Stephen Colbert has revealed that Michelle Williams was the guest he found most attractive during his 11-year tenure as host of The Late Show. The 62-year-old departing late-night host confessed on the Strike Force Five podcast that he “didn’t know what to do with my eyeballs” when the actress appeared on his show.
Colbert’s Confession on the Podcast
During a recent episode of the podcast, fellow host Jimmy Kimmel asked Colbert if he had ever been faced with a guest “so attractive that you found it distracting.” Colbert responded: “I’ll tell you who I did not expect to be wildly attracted to. Like, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I did not know what to do with my eyeballs when Michelle Williams was on for the first time.”
He elaborated: “She sat down across from me and I went: ‘F***, what is wrong with my head? I’d better not look directly at her for this entire interview.’” Colbert added that he finds Williams “so beautiful.”
Williams’ Career and Appearances
Michelle Williams, 45, rose to fame on Dawson’s Creek before becoming an acclaimed film and television actor. She first appeared on The Late Show in 2019 to promote the miniseries Fosse/Verdon and returned last year to discuss the Golden Globe-winning series Dying for Sex.
Colbert’s On-Screen Kisses
The former Comedy Central star, whose show is ending next week, has been in an amorous mood recently. During Tuesday night’s episode, he shared kisses with guests Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Pedro Pascal. This followed a Monday episode where fellow hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers appeared and were asked, “Have you guys ever made out with a guest on camera?”
Colbert revealed he had shared on-screen kisses with Sally Field, Andrew Garfield, Helen Mirren, Allison Janney, and Jeff Daniels during his time on the CBS program. During her appearance, Louis-Dreyfus reminded Colbert of the conversation and hinted she would like to join his list. Pascal, when he sat down, immediately pointed to his lips and shared a kiss with Colbert, quipping, “I got jealous.” Colbert responded, “No need! Anytime. These lips will soon be free.”
End of The Late Show and Future Plans
CBS announced last July that it would cancel The Late Show, citing a “financial decision.” The cancellation sparked speculation as it came shortly after Colbert criticized Paramount over a controversial $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump tied to a 60 Minutes lawsuit. Colbert called the settlement a “big fat bribe” because Paramount was simultaneously seeking federal approval for its merger with Skydance Media. CBS staffers told The Independent it was a continuation of the “Trump shakedown.”
After departing The Late Show, Colbert’s next role will see him write a new Lord of the Rings film. Peter Jackson shared the surprise news in March with a video announcing the project, currently titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past.
