Hollywood actress stars as Raygun in hilarious dance as viewers praise 'perfect' casting
Olympic breakdancer Raygun has gone viral once again, this time for being impersonated by a Hollywood actress on one of the most most popular late night talk shows in the US.
Real name Rachael Gunn, the 36-year-old debuted in the 2024 Paris Olympics, representing her native Australia in the women's breaking competition.
A university lecturer by day at Macquarie University in Sydney, she goes by Raygun when competing in breaking - or breakdancing, as you're probably more likely to know it by.
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Her appearance at the Paris Olympics was hands down the most viral moment of the entire Olympiad, with people unable to stop watching her routine. Many have taken to social media platforms like TikTok to do their best impression of the Aussie's routine, which goes pretty much how you're imagining it.
And now it has gone one step further than this after one Hollywood actress decided to impersonate the viral moment on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
After going through Raygun's exploits during his opening monologue, Fallon asks: "Where's that music coming from?"
The curtain then opens behind him and out comes American actress and comedian Rachel Dratch. Known for her improv work on Saturday Night Live, she's also appeared in numerous shows such as 30 Rock and films including Click, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Sisters, and Wine Country.
The routine left viewers in stitches as Dratch did her best impression of Raygun's routine, including impersonating a kangaroo and getting on the floor to do some of the more unusual moves that can't quite be categorised. Fallon joins in the routine in classic late night chat show style.
Countless viewers were praising Dratch for her impression of the Aussie breakdancer.
"I knew Rachel Dratch would be perfect to do Raygun," one commented.
A second sarcastically wrote: "As an Aussie I'm telling you we may have had a shot if Rachel Dratch was representing us."
And a third said: "I can also forgive Raygun for embarrassing my country so hard thanks to how much this made me laugh."
Another posted: "Give Dratch any and all reasons to appear."
Others said that it helped showcase the talent in Raygun's original routine, with one writing: "Honestly, Rachel Dratch just making it clear that Raygun has skills."
As for the reaction to Raygun, her family have since spoken out on the routine going viral.
Andrew Free, Raygun's father-in-law, posted: "It was a pretty stacked competition and the judges were clearly looking for a certain style of breaking which is not Rachael's.
"Although they are supposed to mark five different aspects with each having the same weighting, in my obviously biased opinion they did not reward originality and musicality so she was up against it.
"The main thing is she represented Australia and breaking at the Olympics with courage and dignity."
The channels of social media are now rife with continued discussion around the routine, as some give notice to a bizarre theory about why Raygun scored zero points.
Tom Earnshaw