Bill Hader Is Open to Playing Stefon Again, One Year After Saying He Might Retire the Character Due to Being ‘Seen as a Stereotype’

variety.com:

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Bill Hader is coming around to the idea of playing Stefon again. In a new interview with The Independent, the “Barry” creator said he “probably would” play the beloved “Saturday Night Live” character again despite telling The Guardian a year ago he’d probably be retiring the character because of stereotypes.

Stefon is a flamboyant gay man who regularly appeared on “Weekend Update” to give depraved and deranged recommendations to tourists about things to do in New York City. “I’ve never had any gay man come up to me and be offended that I [played Stefon],” Hader told The Independent. “I’ve always had people come up and say how much they love those roles.

Honestly, I don’t know why I said [I wouldn’t play him anymore]. I probably would play him. I think just being asked the question at that point in time kind of made me anxious.” Hader was asked by The Guardian in April 2022 about taking on gay roles such as Stefon and his character in the indie film “The Skeleton Twins.” “Oh, um, right.

Well, Craig Johnson [the director of ‘The Skeleton Twins’] is gay, and he asked me if I’d be interested in doing that movie, and maybe that wouldn’t happen now,” Hader said at the time. “And that’s OK.