Stephen Colbert Name-Drops A-List Actress He Was 'Wildly Attracted to' During 'Late Show' Series — 'I Didn't Know What to Do With My Eyeballs'
Stephen Colbert revealed he was blown away by the beauty of a certain glamorous A-lister on 'The Late Show.'
May 14 2026, Published 3:30 p.m. ET
Stephen Colbert spilled the beans on the A-list actress he realized that he was "wildly attracted" to while hosting The Late Show, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The presenter, 62, made the playful confession during Wednesday's episode of the Strike Force Five podcast, reflecting on his 11 years at the helm of the series as it slowly comes to an end.
'What Is Wrong With My Head?'
Colbert admits he 'didn't know what to do with myself' while interviewing Michelle Williams.
There’s one particular female star he will always remember fondly.
"I'll tell you who I did not expect to be wildly attracted to," he said. "I didn’t know what to do with myself. I like this person’s work, but I never thought of them as like a bombshell."
"I could not — I didn't know what to do with my eyeballs when Michelle Williams was on for the first time," he shared.
Colbert added: “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.’”
Mesmerized by Michelle
The 'Dawson's Creek' star last appeared on 'The Late Show' in 2025.
The Dawson's Creek star most recently appeared on The Late Show in 2025 to talk about her show, Dying for Sex.
The limited series is based on the true story of Molly Kochan, a woman who, upon receiving a terminal Stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis at 40, leaves her marriage to embark on a journey of sexual discovery. Williams, 45, won a Golden Globe for her work on the show.
She also previously appeared on The Late Show in 2019, to promote her FX show Fosse/Verdon.
Colbert, who’s been married to wife Evelyn McGee-Colbert for 33 years, also revealed actresses Rachel Weisz, Rebecca Ferguson and Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield each similarly left him awestruck.
'I Used to Have a Rachel Weisz Problem'
Colbert also admitted Rachel Weisz would leave him nervous.
"I used to have a Rachel Weisz problem," he quipped. "When Rachel Weisz would be on, I would leave the building for fear I would say something stupid."
And in 2017, Colbert actually gave Garfield a smooch during his guest appearance on The Late Show.
"Did he do it hanging upside down dressed as Spider-Man?” podcast co-host Jimmy Kimmel joked.
"No, but we did get our fingers tangled in each other’s hair," Colbert replied.
RadarOnline.com recently told how the late-night host worried about guests taking over for him during sick leave.
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The TV host lived in fear he would be replaced by stand-ins.
Colbert had to miss filming several episodes when his appendix ruptured in 2023, and according to an insider, he worried that stand-ins could "overshadow" him on The Late Show.
His decision to stick with reruns instead pointed to "a deep level of insecurity," an insider claimed.
While CBS encouraged Colbert to consider a temporary hosts at the time, the source said he just wasn't having it.
"Stephen is not exactly a 'pass the baton' type of person," a separate source added. "There’s no chance of him handing over the reins to someone who might want to push him out of the way too!"
