Stephen Colbert is known for hosting The Late Show with Stephen Colbert since 2015. Taking over from legendary talk show host David Letterman, Colbert has brought his particular brand of humor to the table and has been successful at it. Colbert has also been nominated for the Emmys multiple times as the host of The Late Show.
Before he took over hosting duties from Letterman, Stephen Colbert was an actor who had produced sketch comedy series and was also a cast member of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. He has also featured in many TV shows in a supporting and voice role in shows such as The Office and The Simpsons. He recently spoke about his dream role as an actor and if he would ever get back to it.
Stephen Colbert Talks About Being An Actor
Stephen Colbert has been hosting The Late Show for the past 9 years. After the retirement of prominent talk-show host David Letterman, Colbert took over and began his tenure with George Clooney appearing as the first guest. Colbert has been noted for bringing in more political humor to the show than his predecessor.
Before the noted host took over from Letterman, Stephen Colbert was an actor and was known for his comedic segments in other talk shows such as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He had also been the producer and star of the sketch comedy series Strangers with Candy, which would later get a film adaptation. He would reportedly often play an oblivious character in his sketches.
In a recent talk with Ben Schwartz at the PalayFest, Colbert looked back on being an actor for the first stage of his career. The talk show host had single-episode roles in sitcoms such as The Office, where he played the role of Broccoli Rob, Andy Bernard’s fellow acapella bandmate. He said about his journey as a talk show host (via THR),
“It has been an amazing adventure, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But I was always an actor. And so in the back of my head, I’m like, ‘Wonder if I’m ever going to do that again,’ because I did that for 30 years.”
He also mentioned how he was worried about not playing a character for the first time and being himself when he was offered the Late Show. However, his manager reportedly convinced him to take the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Stephen Colbert Thinks He Is Too Old To Play His Dream Role
While Stephen Colbert has not been a proper actor for a long time, he still seems to have the passion in him. When he was asked if he would ever go back, he mentioned that he still wondered if he could and that he still has a dream role that he wants to play. Colbert revealed that he wanted to play Richard Rich in an adaptation of the play A Man for All Seasons (via THR).
“I’m too old for the role that I’ve always wanted to play. I’m not like fishing for anybody to cast me, I can’t do it…Or now at my age, I might be able to play a character called The Common Man, who’s in the play, but not the movie.”
Richard Rich is a supporting villain in the play A Man for All Seasons, which was written by noted playwright Robert Bolt. Two adaptations of the play have already been done, with the first 1966 adaptation winning the Oscar for Best Picture. The film Paul Scofield, Robert Shaw, and Orson Welles. The character of Rich was played by a young John Hurt.
