Season 2021 - Episode Guide

Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams; TV personality RuPaul Charles; musical performance by Maren Morris.

Author Dr. Sanjay Gupta; actress Anya Taylor-Joy.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN); Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL); musical performance by Jamila Woods; special live episode following today's storming of the United States Capitol.

Actress Rachel Brosnahan; musical performance by Julien Baker.

"The Colbert Questionnert" featuring George Clooney, Tom Hanks, and Meryl Streep; musical performance by The Mountain Goats.

Comic Chris Rock; musical performance by Joss Stone; special appearance by Aubrey Plaza.

Former FBI Director and author James Comey; actress Lili Reinhart.

TV host Samantha Bee; actor Paul Mescal.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.); musical performance by FINNEAS.

The TV hosts of "The Circus": John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon, and Alex Wagner; musical performance by The War On Drugs.

Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.); musical performance by Infinity Song; special appearance by actress Laura Benanti; special appearance by comedian Gilbert Gottfried.

Actor Jason Segel; musical performance by Black Pumas.

The hosts of "Pod Save America": Jon Lovett, Jon Favreau, and Tommy Vietor; musical performance of "Together" by Peter CottonTale, Chance The Rapper and Cynthia Erivo featuring the Chicago Children's Choir, Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Kofi Lost (LIVE ET/delayed PT following today's U.S. Presidential Inauguration of Joe Biden). 

Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas; magician Derek DelGaudio and director Frank Oz on their new movie "In & Of Itself."

Professional tennis player Serena Williams; musical performance by Dayglow.

Actor Colin Firth; actor Stanley Tucci; musical performance by Adrianne Lenker.

Actor Billy Crystal; Representative Jackie Speier (D-Calif.).

Actor Viggo Mortensen; journalist Charles Blow.

The best of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris from past show appearances; Dr. Jill Biden also appears. 

Actor Ethan Hawke; musical performance by Mickey Guyton. 

Actress Zendaya; Father James Martin.

Actress Salma Hayek; journalist Mark Harris.

Actress Tiffany Haddish; musical performance by H.E.R. 

Actor Robert Downey Jr.; special appearance by actress Tiffany Haddish; musical performance by rock band Metallica; special episode due to today's CBS Sports' broadcast of Super Bowl LV. 

Actress Queen Latifah; actor Steven Yeun.

TV host John Oliver; musical performance by Ingrid Andress.

Actress Kristen Wiig; actress Rebecca Breeds.

Interview with and musical performance by Blake Shelton; Valentine's Day Card First Drafts with Evelyn Colbert, Stephen's wife.  

Business magnate Bill Gates; musical performance by Tune-Yards.

Singer Billie Eilish; Punchbowl News Co-Founders Anna Palmer & Jake Sherman.

Actor Arsenio Hall; special appearance by actor Tim Meadows; musical performance by Celeste. 

Actress Regina King; musical performance by Vic Mensa featuring Wyclef Jean & Peter CottonTale.

Actor Andy Samberg; journalist Clarissa Ward.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson; musical performance by Jon Batiste.

Actor Paul Bettany; musical performance by Metallica.

Actress Jane Fonda; from the Paramount+ series Tooning Out the News, the hosts of "Virtue Signal"; musical performance by Kings Of Leon. 

TV host Nicolle Wallace; actress Michaela Coel; musical performance by Kings Of Leon. 

Actor Riz Ahmed; musical performance by Janelle Monáe.

Sports analyst Emmanuel Acho; comedian/actress Gina Yashere.

Actor Aaron Paul; musical performance by Lake Street Dive; the Colbert Questionert with actor Billy Crystal.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, White House Chief Medical Advisor and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (his first appearance); this special episode marked the first anniversary of the last show from the Ed Sullivan Theater on March 12, 2020. Steven describes this episode: "A Late Show Quaranniversary Special: The Year That Took 100 Years But Was Also Somehow One Long Day."

Musician Ringo Starr; special appearances by singers Laura Benanti and Christopher Jackson.

Actress Lupita Nyong'o; actor Martin Freeman.

Businessman Magic Johnson; actor/comedian Eric Andre.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.); actor Jared Leto; musical performance by LANCO. 

Actor Robert Downey Jr.; author Walter Isaacson; musical performance by Sebastián Yatra and Guaynaa.

Actor Dana Carvey; musical performance by Imagine Dragons.

Actress Sharon Stone; filmmaker Ken Burns; Easter Card First Drafts with Evelyn Colbert, Stephen's wife. 

TV host John Cena; Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.).

Journalist Ronan Farrow; singer Brandi Carlile, also performs.

Actor Leslie Odom Jr.; physicist Michio Kaku.

Actor Hank Azaria; special appearance by Jeff Goldblum, who wants to do your taxes; musical performance by Cheap Trick.

Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and author John Boehner; musical performance by Shelley FKA DRAM.

Actor Daniel Kaluuya; musical performance by Lucy Dacus; special appearance by Taylor Swift.

Journalist Willie Geist; actress Maria Bakalova.

Actress Amanda Seyfried; Ashley McBryde performs.

Actor Anthony Hopkins; director Florian Zeller; Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).

Singer Cher; musical performance by Sam Williams.

Actor Ed Helms; journalist Susan Page.

TV hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski; musical performance by Bebe Rexha.

Actor Anthony Mackie; PBS radio show host Terry Gross.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.); actor Kyle MacLachlan.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.); musical performance by Julia Michaels (LIVE ET/Delayed PT following President Biden's first address to Congress).

Actress Mila Kunis; musical performance by Sara Kays; Mother's Day Card First Drafts with Evelyn Colbert, Stephen's wife. 

"The Colbert Questionert" featuring actress Jane Fonda, TV personality John Oliver, and musician Ringo Starr; musical performance by Teddy Swims.

Journalist Jake Tapper; musician Billie Eilish, also performs.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama; special appearance by Seth Rogen.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.); actor David Boreanaz, from the CBS drama "Seal Team."

Actor Seth Rogen; musical performance by Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, and Jon Randall. 

Actors Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish; musical performance by The Black Keys.

Businesswoman Cindy McCain; actress MJ Rodriguez.

Actor Morgan Freeman; comic Tig Notaro.

Actress Lisa Kudrow; activist Tamika D. Mallory.

Actor John Krasinski; musical performance by Yo-Yo Ma; special appearance by Evelyn Colbert, Stephen's wife. Krasinski is the first in-person guest since Mar 12, 2020.

Actor Anthony Anderson; NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins.

Journalist Gayle King; musical performance by BTS; special appearance by singer Richard Marx.

Actor Will Arnett; musical performance by Brockhampton; special appearance by Zack Snyder directing The Late Show: The Snyder Cut.

Actor Bradley Whitford; journalist Carlos Watson.

Journalist Chris Matthews; musical performance by Cynthia Erivo.  

Actor Clive Owen; musical performance by Ziwe.

Actor Samuel L. Jackson; TV personality Padma Lakshmi.

USAID Administrator Samantha Power; musical performance by Maroon 5; special appearance by Seth Rogen. This is the last "A Late Show" due to the COVID-19 quarantine. 

Comedian Jon Stewart; musical performance by Oscar-winning artist Jon Batiste; special appearance by comedian Dana Carvey; special appearance by Evelyn Colbert, Stephen's wife. The show returns to the Ed Sullivan Theater with the first live studio audience, fully vaccinated, since March 12, 2020. To date, "A Late Show" has produced 211 episodes remotely since leaving the theater, 15 of them live.

CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta; actress Rita Moreno. 

CNN journalist Anderson Cooper; musical performance by Sleater-Kinney; Father's Day Card First Drafts with Evelyn Colbert, Stephen's wife. 

Actor Nathan Lane; musical performance by Griff.

Actor Andrew Garfield; singer Lorde; special appearance by Gilbert Gottfried. 

Actress Wanda Sykes; journalist Craig Melvin. 

Actress Christine Baranski; musical performance by Joy Oladokun. 

Stephen interviews actor Robert Duvall at his Virginia farm. Late Show writer Robert Stack and Stephen honor Conan O'Brien's 28 years of late-night television. 

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg; actress Katja Herbers.

JUST ONE QUESTION with the cast of F9: actors Vin Diesel, Helen Mirren, Ludacris, John Cena, Tyrese Gibson, Justin Lin, Jordana Brewster; actors Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy with a special appearance by director Peter Jackson; standup comedy performance by Ali Sultan.

Actor Harvey Keitel; standup comedy performance by Randall Otis. 

Comedian Jim Gaffigan; musical performance by JP Saxe with John Mayer. 

Actor Keegan-Michael Key; musical performance by Tones And I.

Sir Richard Branson; Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.). 

Actress Mindy Kaling; standup comedy debut by writer Wally Baram. 

Actor Hugh Jackman; musical performance by Lorde.

MSNBC TV host Joy Reid; musical performance by Alessia Cara.

Actor Jason Sudeikis; musical performance by Yola. 

Actress Emily Blunt; sportscaster Bob Costas. 

Emmy-nominated actress Hannah Einbinder; standup comedy debut by Alex Falcone; special appearance by Zack Snyder directing The Late Show: The Snyder Cut. 

Author Stephen King; actor Winston Duke. 

CNN journalist Brian Stelter; music by Big Red Machine; Barack Obama plays Steven in waste paper basketball.

Actor Alan Alda; comdian Gabriel Iglesias.

Jennifer Hudson talks and performs.

CBS's Dr. Jonathan LaPook; standup comedy debut by Fumi Abe. 

Actress Amanda Peet; journalist Roger Bennett; CNN correspondent Clarissa Ward from Kabul, Afghanistan. 

Actor Daniel Radcliffe; musical performance by Dan + Shay.

Actors Sean and Dylan Penn; musical performance by Crowded House. 

Actors Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez; music by The War on Drugs.

Journalist Chris Wallace; actress Holland Taylor.

Actress Sarah Paulson; singer Kacey Musgraves; special appearance by Blue's Clues' original host Steve Burns.

Actor Jeff Daniels; co-host of "CBS Mornings" Nate Burleson.

Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Stephen Breyer.

Actress Jessica Chastain; composer Stephen Sondheim.

Actress Melissa McCarthy; musical performance by Lindsey Buckingham.

The Late Show's Celebration of Season 6: This Time with Laughs! Special clip show with the best Season 6 moments: monologues, Quarantine-While, Colbert Questionert segments, and best guest appearances. Neil deGrasse Tyson takes "The Colbert Questionert" (new footage from March 2 episode).

Journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa; musical performance by Leon Bridges.

Singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes; standup comedy from Chris Turner.

Journalist Anderson Cooper; musical performance by John Mayer. 

Actor Paul Giamatti; Colbert Questionert with comedian Jon Stewart.

Host of CBS' The Price Is Right Drew Carey; actress Phoebe Robinson.

Lawyer Anita Hill; actor Alessandro Nivola. 

Actor John Lithgow; musical performance by Theo Croker featuring Wyclef Jean.

"Colbert Apologizes to Milwaukee;" actress Rebecca Ferguson. 

Actress Julianna Margulies; musical performance by Toby Keith.

Actor Michael Keaton; remote musical performance by Zac Brown Band.

Journalist Bret Baier; comedian Susie Essman.

Author and CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta; Dune director Denis Villeneuve.

Cast of the award-winning HBO series "Succession" in their first late-night appearance together: Brian Cox, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck, Nicholas Braun, Matthew Macfadyen and J. Smith-Cameron

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.); Kacey Musgraves performs.

Actor Nick Offerman; radio and TV personality Charlamagne tha God.

Actress Issa Rae; musical performance by H.E.R.

Actor Timothée Chalamet and actress Zendaya (both star in Dune). 

Actress Andie MacDowell; musical performance by Lana Del Rey; special appearance by Nick Offerman.

Bruce Springsteen appears for an interview and a solo performance.

Journalist Katie Couric; musical performance by Gabby Barrett. 

Actress Elizabeth Banks; actress Jorja Fox. 

Actor John Leguizamo; actress Thomasin MacKenzie.

TV host Trevor Noah; musical performance by My Morning Jacket; Halloween Card First Drafts with Evelyn Colbert, Stephen's wife. 

Huma Abedin, Hillary Clinton's former aide; musician David Byrne talks and performs with the cast of the Broadway musical "American Utopia."

Actor Michael C. Hall; author Michael Eric Dyson.

TV host Andy Cohen; musical performance by Thundercat.

Actor Billy Porter; actress Annaleigh Ashford.

Actor Tony Hale; musical performance by Snail Mail (television debut).

Journalist Jonathan Karl; Brandi Carlile (interview and musical performance).

Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino; Stephen reveals the 2021 People's "Sexiest Man Alive" to be actor Paul Rudd.

Actress Aubrey Plaza; musician Bruce Springsteen takes "The Colbert Questionert." 
 

Actor Kenneth Branagh; actress Ellie Kemper.
 

Actor Jeff Goldblum; musical performance by Rod Stewart.

Actor Paul Rudd; musical performance by Sting.

Mayor-elect of New York City Eric Adams (first-ever late-night appearance); former professional basketball player Dwyane Wade. 

Actor Adam Driver; actress America Ferrera.

Actor and comic Kevin Hart; musical performance by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss. 

Actor Andrew Garfield; chef José Andrés. 

Lady Gaga; pre-recroded performance by Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett.

Actress Rosamund Pike; film director Peter Jackson.

Producer Peter Jackson; Chelsea Cutler performs; the Colbert Small Biz Bump.

Actor Peter Dinklage; actor Lee Jung-Jae ("Squid Game"); performance by Peter Dinklage and Aaron & Bryce Dessner (The National) from the film "Cyrano."

Actor Javier Bardem; musical performance by Gang of Youths. 

Actor Mahershala Ali; author Jason Reynolds.

Actor Jeff Goldblum takes "The Colbert Questionert"; from September 15, 2021: composer Stephen Sondheim, who died November 26, 2021.

Actress Jennifer Lawrence; musical performance by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats.

Actresses Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon; musical performance by Glass Animals.

Dr. David Agus; musical performance by Natalie Hemby.

Actor Michael B. Jordan; special Holiday performance by Jon Batiste and Nathaniel Rateliff.

Sting takes the "The Colbert Questionert"; actor David Alan Grier; Holiday Card First Drafts with Evelyn Colbert, Stephen's wife. 

Actor Keanu Reeves; holiday performance by Brett Eldredge.

Actor Henry Cavill; actor Jonathan Groff.

Actor Denzel Washington; actress Maggie Gyllenhaal; a musical tribute (#1 Trilly) to the 20th-anniversary celebration of "Lord of the Rings" featuring special guests: Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Sean Astin, Elijah Wood, Anna Kendrick, Method Man, Killer Mike, Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis, and Hugo Weaving.

CNN journalist Anderson Cooper; The Late Show Presents: A Conspiracy Carol.