Barrymore because it’s [slipping into Barrymore impression] Vodka, seltzer, real juice. Paloma. Yeah, she likes a paloma.
You’re hinting at paloma quite a bit. Is that a future flavor of Nütrl you’d like to see them release?
Ooh, maybe. Or lime, definitely lime.
Yeah, I feel like lime is pretty standard for a seltzer.
Yep.
So, you’re kind of bicoastal …
You can just call me bi.
Okay. So as a bi person…
No laughs [laughs].
… which city would you say has a better drinking culture, New York or L.A.?
Obviously New York, one hundred percent. I feel like most people move to L.A. to quit drinking [laughs], so definitely New York. Although, L.A. is getting better — I live on the east side and there’s some cool bars opening up, there’s a cool one that just opened in Eagle Rock — but New York is the city that don’t sleep.
It’s also easier to go out drinking in a city with a subway that runs all night.
Yeah, you don’t have to drive anywhere.
Any upcoming projects you want to spill the beans on?
I just finished Francis Ford Coppola’s movie, Megalopolis, so I’m excited for when that will come out. And I’m excited for some new, fun characters on SNL.
Cool. Do you think Lorne would be into Nütrl to go with his popcorn?
[Laughs] I hope so, yeah. He is a paloma guy, so he can just put a little Nütrl in his paloma.
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Carlo A
Drizly
