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Stephen Colbert surprised his fellow late-night hosts when he admitted a recent guest left him unexpectedly breathless. The revelation came during a lively episode of the Strike Force Five podcast, where Colbert and peers traded stories about celebrity interviews and on-air mishaps.
How Michelle Williams stopped Colbert in his tracks
On the podcast, Colbert described his first in-person encounter with Michelle Williams as a moment he did not anticipate. He said he found himself taken aback by her presence and had to steady his composure during the interview.
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Colbert singled out her stage presence, facial expressions and overall vibe as elements that made him suddenly distracted. He told the hosts he made a conscious effort to avoid staring for the duration of their conversation.
Other stars who made an impression on the Late Show host
Colbert named several other performers who left a strong visual impression on him over the years.
- Rachel Weisz — Colbert said he once felt so flustered around her that he would avoid lingering after tapings to prevent saying something awkward.
- Rebecca Ferguson — He praised her charisma and said she brought a commanding energy to appearances.
- Andrew Garfield — Colbert noted Garfield’s striking looks and even referenced a moment the actor and he shared on the show.
Why the names matter
These anecdotes came while Colbert joked with fellow hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver. Their banter framed the recollections as friendly confessions rather than formal reflections on celebrity culture.
Arm-wrestling and on-set challenges with film stars
Colbert also revived tales of televised competitions. He remembered being bested in arm-wrestling bouts by several high-profile actors.
- Daniel Craig
- John Krasinski
- Josh Brolin
After losing on camera, Colbert even took lessons from a professional arm-wrestler to prepare for a rematch. He joked that one of those attempts ended up being his best effort, though he still didn’t come out on top.
Where this falls in Colbert’s career timeline
The podcast stories arrived just days before what the host called the final episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, scheduled to air on Thursday, May 21.
Colbert had previously announced in July 2025 that CBS would end the show after 11 seasons. The decision marked the close of a long run of nightly interviews, sketches and on-air experiments for the comedian.
