Jodie Foster Takes The Colbert Questionert

Summary

---

The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Jodie Foster Takes The Colbert Questionnaire

Date: February 2, 2026
Host: Stephen Colbert
Guest: Jodie Foster

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Stephen Colbert welcomes the legendary actor and director Jodie Foster to take part in his signature "Colbert Questionnaire." Through a series of rapid-fire and quirky questions, Colbert seeks to lay bare Jodie Foster’s soul—probing everything from her favorite sandwich and childhood memories to philosophical ponderings about the afterlife. The conversation is lively, personal, and filled with Foster’s trademark candor and warmth, creating an engaging and intimate portrait for listeners.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Colbert Questionnaire Introduction

• Colbert introduces the premise: this series of questions is designed to reveal a guest's truest self.
• [01:09] Stephen: “Just as a warning, once you take the Colbert Questionnaire, you’re fully known by the world. Your heart, your soul is laid bare upon the table of the public. Are you willing to be fully known?”
  • [01:50] Jodie: “I’m willing.”

---

2. Rapid-Fire Questions and Personal Anecdotes

Favorite Sandwich

• [02:00] Jodie: "Well, it BLT or a PTO and arugula sandwich."
  • She clarifies she likes "not so much L, but some B and T for sure."

First Concert Attended

• [02:40] Jodie: "The Grateful Dead."
  • [02:45] Jodie: "Hollywood Bowl. I lived across from the Hollywood Bowl... used parking as trade to get in."
  • Humorous confusion when Colbert asks if she remembers their "set."

Scariest Animal

• [03:22] Jodie: "Snakes, of course. I hate snakes."
  • Surprised to find that most people don’t say snakes—sharks are more common.
  • Admits she's swum with sharks in Australia and the Caribbean.

Apples or Oranges

• [04:00] Jodie: "Oranges. I’m from California. I know everybody says apples, but I’m gonna go oranges."

Asked for an Autograph

• [04:12] Jodie: "Yes. Peter Frampton."
  • Fondly recalls his "ringlets and his like bare chest…"

Near-Erotic Frampton Memory

• [04:38] Stephen: Tells story about Peter Frampton playing his theme song through the talkbox.
  • [05:03] Stephen: “It was nearly... close to an erotic experience.”

What Happens When We Die?

• [05:10] Jodie: "I don’t know. And that feels beautiful and spiritual. And I’m gonna go with hovering."

Favorite Action Movie

• [05:36] Jodie: "Maybe Iron Man. Iron Man one."

Window or Aisle Seat

• [05:44] Jodie: “I’m an aisle person… I like to let other people have the window because they seem to care, and I want to be able to get out of there when I want to.”

Favorite & Least Favorite Smell

• [06:04] Jodie: "Coffee."
• [06:11] Jodie: Least favorite: "Places I've been everywhere in the world in the summertime—the heat of... organic material."

Earliest Memory

• [06:30] Jodie: "Coppertone commercial I did when I was three... freezing cold on a houseboat... refused to wear bikini top. Boy supposed to play my brother fell off the houseboat."

Cats or Dogs?

• [07:10] Jodie: “Dogs. I’m not that fond of cats...”
  • Shares about her cat named "Subtle" whom she loved.
  • [07:20] Jodie: "I was mauled by a lion when I was a kid."
  • [07:33] Jodie: "The lion came around, picked me up by my hip, shook me, turned me around... I thought it was an earthquake."
  • Explains this experience gave her a lifelong wariness of cats.

One Song for the Rest of Her Life

• [08:22] Jodie: "How about 'Changes', David Bowie."

What Number Am I Thinking Of?

• [08:33] Mint Mobile Announcer (jokingly): "Seven." Neither guessed correctly.

Describe the Rest of Your Life in Five Words

• [08:43] Jodie: "Food, movies, skiing, Bed. That's for my family."

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [01:09] Stephen: “Are you willing to be fully known by the world?”
  • [01:50] Jodie: “I’m willing.”
• [02:40] Jodie: “The Grateful Dead. Hollywood Bowl. I lived across from the Hollywood bowl—meant I had a place to park. So I traded parking for a ticket.”
• [03:22] Jodie: "Snakes, of course. I hate snakes."
• [04:12] Jodie: “Yes. Peter Frampton.”
• [05:03] Stephen (on Frampton playing the theme through a talkbox): “It was nearly... close to an erotic experience.”
• [05:10] Jodie (afterlife): “I don’t know. And that feels beautiful and spiritual. And I’m gonna go with hovering.”
• [06:30] Jodie: "My earliest memory is the Coppertone commercial I did when I was three... And I said no [to the bikini top]."
• [07:20] Jodie (on being mauled by a lion): "I was making a movie, and the lion picked me up by my hip, shook me, turned me around... I thought it was an earthquake."
• [08:22] Jodie: “How about 'Changes', David Bowie.”
• [08:43] Jodie (five words): "Food, movies, skiing, bed. That’s for my family."

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:09]: Introduction to the Questionnaire
• [02:00]: Favorite sandwich
• [02:40]: First concert (Grateful Dead)
• [03:22]: Scariest animal
• [04:00]: Apples vs Oranges
• [04:12]: Peter Frampton autograph story
• [05:03]: Peter Frampton, the talkbox, and Colbert’s "near-erotic" experience
• [05:10]: Thoughts on afterlife
• [05:36]: Favorite action movie
• [05:44]: Window or aisle seat
• [06:04]: Favorite and least favorite smell
• [06:30]: Earliest memory (Coppertone commercial)
• [07:10]: Cats or dogs and lion mauling story
• [08:22]: One song forever: "Changes" by David Bowie
• [08:43]: Describe the rest of your life in five words

---

Episode Tone

Jodie Foster is candid, playful, and warm, sharing stories that range from the whimsical (her sandwich ratios, trading parking for concert tickets) to the profound (pondering the afterlife). Colbert’s wry humor and enthusiasm encourage honest and often surprising answers, producing a conversation that is equal parts revealing and entertaining.

---

Conclusion

Through the Colbert Questionnaire, listeners get an unusually personal, humorous, and insightful look at Jodie Foster’s tastes, formative experiences, and worldview. Standout moments include her lion mauling story, her earliest memory from her Coppertone days, and her philosophical musings on the afterlife. This episode is a lighthearted yet poignant listen for fans of Foster, Colbert, and the art of the interview.

Transcript

[Steve]

Father. Or should I call you Steve? Since it's a new year, maybe we should start cooking fresh with fewer smoke alarms this time. Your cooking's improving, but I can see the stress in your eyes. Anna's mom used this Blue Apron assemble and bake thing during our playdate. Pre chopped ingredients over 40 grams of protein and just one pan to clean up. She just tossed it in the oven and boom plating like she's got followers. So go to blue apron.com steve make 2026 the year you win dinner blue apron get 50% off your first two orders plus free shipping with code. Listen 50 terms and conditions apply. Visit blueyprant.com terms for more.

[Mint Mobile Announcer]

Well, the holidays have come and go once again, but if you've forgotten to get that special someone in your life a gift. Well, Mint Mobile is extending their holiday offer of half off unlimited wireless. So here's the idea. You get it now, you call it an early present for next year.

[Stephen Colbert]

What do you have to lose?

[Mint Mobile Announcer]

Give it a [e-mail] Switch limited time.

[Jodie Foster]

50 off regular price for new customers. Upfront payment required 45 for 3 months, $90 for 6 months or 180 for 12 month plan taxes and fees. Extra speeds may slow after 50 gigabytes per month when network is busy.

[Commercial Announcer]

See terms.

[Jodie Foster]

It's the Late Show Poncho with Stephen Colbert.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm here with the real Jodie Foster. Here's the thing. As much big a fan as I am and as much as I have enjoyed the honor of speaking to you over the years, it's really hard to get to know somebody in a short period of time. That's why we at the Late show here have come up with something called the Colbert Questionnaire. Are you familiar with it? Have you heard of it before? I have heard about it, yes. And I was wondering, the Colbert Questionnaire. Just as a warning, once you take the Colbert questionnaire, you're fully known by the world. Your heart, your soul is laid bare upon the table of the public. Are you willing to be fully known by the world?

[Jodie Foster]

I'm willing.

[Stephen Colbert]

Question number one, Jodie Foster. What is the best sandwich?

[Jodie Foster]

H. It's a combination. Well, it BLT or a PTO and arugula sandwich.

[Stephen Colbert]

Close, close, close. Yeah. How much tea are we talking in your blt? I want to know, like, what's the rate? Because it's a big thing. The ratio of the B, the L to the T. What are we talking here?

[Jodie Foster]

Well, you know, not so much L, but some B and T for sure.

[Stephen Colbert]

Some B And T. Yeah, cuz I always say, like I want you to to put a ridiculous amount of tea. I wanted to be able to reconstruct the tomato.

[Jodie Foster]

That's important to know about you.

[UPS Store Announcer]

Okay.

[Stephen Colbert]

If I'm ever over at your place and you're making BLTs, there you go. I expect you to get it right. Okay, Jodie Foster, what is the first concert that you attended?

[Jodie Foster]

The Grateful Dead.

[Stephen Colbert]

What? Get out.

[Jodie Foster]

Hollywood Bowl.

[Stephen Colbert]

Where was they?

[Jodie Foster]

Hollywood Bowl. I lived across from the Hollywood bowl, which meant that I had a place to park for people that wanted to come. It's very difficult to get parking there. So.

[Stephen Colbert]

Did you already drive at this point?

[Jodie Foster]

No, I didn't. But somebody that I knew on a TV show that I was working on said, I'll take you to the Grateful Dead if you let me park in front of your house.

[Stephen Colbert]

So I said, cool, that's a nice trade off. Do you remember the set or anything like that?

[Jodie Foster]

Yeah, it was on the set of Paper Moon.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, no.

[Jodie Foster]

Oh, no. Oh, the set.

[Stephen Colbert]

The set. Their set.

[Jodie Foster]

No, I don't.

[Stephen Colbert]

Their set.

[Commercial Announcer]

Okay.

[Jodie Foster]

No, I don't.

[Stephen Colbert]

I love it. Ok, Jodie Foster, what is the scariest animal?

[Jodie Foster]

Well, snakes, of course. I hate snakes.

[Stephen Colbert]

Really? Don't like snakes.

[Jodie Foster]

Yeah, everybody says snakes, right?

[Stephen Colbert]

Nope. No, we've gotten very few snakes over the years. Yeah, a lot of spiders. Sharks.

[Jodie Foster]

No, I don't mind the sharks. Sharks are our friends.

[Stephen Colbert]

Have you swum with sharks?

[Jodie Foster]

I have, yeah. When in Australia. Yeah. And in like the Caribbean.

[Stephen Colbert]

But like big sharks.

[Jodie Foster]

Uh, not so big, but big enough. I mean, they're sharks. They don't have to be that big. But there's sweet ones in the Caribbean, right? The little brown ones. They like to take you and stuff. They like to nibble. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Apples or oranges?

[Jodie Foster]

You know, I'm gonna go oranges from. Cause I'm from California. I know everybody says apples, but I'm gonna go oranges.

[Stephen Colbert]

A lot of people say oranges.

[Commercial Announcer]

Okay.

[Stephen Colbert]

You're not alone.

[Jodie Foster]

Okay.

[Stephen Colbert]

You're not a freak. Okay. Have you ever asked someone for their autograph?

[Jodie Foster]

Yes. Peter Frampton.

[Stephen Colbert]

Come on. Wow. That is class.

[Jodie Foster]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Frampton Comes Alive.

[Jodie Foster]

Frampton with his ringlets and his like bare chest.

[Stephen Colbert]

Do you feel like we do?

[Jodie Foster]

Yeah. With a little harmonica. That's actually his voice.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sure. Yeah. This thing? Yeah, yeah, that thing.

[Jodie Foster]

That thing. Yeah. Do it again. Okay, nice. Can you do it again? Wa.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wa. I want not to make, but let's do it. So I once had him on the old show. Oh. And he played my Theme song to the show through the little. The little. The little box with the tube. And I put the tube in my mouth.

[Jodie Foster]

That's so good.

[Stephen Colbert]

And my theme song came out of my mouth. Being played by Peter Frampton. Yeah.

[Jodie Foster]

That's a legendary moment.

[Stephen Colbert]

It was nearly was close to an erotic experience. What do you think happens when we die?

[Jodie Foster]

Mm, that's a serious one.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, we have a lot of tone.

[Jodie Foster]

Shifts in the old question. Yeah, Yeah. I don't know. And that feels beautiful and spiritual. And I'm gonna go with hovering.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, hovering.

[Jodie Foster]

Hovering. Yeah, hovering.

[Stephen Colbert]

Favorite action movie.

[Jodie Foster]

Do I have one?

[Stephen Colbert]

You do.

[Jodie Foster]

Maybe Iron Man.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, that's quality.

[UPS Store Announcer]

Yeah.

[Mint Mobile Announcer]

Yeah.

[Jodie Foster]

Maybe Iron Man. Iron man won.

[Stephen Colbert]

Window or aisle?

[Jodie Foster]

You know, I'm an aisle person.

[Stephen Colbert]

Good for you.

[Jodie Foster]

Yeah, yeah, me too. Yeah, yeah, Yeah. I like to. First of all, I like to let other people have the window because they seem to care, and I want to be able to get out of there when I want to.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, yeah. Favorite smell?

[Jodie Foster]

Coffee. Yeah, coffee.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's good. Least favorite smell.

[Jodie Foster]

Oh, gosh. You know, places I've been everywhere in the world in the summertime.

[Commercial Announcer]

Yeah.

[Jodie Foster]

Yes.

[Stephen Colbert]

The heat.

[Jodie Foster]

The heat of, you know. Organic material. Yes, organic material.

[Stephen Colbert]

Earliest memory.

[Jodie Foster]

My earliest memory is the Coppertone commercial I did when I was three.

[Stephen Colbert]

No way. I mean, it's famous that you were the Coppertone baby, but do you remember that happening?

[Jodie Foster]

That's the earliest one I remember. I was on a houseboat. I remember it was freezing cold, and I had to wear this bikini. And they tried to get me to wear a bikini top, which I had never worn a top before because I was three. And I said no. And there was a lot of trying to convince me to wear the top, and I continued to say no. And they finally said, okay. I also remember that the boy that I was playing with was supposed to play my brother fell off the houseboat. And I remember thinking, like, oh, I don't want to do that.

[Mint Mobile Announcer]

Okay.

[Stephen Colbert]

Cats or dogs?

[Jodie Foster]

Dogs. I'm not. Yeah, I'm not that fond of cats. We had one cat that I loved named Subtle, who I just loved to.

[Mint Mobile Announcer]

Subtle.

[Jodie Foster]

Yeah, I loved him, but he was. Otherwise. I don't really like cats, as you know. I was mauled by a lion when I was a kid. So cats, when they look at you with a size.

[Stephen Colbert]

I did not know you were mauled by a lion.

[Jodie Foster]

I was.

[Stephen Colbert]

You were mauled by a lion? I was like, Zoltan.

[Jodie Foster]

Yeah, I was. I got picked up. I was making a movie, and the lion came around. He picked me up by my hip. He shook me, turned me around. And everybody that was working on the movie ran in the opposite direction with their equipment. And so I was sideways going like this, saying like, wow, everybody's running. And I thought it was an earthquake. I remember thinking like, oh, earthquake, California.

[Stephen Colbert]

How old were you?

[Jodie Foster]

I was 8 or 9.

[Mint Mobile Announcer]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

I didn't have no idea.

[Jodie Foster]

It's kind of a famous. I mean, it's a good story, but it's a little famous now.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sure.

[Jodie Foster]

So cats, when they have those little round eyes and they're like. I'm like, not into it.

[Stephen Colbert]

Jodie Foster. You only get one song to listen to for the rest of your life. One song, One song to listen to for the rest of your life. You don't have to listen to it continually, but when you go to listen to music, this is the song you get. What is it?

[Jodie Foster]

How about changes? David Bowie.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, nice. What number am I thinking of?

[Mint Mobile Announcer]

Seven.

[Stephen Colbert]

No. Yeah.

[Jodie Foster]

No.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay. Describe the rest of your life in five words.

[Jodie Foster]

Food, movies, skiing, Bed. That's for my family. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Jodie Foster. Congratulations. You are known. Jodie Foster, 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.

[UPS Store Announcer]

This Valentine's Day, the UPS Store certified packing experts are helping pack and ship all the ways we care. From the lovey dovey XOXO Gifts. Gifts for your Galentine's gal pal. Even pet gifts for doggie dearest. When you ship UPS Air at the UPS Store, your items arrive on time or your money back guaranteed at no extra cost, exclusively at the UPS Store US retail locations. Send your Valentines on time at the UPS Store. Visit theupsstore.com airguaranty for full details. Terms and conditions apply.

[Commercial Announcer]

Starting a business can seem like a daunting task unless you have a partner like Shopify. They have the tools you need to start and grow your business. From designing a website to marketing, to selling and beyond, Shopify can help with everything you need. There's a reason millions of companies like Mattel, Heinz and Allbirds continue to trust and use them. With Shopify on your side, turn your big business idea into sign up for your $1 per month [e-mail] specialoffer.