The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Keanu Reeves & Alex Winter (Extended) | No Sur-Prize

Date: October 14, 2025

Episode Overview

This extended episode of The Late Show Pod Show sees Stephen Colbert in conversation with Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, best known for their iconic roles as Bill and Ted, who are currently co-starring in a new Broadway production of Waiting for Godot. The episode also pays warm tribute to the late Diane Keaton with highlights from an earlier interview. Throughout, the conversation blends deep artistic insight with Colbert's trademark wit, offering a vibrant exploration of acting, friendship, existential theater, and humorous behind-the-scenes stories.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter on Broadway

[24:07 – 38:22]

• Their Production:

  • Reeves and Winter are performing in Waiting for Godot at the Hudson Theater on Broadway, marking Reeves’ Broadway debut.
  • Colbert quizzes them on the correct pronunciation of "Godot" (Guh-DOE vs. Guh-DOH), playfully noting Americans usually say "Godot."
    • Alex Winter: "The play was written by an Irishman in French." [25:17]

• First Meeting:

  • The actors recount their first meeting during the audition for Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.
    • Keanu Reeves: "I walked in, said, hey, what's up?" [26:13]
    • Alex Winter: "Motorcycle helmet. Motorcycle helmet." [26:17]
  • They connected instantly over shared interests in motorcycles, music, literature, and their mutual background in theater.

• The Rhythm of Acting Together:

  • They liken their partnership to a rhythm section: “We were both playing the same instrument, which isn’t how a rhythm section is supposed to work.” [27:06, Alex Winter]
  • They’d often “jam” on bass guitars together after filming, which reinforced their performance chemistry.

• Why Do Godot Now?

  • Reeves: Inspired during jet-lagged musings in London, FaceTimed Winter to propose the idea.
    • Keanu Reeves: "Waiting for Godot with Alex. And I went, huh?" [27:47]
    • Alex Winter: "We'd been trying to find something to do together that wasn't Bill and Ted." [28:30]
  • Both wanted a substantial acting challenge; Winters acknowledges, "I knew what it entailed, though, was gonna be a monster." [28:30]

• The Meaning of the Play:

  • Keanu Reeves: "If Hamlet is to be or not to be, that is the question... Beckett in Waiting for Godot says, that is not the question. What are we doing here? That is the question." [29:50]
  • The play tackles heavy themes: existence, time, friendship, faith, power, and mortality.
    • Alex Winter: "You end up playing all of life in the course of two hours, which is kind of a trip…" [30:46]
  • They reflect on aging into their roles—both nearly 60 as they take the stage.

• Set Design Interpretations:

  • The set’s abstract design invites multiple interpretations: “the eye, the tunnel, the vortex, the subwoofer, the habitrail, the lens, the sphincter…” [31:59–32:19]
  • Colbert: "It looks like the universe or God or providence, that sort of thing. Yeah, it looms, that's for sure." [32:30]

• Pre-Show Rituals and Stage Nerves:

  • Both actors admit to “butterflies” before each show.
    • Colbert: "Do you get that every night?"
    • Keanu Reeves: "Every night, yes." [33:48]
  • Rituals include face-slapping for alertness (Colbert & Reeves) and prayers before each act (Winter).

2. Careers Beyond Broadway

[35:16 – 38:41]

• Alex Winter’s Film:
  • Adulthood — a black comedy directed by Winter about "the impossibility of adulthood in our current society" [35:35]
• Keanu Reeves’ Film:
  • Good Fortune — Reeves fractured his kneecap ("like a potato chip" [36:36]) during production, despite his extensive physical work in prior action movies.
    • "It made a lot of people laugh. Aw." [37:43, Keanu Reeves]
    • Both laugh about the irony: "You're John Wick and you just..." [37:55, Reeves]
• Work Ethic:
  • Even after the injury, Reeves continued filming. Winter jokes about his tenacity.

3. Remembrance: Diane Keaton

[17:15 – 22:47] (Retrospective Segment)

• Colbert pays tribute to Diane Keaton, sharing highlights of a chaotic and comedic earlier interview (originally from The Colbert Report era).
  • The conversation is playful, sometimes combative:
    • Diane Keaton: "I just want you to know I won't be voting for you… and I don't want to see your butt naked ass." [17:55]
  • Keaton expresses loving memories about her mother and discusses her memoir Then Again.
  • The segment ends with Colbert and Keaton trading jokes about who is the better sidekick and the perils of running for president.
• At the end of the episode, Keanu shares memories of working with Keaton on Something's Gotta Give:
  • Keanu Reeves: "It was Diane and Jack Nicholson at a table in a restaurant in Paris. Just watching those two legends... insult each other with love. Beautiful." [39:17]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Working Together and Friendship:
  • "To be in that every night and to say those words, but to do that with a very close friend is pretty extraordinary."
    — Alex Winter [31:31]
• On Beckett’s Philosophy:
  • "If Hamlet is to be or not to be... Beckett... says, that is not the question. What are we doing here? That is the question."
    — Keanu Reeves [29:50]
• On Pre-Show Rituals:
  • "I know I’ve done it hard enough if I regret having done it… great, because then I’m awake."
    — Stephen Colbert, on slapping himself before a show [33:57]
  • "I have little prayers that I always do. Before each act… And I get very freaked out if I miss one of those."
    — Alex Winter [34:10]
• On Set Design:
  • "People see a lot of different things in the set here. …the eye, the tunnel, the vortex, the subwoofer, the habitrail…"
    — Keanu Reeves & Alex Winter [31:59–32:16]
• On Comedy vs. Action:
  • "Comedy’s hard, right?... I fractured my patella."
    — Keanu Reeves [36:24, 36:35]

Humorous Exchanges

• On Bill & Ted Origins:
  • "Motorcycle helmet. Motorcycle helmet."
    — Alex Winter [26:17]
• On Waiting for Godot:
  • "Are you guys being fancy? …Are you fancy and are you schmancy?"
    — Stephen Colbert [24:59]
• On Pre-Show Rituals:
  • "Sounds like you’re going out on a date."
    — Stephen Colbert, on Keanu's ritual [34:35]

Important Timestamps

• [24:07] — Keanu Reeves & Alex Winter segment begins
• [25:17] — On Godot’s history and pronunciation
• [26:04] — First meeting and audition memories
• [27:47] — The genesis of their Godot collaboration
• [29:50] — Keanu’s explanation of Beckett's core question
• [31:31] — Acting the play with a lifelong friend
• [31:59] — Describing interpretations of the set design
• [33:38] — Butterflies and pre-show rituals
• [35:16] — Discussion of new films: Adulthood and Good Fortune
• [36:35] — Keanu’s kneecap injury story
• [39:17] — Keanu recalls working with Diane Keaton

Tone & Language

The episode balances heartfelt reflection and philosophical discussion with playful, self-deprecating humor and rapid-fire banter—true to Colbert’s late-night tone. The rapport between the three is easy, with warmth and laughter underpinning even deeper topics, creating a lively yet intimate atmosphere.

Takeaways for Listeners

• Art and Friendship: Reeves and Winter’s journey from cult movie icons to Broadway brings themes of friendship, growth, and artistic challenge full circle.
• Existential Comedy: Waiting for Godot explores profound questions of existence, interpreted with humor and humanity by seasoned friends.
• Stage vs Screen: Both actors bring unique perspectives from film back to theater, highlighting the enduring craft of live performance.
• Tribute to Legends: The Diane Keaton segment is both comic and moving, underscoring the show’s reverence for performance icons and the joy of personal connection.

Recommended for anyone interested in acting, theater, comedy, and the enduring power of true friendship both on and off the stage.