Brad Pitt plays Dr Anthony Fauci, key member of White House coronavirus task force, in new quarantine edition of Saturday Night Live

Brad Pitt portrayed Dr. Anthony Fauci in the second at-home episode of Saturday Night Live, that featured musical guest Miley Cyrus, an Adam Sandler cameo and plenty of disinfectant jokes.

A bespectacled Pitt, speaking in Fauci’s raspy voice, tried to recast false assurances and misstatements pitched by President Donald Trump during the pandemic, for instance when Trump said there’d be a COVID-19 vaccine “relatively soon. ”

“Relatively soon is an interesting phrase. Relative to the entire history of earth? Sure, the vaccine is going to come real fast,” said Pitt’s Fauci, seated at a desk behind a stately bookcase. “But if you were going to tell a friend, ‘I’ll be over relatively soon’ and then showed up a year and a half later, well, your friend may be relatively pissed off.”

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Here is a clip of Pitt as Fauci 

The episode was the show’s second “quarantine edition,” with pre-recorded segments at actors’ homes delving into the frustrations and touchstones of quarantine life, but, of course, with an SNL twist.

Sandler and Pete Davidson teamed up to mock being cooped up with family for a musical duet called 'Stuck In The House,' another sketch featured a Zoom version of Law and Order and another poked fun at zealous fitness moved online during the pandemic with one boasting of “eating clean” by preparing a “Clorox juice” cleanse.

Cyrus, sitting fireside with a guitar, performed Pink Floyd’s 'Wish You Were Here.'

Pitt’s depiction followed a Fauci interview on CNN when he jokingly said he thought Pitt should portray him when he was asked to chose between Ben Stiller or Pitt. The cold open also featured Trump’s far-fetched statements earlier this week about disinfectant and light being studied in the fight against the virus.

“When I hear things like the virus can be cured if everyone takes the Tide Pod Challenge, I’ll be there to say, ‘Please don’t,’” said Pitt’s Fauci, before he broke character, took off his wig and paid tribute to Fauci and thanked him.

There also were jabs at Trump’s battle with governors in an outdoors segment with Cecily Strong as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has blasted Trump’s handling of the pandemic. Strong’s Whitmer urged continued social distancing.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” she said, gesturing to her surroundings. “We never will be. We live in Michigan.”

Fauci has become a household name for his matter-of-fact delivery of information during White House press conferences amid the pandemic.

Removing his wig and dropping the expert's accent, Pitt concluded his set to thank the real Fauci.

"To the real Dr Fauci, thank you for your calm and your clarity in this unnerving time," he said.

The actor also thanked healthcare workers and announced that the show was "sort of" live from New York.

Tom Hanks hosted the inaugural SNL At Home which aired on 11 April with a musical performance by Coldplay's Chris Martin.

(With inputs from agencies)