Dylan McDermott’s Resemblance to Dermot Mulroney Once Inspired an ‘SNL’ Game

For years, fans and celebrities have mixed up Dylan McDermott and Dermot Mulroney's identities. 

The actors not only have similar names, but they also look alike. 

When McDermott starred as Julia Roberts’s husband in Steel Magnolias, and Mulroney played the actress’s love interest in My Best Friend’s Wedding, fans couldn’t tell who was who.

It doesn’t help that both actors were in American Horror Story, albeit in different seasons. 

To make matters more confusing, Mulroney starred in the 1989 comedy-drama Staying Together as Kit McDermott. 

We don’t know if the name was intentional, but the situation escalated to the point where Saturday Night Live poked fun at the confusion over the two actors. 

In season 38, SNL had the episode host Jamie Foxx and cast members Kenan Thompson and Jay Pharoah play a game fittingly titled 'Dylan McDermott Or Dermot Mulroney?'

Dylan McDermott (right) and Dermot Mulroney (left). 

The premise was relatively simple, which required the contestant to guess whether the pictures shown by game show host Bill Hader was McDermott or Mulroney. 

While the game seemed easy, the contestants failed miserably. 

Dylan McDermott and Dermot Mulroney on ‘LA to Vegas’

After three decades in Hollywood, McDermott and Mulroney finally put an end to the long-standing joke. 

In January 2018, the duo came face to face on the Fox comedy series, LA to Vegas aptly titled ‘Two and a Half Pilots.’

McDermott, who played Captain Dave on the series, faced off against Mulroney’s character, Captain Steve, a pilot legend in the international flight world. 

Steve took over Dave’s route when he was pulled away from his duties. 

McDermott attending Teen Choice Awards in March 2021. (Source: Instagram)

Before the episode aired, Mulroney told Us Weekly that the collaboration was a long time coming. 

“Isn’t it time?! First of all, it’s overdue. It’s 30 years in the making! It’s been like setup, setup, setup, setup, setup, 30 years later, here’s the joke,” said Mulroney.

The actor added it was the perfect time for him and his lookalike to be on set together and that audiences would be hysterical. 

Dylan McDermott and Dermot Mulroney Working Together

McDermott and Mulroney also chatted with Entertainment Tonight to leave clues about the anticipated small-screen collaboration. 

The Practice actor shared a few tidbits to correspondent Leanne Aguilera at Fox’s winter Television Critics Association red carpet. 

He admitted it was LA to Vegas creator Lon Zimmet who had ideated the concept. 

McDermott and Dermot Mulroney in LA to Vegas. (Source: Dermot Mulroney/Instagram)

“He called me up and said, ‘Would you mind Dermot coming on? I said, ‘Are you kidding me? I would love that,’” the actor recalled. 

Meanwhile, Mulroney spoke to ET’s Katie Krause on the red carpet at Hallmark Channel's Winter Television Critics Association (TCA).

He revealed he was touched when he found out that McDermott had referred to him as a friend at the TCA. 

“I was really touched, because we only recently made each other’s acquaintance. I mean, the whole thing is ridiculous!” Mulroney said with a smile. 

And when the actor learned McDermott had once considered changing his name to “Mick Dermott” because of him, he laughed. 

He shared that it struck him as a good idea even though he had not thought of changing his name before. 

“The time that I’ve spent explaining, discussing, spelling, pronouncing, apologizing for my name, I’d probably be about two years younger right now!” said Mulroney.