The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Cooper Hoffman (Extended)
Date: September 13, 2025
Guest: Cooper Hoffman

Overview

This episode centers on a revealing and playful conversation between Stephen Colbert and actor Cooper Hoffman. The discussion highlights Cooper’s sudden rise to fame following Licorice Pizza, his experiences in the industry, the pressures and perks of notoriety, and deep dives into his latest projects, particularly The Long Walk. The tone is warm, candid, and sprinkled with Stephen’s signature humor, creating a relaxed space for Cooper to reflect and share personal anecdotes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Cooper Hoffman’s Meteoric Start

• High Bar for a Debut

  • Cooper recounts the whirlwind of starring in ‘Licorice Pizza’ as his first film role.
  • Quote:

    “A buddy of mine’s dad said you got your driver’s license and then you were handed the keys to a Lamborghini. And that is kind of the truth.” (05:06 – Cooper Hoffman)

• Navigating Sudden Recognition

  • Cooper discusses adjusting to fame, contrasting his background of being around fame to becoming the focus himself.

    “I don't do that well with change… having it to be enacted onto you is a different thing… trying to not to treat it as big as everyone else is treating it, I guess.” (05:49 – Cooper Hoffman)

• How to Handle Compliments & Criticism

  • Cooper describes advice from Paul Thomas Anderson on not being overly attached to praise or criticism.

    “None of it's really that real. It's kind of like air… something that you can read and kind of enjoy. But then you have to move on.” (06:55 – Cooper Hoffman, paraphrasing Anderson)

  • He reflects on the importance of taking compliments, but with perspective.

• Getting Excited About Critical Acclaim

  • Stephen cites a glowing Vulture review:

    “You can’t look away from Cooper Hoffman.” (06:16 – Stephen Colbert)

  • Cooper’s genuine surprise and pleasure at hearing this for the first time highlights his humility.

The Realities and Perks of Fame

• Colbert’s Take on the Best Perk

  • The two joke about the greatest benefit of fame:

    “The best thing about being famous is that sometimes some young guy like you, some 22-year-old… will carry your mulch to your car.” (09:56 – Stephen Colbert)
    “That’s incredible.” (10:10 – Cooper Hoffman)

• Mutual Curiosity

  • Cooper appreciatively flips the script and asks Colbert about his experiences with fame.
  • The dynamic becomes more of a friendly exchange than a typical interview.

• Working with Friends

  • Cooper expresses a desire to create films with friends in LA, emphasizing the value of collaboration and shared passion.

    “Like, buddies of mine in LA that I love dearly and would love to make a movie with them. That's honestly the truth.” (08:35 – Cooper Hoffman)

  • Stephen supports this:

    “Find the people that you love working with and help each other. That’s great.” (08:44 – Stephen Colbert)

The Long Walk: Inside Cooper’s New Film

• Premise and Role

  • Cooper introduces The Long Walk:

    “I play a kid by the name of Ray Garrity. And it's basically set in this dystopian world where you are put upon to this long walk and you have to walk above three miles an hour. And if you don't, you get warnings. If you get more than three warnings, you get killed.” (10:36 – Cooper Hoffman)

  • The story, based on a Stephen King novel written under the alias Richard Bachman, is described as “exhausting” and “really dark.”

• Physical Demands

  • Cooper emphasizes how physically grueling production was:

    “We were walking close to 15 miles a day.” (12:12 – Cooper Hoffman) “It's like for two months you're going home every night and just having a cold shower and trying to sleep.” (12:29 – Cooper Hoffman)

• On-set Bonding: ‘Martini Story Time’

  • Cooper recalls the cast unwinding together:

    “We called it Martini Story Time… we would kind of start the day by going, I have a really good story that I want to tell you… I’m not going to tell you until we get to the end of the day. And that was the thing you would look forward to, which was really nice.” (13:07 – Cooper Hoffman)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Adjusting to Fame:

  “I've always been around fame, but having it to be enacted onto you is a different thing.” (05:56 – Cooper Hoffman)

• Colbert’s Tip on Positive Reviews:

  “Vulture on my next movie could be saying, you know, I want to look away from Cooper Hoffman so badly.” (07:18 – Cooper Hoffman)

• Appreciation for Colbert’s Strike Force 5 Podcast:

  “Strike Force 5, the podcast that you did… was fantastic. Me and my mother loved it.” (09:43 – Cooper Hoffman)

• Filmmaking Aspirations:

  “I would love to make movies that some people don’t want to make. You know, that’s really nice… if I can be the person to bring a script together.” (08:05 – Cooper Hoffman)

• Colbert’s Reflection on Fame:

  “I reached the perfect level of famous… I have a feeling everything north of this is a pain in the ass.” (10:14 – Stephen Colbert)

• On the Challenges Filming ‘The Long Walk’:

  “Their summers are just as bad as their winters… black flies… 101 degree heat… You're walking close to 15 miles a day.” (12:06 – Cooper Hoffman)

Important Timestamps

• First mention of Licorice Pizza and starting out: 04:50
• Surprise at Vulture review: 06:16
• Discussion of fame and its perks: 07:35 – 10:27
• Detailed description of The Long Walk: 10:36 – 13:35
• Cast’s daily ritual (‘Martini Story Time’): 13:05 – 13:35

Tone and Style

The exchange is candid, genial, and full of mutual respect. Colbert’s wit and open-ended questions allow Cooper to reveal genuine thoughts about his career, creative process, and personal evolution. Cooper’s responses oscillate between humility, humor, and thoughtful insight, mirroring the youthful frankness that endears him to audiences.

In Essence:
This episode delivers an intimate peek into Cooper Hoffman’s artistic journey and personality, blending accolades with authenticity. From handling Hollywood buzz to reveling in post-shoot camaraderie, listeners will find a relatable and disarming portrait of a rising star—capped by Colbert’s signature warmth and comedic wisdom.