Stephen Colbert is not just a great comedian. He’s also a fantastic interviewer who elevated those segments on Late Show with Stephen Colbert. As the show comes to a close Thursday, it’s worth looking back at some of his greatest moments, which range from hilarious exchanges with former Daily Show colleague Jon Stewart to heartfelt moments of real connection over grief and faith with other guests on the show. Here are 10 great Stephen Colbert interviews he conducted during his 11 years hosting Late Show.
1. Jonathan Groff On Late Show with Stephen Colbert
On December 6, 2015, at the height of the Hamilton craze, Jonathan Groff appeared on the show. He was starring as King George in the Broadway smash, and he taught Colbert how to do his famous royal walk, which he noted even Beyoncé had complimented.
2. Andrew Garfield On Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Andrew Garfield dropped by The Late Show on November 23, 2021, to promote the movie Tick, Tick Boom, about Rent creator Jonathan Larson. The conversation turned to the recent death of the actor’s mother, and he told Colbert, “I hope this grief stays with me” as he discussed his close relationship with his mother.
3. Tiffany Haddish On Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Tiffany Haddish landed on The Late Show in 2017, and she stole the show as she recounted playing Phoebe in Jay-Z’s Friends parody and being confronted by Kevin Hart about living in her car. Colbert could not stop laughing.
4. Magic Johnson On Late Show With Stephen Colbert
In 2021, Magic Johnson dropped by the Late Show and demonstrated great chemistry with the host while relaying a story about playing pickup basketball with former President Barack Obama.
5. Dua Lipa On Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Colbert has always been transparent about his faith. In 2022, Dua Lipa flipped the script while Colbert conducted her interview and instead asked him a question: How does your faith overlap with your comedy? His fascinating answer gave viewers real insight to his character.
6. Anderson Cooper On Late Show with Stephen Colbert
In 2019, Colbert and Anderson Cooper had a conversation on CNN that went viral, discussing the passing of their fathers and brothers at an early age. Anderson had recently lost his mother, and their reflections on grief carried a special heaviness. Anderson appeared on The Late Show to discuss his podcast where he does something very similar, employing empathy to talk to people about grief and loss.
7. Steph Curry On Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Again, Colbert became drawn into a conversation about faith after asking the perennial NBA All-Star about the “413” penciled on his shoes in a 2024 interview. The two discussed Philippians 4:13 (“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”) and what it means to Curry in his daily life.
8. Jon Stewart on Late Show with Stephen Colbert
You could just just about any time Jon Stewart dropped by to hang out with his former Daily Show colleague as a highlight. But the final one may be the most memorable, simply because of the poignancy of the moment. The two comedians share a strong friendship, and Stewart’s compassion for Colbert as his show winds down was moving to witness.
9. James Talarico On Late Show with Stephen Colbert
A bit of controversy always helps with viewership. After CBS prevented Late Show from airing an interview with Senate hopeful James Talarico earlier this year, for fear of the wrath of the Federal Communications Commission, the interview wracked up huge numbers (7.3 million and counting) on YouTube.
10. Joe Biden on On Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Long before Joe Biden decided to run for president in 2020, he decided not to enter the 2016 race—and he discussed his reasoning with Colbert in a segment that went viral for its sincerity. Biden showed vulnerability on Stephen Colbert’s Late Show when discussing his continuing grief over his son’s death, and it became a bigger conversation about public duty vs. personal suffering.
