Carrie Preston | 'Elsbeth'

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Guest: Carrie Preston | Topic: ‘Elsbeth’
Air Date: October 4, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode features Emmy Award-winning actress Carrie Preston, best known for her roles in My Best Friend's Wedding, True Blood, The Holdovers, and as the titular character in CBS's hit show Elsbeth. The conversation dives into the third season of Elsbeth, memorable guest stars (including host Stephen Colbert himself appearing as a murder victim), and behind-the-scenes moments with actors and writers. The tone is witty and warm, capturing the camaraderie between Colbert and Preston while giving fans a delightful peek into the world of the show and television production.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Stephen Colbert Guest Stars as a Talk Show Host (and Murder Victim!)

• Colbert discusses his excitement about guest starring on Elsbeth, especially getting to play a murder victim, a long-standing dream for him.
• Carrie shares how thrilled the production team was to have Colbert join, especially during a tight shooting schedule.

"I kept on asking CBS, 'Can I be a spoiler?' Because Elsbeth is not a whodunit, it’s 'How’d she figure it out?'"
— Stephen Colbert [06:18]

• Humorously, Colbert recalls having to be seduced by Amy Sedaris’ character, despite Sedaris being “like a sister” to him, which made it “truly upsetting” but ultimately fun and memorable.

"At one point, Amy Sedaris, who I have known since I was 24. She’s like my sister. She seduces me at one point...and that was truly upsetting.”
— Stephen Colbert [07:27]

The Joys and Jitters of Working with Friends

• Preston expresses admiration and gratitude for working alongside Colbert and Amy Sedaris, both of whom she describes as living up to her highest hopes as collaborators.
• Amy Sedaris’ generosity and quirky spirit are highlighted through a heartwarming anecdote about her gifting costume jewelry to a guest star’s daughter.

"She pulls out this heart-shaped box...and inside there are rows of these costume jewelry rings...She goes, 'Pick one for your daughter—she’s going to love it.'”
— Carrie Preston [08:19]

• The playful banter showcases the real affection among the group, reinforcing the family-like bonds formed on set.

Sharing the Spotlight with Family — Working with Michael Emerson

• Preston talks candidly about the “nerve-wracking” experience of acting alongside her husband Michael Emerson, especially balancing being a “hostess” and supportive spouse on set.
• Emerson, celebrated for playing sinister characters, brings a different energy when working with Preston, and the two reminisce about their varied on-screen relationships—including a flashback twist where Preston once played his mother on Lost.

"Michael is such a brilliant actor and, you know, he’s one of the nicest guys that ever lived, but he plays really evil characters very well."
— Carrie Preston [09:26]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On guest starring in a TV procedural:
  “I wanted to be a murder victim in one of the CBS procedures.”
  — Stephen Colbert [06:28]

• On Amy Sedaris’ gifts:
  “Ooh, Amethyst. Classy, right?”
  — Amy Sedaris (as recounted by Preston) [08:46]

• On family dynamics on set:
  “I had to be like the hostess of the show, but also the wife.”
  — Carrie Preston [09:26]

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Important Segment Timestamps

• [04:00]: Stephen Colbert welcomes guest Carrie Preston and congratulates her on the third season of Elsbeth.
• [06:01]: Discussion of Colbert guest starring on Elsbeth as a talk show host who becomes a murder victim.
• [07:27]: Colbert and Preston recall the “awkward” seduction scene with Amy Sedaris.
• [08:19]: Carrie’s heartfelt Amy Sedaris story—sharing gifts and capturing her off-screen persona.
• [09:18-10:07]: Preston discusses working with her husband Michael Emerson, their roles together, and fun facts about their on-screen dynamics, including a Lost flashback.

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Tone and Language

Throughout, the conversation is filled with playful, genuine affection and quick, comedic banter—very much in line with Colbert’s late-night style. Preston matches his energy with warmth, gratitude, and a touch of Southern charm, making the episode engaging and accessible for fans and new listeners alike.

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Summary Takeaway

The episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at Elsbeth and celebrates the joy of creative collaboration among friends and family in television. Fans are treated to authentic, funny stories highlighting the chemistry between Preston, Colbert, Amy Sedaris, and Michael Emerson, as well as the thrill (and comic absurdity) of making TV magic together.

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Elsbeth Season 3 premieres October 12th on CBS.
Guest: Carrie Preston
Host: Stephen Colbert

Transcript

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey, everybody. Stephen Colbert here about to read the copy for our sponsor. This is from our friends at Wonderful Pistachios. And I was the wonderful pistachio spokesman for years. Yeah, I have a real close association with nut meat. Okay. You know what they say when they reach for a snack? Don't hold back. And that's exactly the approach with Wonderful Pistachios. The don't hold back snack. These little wonders are so tasty, it feels like getting away with something. But surprise. Each serving has 6 grams of protein and 0 grams of regret. That's right. No guilt. Just glory, glory in our nuts. Whether it's a satisfying crack of in shell pistachios, and that's capitalized in shell, or the smooth, instant gratification of no shells. No judgment. That's just it. Just eat. No judgment. I take issue with one thing. It's instant gratification. It's super tasty smooth.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a producer or sidekick)]

It's a hard nut smooth.

[Stephen Colbert]

Exactly. I mean, even out of the shell, it's still a nut.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a producer or sidekick)]

We can't disparage the nuts.

[Carrie Preston]

You.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm not disparaging the nut. I'm describing the nut.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a producer or sidekick)]

Don't disparage any flavors.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm not. I am celebrating the pistachio right now. I'm on board. I love pistachios.

[Carrie Preston]

I love.

[Stephen Colbert]

I love crushed pistachio. Like a pistachio crusted trout. Oh, unbelievable. Instead of a trout amandine, a trout pistachio. Fantastic. Enough butter? Who cares?

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a producer or sidekick)]

Very good.

[Stephen Colbert]

And I love pistachio ice cream.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a producer or sidekick)]

Have you had the sea salt and vinegar? Wonderful pistachio. It's delicious. I get them.

[Stephen Colbert]

I didn't even know I get them.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a producer or sidekick)]

Before the softball games.

[Stephen Colbert]

But that's. You see, it's been a while since I've been the spokesman for wonderful pistachios. I didn't realize we'd achieved new pistachio technology.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a producer or sidekick)]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. Wonderful pistachios has every snack style covered. Right now. There's an obsession with jalapeno lime. There is an obsession session. It's almost a disorder. It's spicy, it's zesty. It's basically a flavor roller coaster in a nut. Snacking on the go. Grab a bag of no shells. Feeling contemplative and want to work for it a little. So earning it, they're saying if you want to earn your nut, crack open those in shell beauties. Either way, it's snacking like a champ. So the next time hunger strikes, don't hold back. Unless it's a hunger strike. And Then it's important that you do because whatever you're doing that for, I'm sure it's a worthwhile cause. Snack like you mean it with wonderful pistachios. Visit wonderfulpistachios.com to learn more.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a producer or sidekick)]

That was a wonderful.

[Stephen Colbert]

I wonder what more there is to learn. We just told them so much. We just told them so much about pistachios. But evidently there's a whole other world. There's an unexplored vista.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a producer or sidekick)]

They got a bunch of flavors. They got dill pickle, jalapeno lime, as we learned, smoky barbecue. There's a lot of different flavors.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. And I would not disparage any of them.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a producer or sidekick)]

No, no, no.

[Stephen Colbert]

Bring it on.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a producer or sidekick)]

Nothing bad to say.

[Stephen Colbert]

Nut me, nut. Nut me with nut meat.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a producer or sidekick)]

We're nut.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, we got nothing but nut. Nutty, nutty, nutty, nutty. Talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about nutty. Good. Hey, Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. Now, I don't know if you've heard, but Mint's Premium Wireless is $15 a month. But I'd like to offer one other perk. We have no stores. That means no small talk. Crazy weather we're having. No, it's not. It's just weather. It is an introvert's dream. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

[Carrie Preston]

$45 for three month plan, $15 per month equivalent required. New customer offer, first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com it's the late show poncho with Stephen Colbert.

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey, everybody. Welcome back to the television program. My next guest is an Emmy award winning actor, you know from My Best Friend's Wedding, True Blood and the Holdovers. She now returns as the star of Elsbeth on cbs. Please welcome back to the late show, Carrie Preston. Great color.

[Carrie Preston]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Stephen Colbert]

Welcome back. Congratulations on season three of Elsbeth.

[Carrie Preston]

Thank you. Isn't that amazing? Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's so nice. You always have great guest stars on there. Nathan Lane on there, Matthew Broderick, Laura Benanti. But this year you have an up and coming actor. Just a kid really. Just first just cutting his teeth.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Incredibly talented. Let's take a look at him.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's a lie. I'm always nice.

[Carrie Preston]

Oh my God, you're so much taller in person.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, that depends on the size of your screen. Hi, Cheryl. Nice to meet you. Hey, listen, it's gonna be a lot of fun. Just relax and be yourself.

[Carrie Preston]

I actually brought a friend for support Elspeth. Elsbeth. What? Oh, hi. Yes, I'm here. Elspeth was my journey partner at one of the wellness centers I wrote about.

[Stephen Colbert]

Hi, Elsbeth. I hope I'm saying that right. Cause I won't be saying it again.

[Carrie Preston]

Oh, my gosh, it's you. I can't believe it. Oh, I'm such a fan. You're so tall.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, we established that while you were unconscious.

[Carrie Preston]

Oh, right, sorry. I came straight here from the airport. I was in Scotland visiting Angus, my boyfriend. Actually, I'm not sure I should call him that. But anyway, I am jet lagged, which is why I seem a little loopy. Although some people think I always seem a little loopy.

[Stephen Colbert]

You know what's fascinating about that story? I didn't ask. See you after.

[Carrie Preston]

Okay. Yes.

[Stephen Colbert]

Super fun. Thanks for having me on. Thanks for having me on.

[Carrie Preston]

Wasn't it fun for you to do something scripted?

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah. I haven't done that in a long time.

[Carrie Preston]

I know.

[Stephen Colbert]

I mean, I just improvised this entire show every night.

[Carrie Preston]

This is pretty incredible.

[Stephen Colbert]

And I'd be able to play with my friend Amy Sedaris.

[Carrie Preston]

I know. That was the best part. And the writers and the producers that have been trying to get you on the show for.

[Stephen Colbert]

And I.

[Carrie Preston]

Six months, like a year or something like that.

[Stephen Colbert]

And I kept on asking cbs, can I be spoiler? Because Elsbeth is not a whodunit, it's. How'd she figure it out?

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah. Right.

[Stephen Colbert]

You know that I am the murdered victim in this. Right?

[Carrie Preston]

Right. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

And I wanted to be a murder victim in one of the CBS procedures.

[Carrie Preston]

You even talked to Wendell Pierce about it when he came on the show.

[Stephen Colbert]

And so they said, what about Elsbeth? Yeah, but that was way before I got fired by cbs.

[Carrie Preston]

Right.

[Stephen Colbert]

And it looks like. Because. Because. No, no, it's great. Because it looks like. It looks like your writers have the big. In the world.

[Carrie Preston]

Yes.

[Stephen Colbert]

To have me on. And they do me because the character. The character is a talk show host.

[Carrie Preston]

Yes. And they do. And we were so grateful that you had the time to come on because we were so nervous because it was the week before we were supposed to start shooting and we thought, he's not gonna wanna come and do this.

[Stephen Colbert]

He's gonna come. I wanted to come more than ever.

[Carrie Preston]

He was so ready. He was so.

[Stephen Colbert]

Come on, Murder.

[Carrie Preston]

You were so game. You were so good.

[Stephen Colbert]

Do it twice in one week. I'm fine. And also the hardest part for me is that at one point, Amy Sedaris, who I have known since I was 24. She's like my sister. She seduces me at one point.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

And that was truly upsetting.

[Carrie Preston]

I bet. Because that's your sister right there.

[Stephen Colbert]

Exactly.

[Carrie Preston]

You don't kiss your sister.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, my character has to be into it.

[Carrie Preston]

But that's one of the best things about being on the show is guests like you and Amy.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah. And your husband too.

[Carrie Preston]

And my husband. But like, with y', all, I mean, people I've admired for so long, you and Amy, and then for you to come on and be exactly what I hope and dream you will be is so great. And like Amy, she, like lived up to everything that I wanted her to be. One time we were sitting there, I.

[Stephen Colbert]

Was wondering what you wanted her to be.

[Carrie Preston]

Well, at home with Amy Sedaris.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sure. Yes.

[Carrie Preston]

You know, that's what she's like.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, exactly.

[Carrie Preston]

Right.

[Stephen Colbert]

Not quite as energetic all the time, but, you know.

[Carrie Preston]

Right. But that, you know, that generous spirit. And we were sitting around talking between takes one day, and one of the guest stars was talking about his six year old daughter and Amy was like, oh. And she reaches down into her bag, she pulls out this heart shaped box and inside there are these rows of these costume jewelry rings in all of these different colors. And she goes, look at these. Aren't they so. Aren't they so beautiful? I just like to look at them. They're so sparkly. Here, pick one for your daughter. She's going to love it. And so he picked one out and it was purple and she goes, ooh, Amethyst. Classy, right?

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, she's just the loveliest.

[Carrie Preston]

I said, where did you get those? And she was like, a girl never tells.

[Stephen Colbert]

She's just so sweet. And she's never heard an Amy impression before. That's really good.

[Carrie Preston]

Well, I do worship her.

[Stephen Colbert]

Exactly.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah, I worship her.

[Stephen Colbert]

As I said, your husband, Michael Emerson has been on. Has been on the show.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Now, was that nerve wracking to you? Because my wife Evie, during COVID started coming on the show and I was absolutely as nervous as I could be.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah. Because I wanted him to be happy. I worried about him. And so I'm trying to lead the show. I have a lot of lines, I have a lot of stuff to do. So I had to be like the hostess of the show, but also the wife. And, you know, but Michael is such a brilliant actor and, you know, he's one of the nicest guys that ever lived, but he plays really evil characters very well.

[Stephen Colbert]

Really well. Really well.

[Carrie Preston]

But he and I had never been adversaries before, we'd only done, you know, either we were in love, like on Person of interest or I don't know. I played his mom once.

[Stephen Colbert]

You played his mom once?

[Carrie Preston]

It was a flashback.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, I was about to say it was a flashback.

[Carrie Preston]

On Lost when they did his. Yeah. On Lost, when they did his backstory, I thought.

[Stephen Colbert]

Right. Because you can't just be a guest star on Lost.

[Carrie Preston]

No, I thought it was my.

[Stephen Colbert]

Or you were the smoke monster or something like that.

[Carrie Preston]

Yeah, Yeah, I can do smoke monster. Yeah. Not right now.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, so lovely to see you too. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you too. Thank you again for having me on. Elsbeth premieres October 12th on CBS. Carrie Preston, everybody. Thank you for listening to the late show pod show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives. This October, Pluto TV has all the scares, all for free with fan favorite horror movies like Paranormal Activity, the ring, scream and 28 days later. Pluto TV stream now paid never. Tulsa is my home now. Academy award nominee Sylvester Stallone stars in the Paramount plus original series. Tulsa King. This distillery is a very interesting business and we got to know the enemy from Taylor Sheridan, co creator of Landman. What are you saying? I'm a rat. If you think you're going to take me out, it's going to be really difficult. Tulsa King New season now streaming exclusively on Paramount plus.