When Stephen Colbert announced this season would be the end of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, most of the conversation focused on ratings, politics and the future of late night. Fair enough. Colbert spent nearly a decade at the top of the format and reshaped what a network talk show host could sound like in the Trump era.
But for a lot of viewers — especially Christians — something else is disappearing too.
For years, The Late Show quietly became the only major network talk show where conversations about faith happened regularly, sincerely and without irony. Colbert’s Catholicism wasn’t treated like a quirky character detail or occasional talking point. It shaped the interviews, the questions and the tone of the show itself. Guests talked about prayer, doubt, Scripture, Jesus and suffering in ways that almost never happen in mainstream entertainment spaces anymore.
Here are five of the most memorable faith moments from Colbert’s run.
1. Dua Lipa Asked Colbert How Faith Shapes His Comedy
When Dua Lipa guest-hosted The Late Show in 2022, she flipped the script and asked Colbert a question most late-night hosts never get asked on television: How does faith shape comedy?
Colbert didn’t hesitate.
He explained that his faith gives him perspective beyond fear or cynicism and said comedy is one way of pushing back against despair. Instead of turning the conversation into a joke or deflecting, he answered with genuine conviction about eternity, joy and hope.
It was a surprisingly thoughtful exchange for a late-night interview segment — and one that went viral largely because viewers weren’t used to hearing someone discuss Christianity so naturally on network TV.
2. Paul Walter Hauser Opened Up About Sobriety and Jesus
Paul Walter Hauser showed up to discuss his Emmy-winning role in Black Bird, but the conversation quickly turned personal.
Hauser told Colbert that filming the series coincided with major changes in his life. He talked openly about getting sober, starting therapy and rebuilding relationships with his family. Then he pointed to the Christian testimony platform I Am Second and discussed how his faith became central to that healing process.
Instead of steering the conversation away from religion, Colbert leaned in. The exchange felt less like a polished celebrity interview and more like two people talking honestly about redemption.
3. Steph Curry Explained Why Philippians 4:13 Is on His Shoes
When Stephen Curry appeared on the show, Colbert asked him about the “413” written on his sneakers.
Curry explained the reference comes from Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
He said the verse serves as a daily reminder that basketball is not the center of his identity and that his confidence ultimately comes from his faith. Colbert treated the moment with curiosity rather than skepticism, giving Curry space to explain what the verse actually means to him instead of reducing it to an athlete cliché.
It remains one of the clearest conversations about Scripture ever aired on a mainstream late-night show.
4. Jim Gaffigan Talked About His Relationship With Jesus
Jim Gaffigan originally came on the show to joke about people misusing the prayer-hands emoji online. Then the interview took a turn only Colbert could pull off.
“This is the only show in America where it turns to like, ‘What about your faith, Jim?’” Gaffigan joked.
From there, the comedian spoke candidly about Christianity, prayer and relying on faith while helping his wife recover from a life-threatening brain tumor. Colbert’s questions weren’t performative or combative. They sounded like questions from someone who actually cared about the answers.
That dynamic became one of the defining traits of The Late Show during Colbert’s run.
5. Andrew Garfield Talked About Jesus and Doubt
While promoting Martin Scorsese’s Silence, Andrew Garfield had one of the most openly spiritual conversations ever aired on late night television.
Garfield described studying with Jesuit priest Father James Martin and participating in Ignatian spiritual exercises while preparing to play a 17th-century missionary priest. He spoke about developing a genuine affection for Jesus during the process and reflected on doubt, suffering and the complexity of faith.
“A life of faith is not a life of certainty,” Garfield said.
On most talk shows, a conversation like that would’ve lasted 20 seconds before pivoting to a movie clip. Colbert let it breathe.
Late-night television has always had room for celebrities talking about spirituality in vague, polished terms. Colbert created something different. His show made room for serious conversations about faith without turning them into culture-war debates or punchlines. That’s a pretty unusual legacy for a guy sitting behind a desk telling jokes on CBS.
