Several celebrities gathered around the “Late Show” host, who ended his run on the CBS talk show after 11 seasons.
Stephen Colbert ends ‘The Late Show’ after 11 years
Stephen Colbert has canceled CBS’s “The Late Show” after 11 years, ending the series that started with David Letterman.
Stephen Colbert spent a decade courting Hollywood royalty behind the “Late Show” desk, but now he’s being treated like a star.
Several celebrities, from Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda and Star Wars icon Mark Hamill to fellow late-night host Jimmy Fallon, paid online tributes to the Emmy-winning TV host, whose CBS talk show ended after 11 seasons on May 21.
Ms. Fonda, 88, appeared in a video for the First Amendment Committee, a group of free speech artists, along with other outspoken celebrities. The “Coming Home” actress, who spearheaded the group’s revival in 2025, praised Colbert for his endearing combination of humor and conviction.
“He made us laugh and never flinched,” Fonda said in a May 21 video.
Last July, Colbert announced that CBS had canceled his talk show, which had aired for 10 years. The Late Show series, which debuted in 1993, will end with Colbert’s cancellation (Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed will fill the slot).
The shocking firing came amid increased political scrutiny of Colbert, who had voiced criticism of CBS’ former parent company Paramount Global and its settlement agreement with President Donald Trump over the “60 Minutes” scandal.
In a statement at the time, Paramount executives called the move “a purely economic decision against the backdrop of the difficult circumstances of late night,” adding that Colbert’s firing “has nothing to do with the performance or content of the show or any other issues going on at Paramount.”
Here’s what other stars are saying about Colbert and his show’s influence.
Mark Ruffalo, Sally Field and more stars pay tribute to Stephen Colbert amid show cancellation
In addition to Fonda, the First Amendment Commission’s video on Colbert’s cancellation featured several Hollywood celebrities, including Oscar-nominated actor and Trump critic Mark Ruffalo.
“I’m going to miss him and worry about what it means for him to be gone,” said Ruffalo, 58. “Stephen, you modeled the punchline as an act of resistance. You stood up bravely, even at the cost of yourself.”
“He called out CBS for paying Trump,” said Ariana DeBose of “West Side Story.” “CBS canceled his show.”
Actress Sally Field added: “The authoritarians need to get rid of these voices, the voices of the people. These are dark times for this country. I’m sure one day we’ll be on the other side because we’re all standing up and resisting.”
“On ‘The Late Show,’ Stephen Colbert used humor to bring us joy and hold the powers that be accountable,” said “Community” actress Yvette Nicole Brown, who later criticized other “violations” of free speech in the media. “These are not the actions of those in power. These are the actions of those who are threatened.”
Mark Hamill calls Stephen Colbert ‘aggressively therapeutic’
Hamill, who appeared as a guest on Colbert’s star-studded “The Colbert Questionnato” on May 20, paid tribute to the late-night host’s television accomplishments in an Instagram post on May 21.
“I can’t thank Stephen Colbert enough for making us laugh for decades,” Hamill, 74, wrote. “During this difficult time, he has been proactive in his treatment (and) we can’t wait to see what he does next!”
Jimmy Fallon sends Stephen Colbert good vibes with colorful post
To commemorate Colbert’s late-night sendoff, Fallon went to X on May 21 and shared a photo of a colorful painting depicting Colbert on a boat named “Freedom.”
The “Tonight Show” host, 51, appeared during Colbert’s finale special, where he reunited Strike Force Five with Seth Meyers, John Oliver and Jimmy Kimmel, offered advice to Colbert and investigated the green portal that served as a metaphor for the end of “The Late Show.”
“There are good things in this world, Mr. Frodo…It’s worth fighting for,” Fallon wrote, referring to Colbert’s recently announced co-writing project with his son for the “Lord of the Rings” movies.
Conan O’Brien says Stephen Colbert is a ‘very honest man’
Former late-night show host Conan O’Brien also echoed Colbert’s “Late Show” farewell in a heartfelt message posted to Instagram on May 21.
“I salute Stephen Colbert, a man of great integrity and resourcefulness,” O’Brien, 63, wrote alongside a photo of the two of them. “Move on to bigger and better things, my friend.”
Contributor: Brian Alexander, USA TODAY
