The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Intro Rewind: Adrien Brody
Air date: August 29, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert features a lively, engaging intro in the signature witty style fans expect. Stephen Colbert and his producer Becca kick things off with banter, a playful celebrity-themed Q&A game, and share personal stories—all leading into an in-depth, heartfelt interview with Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody. Brody discusses his Hungarian heritage, his new film The Brutalist, family influences, and quirky tales from his career and collecting habits.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Banter & The Road to Adrien Brody (01:38–06:02)

• Colbert and Becca Banter: The duo reminisces about their time working together on the show, cracks jokes about their ages and careers, and sets a jovial, behind-the-scenes tone.
• "Here we are in our little gray foam booth we constructed when we came in to take over the show ten years ago. Ten years ago." – Stephen Colbert (01:46)
• Becca's Chance Encounter: Becca recounts running into Adrien Brody on the E train in New York, describing his “impish grin” and her reaction to seeing a celebrity out in the wild. This encounter sparks the core segment of the intro—a “Celebrity Boss” Q&A with Stephen.

2. Celebrity Boss Q&A Game (06:02–26:31)

A rapid-fire, humorous, and often revealing Q&A where Becca asks Stephen Colbert about the differences between celebrity and “civilian” life, including:

• Haircuts & Groceries (06:13–08:30)

  • Stephen gets his hair cut at CBS, like many network anchors.
  • He proudly admits checking grocery stores for his Ben & Jerry’s ice cream with his face on it and shares his ritual of texting photos of his and Jimmy Fallon’s flavors together.
  • “If I’m stopping at a convenience store...it almost always has me and Fallon, and they’re next to each other...I’ll take a photo and I’ll send it to Fallon.” – Stephen Colbert (07:10)
  • All his Ben & Jerry’s ice cream profits are donated to charity.

• Thrifting & Personal Bargains (09:15–13:59)

  • Stephen shops for unique items on eBay, favoring gifts or art with personal meaning (such as a watercolor by E.E. Cummings or World War I memorabilia).
  • His proudest thrifty find: Peter Arno New Yorker cartoons purchased from a street vendor, which he framed and still cherishes.
  • “People go, oh, where’d you get this original Peter Arno? I’m like, it’s not.” – Stephen Colbert (13:51)

• Restaurants & Having a Sandwich Named After You (14:02–19:38)

  • Stephen explains how some restaurants ask for autographed photos for their walls, and joyfully recounts stories of being honored with menu items named after him (like “The Colbert” sandwich in a New Jersey bagel shop and the “Angry Dwarf” at the late Watchung Deli).
  • He discusses his idea for a comedy segment: “Reunite celebrities with their sandwiches.”
  • “One of the things I pitched was to reunite stars with their sandwiches...” – Stephen Colbert (14:32)
  • He still keeps recipe books from delis that have closed and makes his favorite sandwiches at home.

• Interacting with Fans, Dogs, and Using Social Media (20:30–25:14)

  • Colbert talks about his affection for greeting dogs on the street, including a story where a cashier recognized his dog Benny.
  • He uses a private Instagram (Finstagram) to browse anonymously and occasionally follows creators with his real account.
  • “The Finsta is a nice way for you to lurk, like any other internet lurker, you know? Yeah, it’s nice. Anonymity there. Cool.” – Becca (24:55)
  • His approach to spam calls is mischievously to see how long he can keep scammers on the line.

• Celebrity and “Real Life” Crossover Moments (25:14–26:49)

  • The difference between having your photo up in delis and simply being recognized at your favorite spot.

Interview: Adrien Brody on The Brutalist, Family, and Art (26:57–38:06)

Adrien Brody’s Family Roots and the Emotional Resonance of The Brutalist

• Connecting Art and Heritage (27:35–29:34)

  • Brody’s mother, Sylvia Plachy, is a renowned Hungarian photographer who fled Hungary during the 1956 Revolution. Her and her family's immigrant journey directly informed Brody’s portrayal of Laszlo Toth, the character in his new film.
  • “She and my grandparents fled Hungary in 1956...it’s very personal to me because I am the son of a Hungarian immigrant.” – Adrien Brody (28:07)
  • He drew on his grandfather’s “pronounced Hungarian accent”—and Hungarian sensibility—for the role.

• Describing the Hungarian Sensibility (29:34–30:19)

  • Adrien characterizes Hungarians as “enthusiastic, passionate, somewhat outspoken,” and possessing a unique dark humor.
  • “Wonderfully enthusiastic...somewhat outspoken...you don’t know if it’s a joke or if it is a joke. There’s a lot of truth in it.” – Adrien Brody (29:42)

• Film Clip & Emotional Weight (31:10–32:02)

  • Discussion around a pivotal scene in The Brutalist where Brody’s character discovers buildings he thought lost in wartime are still standing.
  • “Did not realize these images were still available. Much less of any consequence. May I keep these?” – Adrien Brody as Laszlo Toth in clip (31:47)

Acting, Origins, and Generational Stories (32:54–34:39)

• Why Acting?
  • Brody’s route into acting was a combination of innate curiosity, a supportive mother, and a desire to stay off “the streets of Queens.”
  • “I’m so grateful to have found acting and for acting to have found me. I do owe that to my mother...she saw that I had...it would be a good fit for me.” – Adrien Brody (33:03)
• Family History:
  • His grandfather’s brief brush with acting on Broadway (and subsequent firing for backseat directing) brought laughter and a familial echo to Adrien’s own career.

Design, Collecting, and Personal Quirks (35:02–38:06)

• Eclectic Taste and Darjeeling Limited
  • Brody relishes collecting unique art and antiques, almost bought an entire train car from his Wes Anderson film, but settled for more modest finds (unlike Owen Wilson, who snagged a door).
  • “My vision is so big...but I tend to find things that are unique, that are fun in the house.” – Adrien Brody (35:48)
• The Haunted Slot Machine Story
  • A humorous tale: Brody buys an antique one-armed bandit slot machine, only to think it’s haunted when it starts playing music on the way home—until he realizes the seller left her phone inside.
  • “And I bring it home and I’m trying to understand...there’s some battery that remained. But this is old...turns out...she forgot her cell phone, frantically calling for me to pick up.” – Adrien Brody (38:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On seeing Adrien Brody in public:
  "He has, like, an impish grin, as if he knows he’s somewhere he’s not meant to be, wondering, will anyone ask him something?" – Becca (05:20)

• On Ben & Jerry’s profits:
  “All the money that I get from this...all that money goes to charity.” – Stephen Colbert (08:19)

• On celebrity interactions at restaurants:
  “They said, would you sign this photo? And then I sign the photo and I say, you, pastrami’s the best.” – Stephen Colbert (14:16)

• On acting, family, and fate:
  “I’m so grateful to have found acting and for acting to have found me. And I do owe that to my mother as well.” – Adrien Brody (33:03)

• On family legacy:
  “My grandfather piped up and told [the director] how he thinks he should do it...so my poor grandfather got fired, so there went his acting dreams.” – Adrien Brody (34:27)

• On haunted antiques:
  “I scored. I got a haunted slot machine. I scored. I mean, I thought, this is gonna be amazing...Turns out...the poor woman who sold it to me had...forgot her cell phone.” – Adrien Brody (38:04)

Timestamps & Segments

• 01:38–06:02: Host banter, Adrien Brody on the subway, intro to Celebrity Boss game
• 06:02–26:49: Celebrity Boss Q&A—haircuts, grocery store stories, charity, eBay finds, restaurant stories, dog encounters, social media, spam calls
• 26:57–38:06: Interview with Adrien Brody—family background, Hungarian roots, method acting for The Brutalist, design inspirations, haunted slot machine story
• Memorable Quotes: Scattered throughout the above segments (see highlights above)

Tone and Style

True to The Late Show’s style, the episode balances heartfelt discussions with quirky humor and playful asides. Both Colbert and Becca’s conversational warmth creates a welcoming, sometimes self-deprecating, always witty atmosphere—making celebrity life feel unexpectedly relatable.

This summary captures the full flavor, insights, and memorable anecdotes of the episode, giving listeners and fans a comprehensive, quote-rich recap—even if they missed the show.