Natalie Portman's Colbert Questionert

Summary

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The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Natalie Portman's Colbert Questionert

Date: January 12, 2026
Host: Stephen Colbert
Guest: Natalie Portman

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Late Show Pod Show features Academy Award-winning actress Natalie Portman taking on the “Colbert Questionert”—a rapid-fire series of questions designed to penetrate to the soul and reveal the true self, as only Stephen Colbert can. The conversation is light-hearted, sincere, and peppered with humor, offering listeners a rare glimpse into Portman's personality beyond her professional life.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction to the Colbert Questionert

• Stephen Colbert explains the premise: a set of probing and sometimes silly questions aimed at uncovering the essence of his guest.
• Natalie readily accepts the challenge, eager to participate.

  "I accept your challenge." – Natalie Portman (02:12)

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The Colbert Questionert – Natalie’s Answers

First concert attended:

• Debbie Gibson.

  "Debbie Gibson." – Natalie Portman (02:37)

Scariest animal:

• Rattlesnake. Natalie shared a hiking encounter with a rattlesnake in Los Angeles, describing it as one of her scariest moments.

  "I was hiking and I saw one...it was rattling." – Natalie Portman (02:53)

Fruits:

• Prefers apples over oranges.

  "Apples." – Natalie Portman (03:09)

Celebrity autographs:

• Has asked for autographs from many, notably tap dancer Savion Glover; she was a big fan and did tap dancing as a kid.

  "Many people. Savion Glover." – Natalie Portman (03:27)

What happens when we die?

• A thoughtful, earnest answer: disintegrate into the ground, with soul living on in loved ones.

  "We disintegrate into the ground. And then our soul lives on in the people who love us." – Natalie Portman (03:48)

Favorite action movie:

• Die Hard — and confirms she considers it a Christmas movie.

  "Die Hard." – Natalie Portman (04:12)
  On it being a Christmas movie: "Yeah." (04:21)

Window or aisle seat?

• Window. She jokes about her small stature.

  "I'm very small." – Natalie Portman (04:33)

Favorite smell:

• Jasmine.

  "Jasmine." – Natalie Portman (04:42)

Cats or dogs?

• Dogs — she owns three, and jokes that they “speak French.”

  "Dogs...I have three dogs." – Natalie Portman (05:06-05:12)
  "Of course." [on if her dogs speak French] (05:15)

One song for the rest of your life:

• Try A Little Tenderness by Otis Redding.

  "Try A Little Tenderness. Otis Redding, maybe." – Natalie Portman (05:43)

Guess the number:

• Portman guesses ‘seven’, but Colbert offers no real parameters or validation.

  "You didn't even say between what and what." – Natalie Portman (06:27)

Describe the rest of your life in five words:

• Playfully avoids the question: “Pass.”

  "Pass." – Narrator/Portman (06:42-06:45)
  "That's a mean question." – Natalie Portman (06:50)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On enduring love after death:

  "And then our soul lives on in the people who love us. Very earnest answer." – Natalie Portman (03:56)

• On tough questions:

  "That's a mean question." – Natalie Portman, on summing up her life in five words (06:50)

• On travel:

  "I'm very small." – Natalie Portman, asked about getting out from a window seat (04:33)

• On dogs’ linguistic abilities:

  "Of course." – Natalie Portman, on whether her dogs speak French (05:15)

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Timestamped Highlights

• 01:53 – Colbert introduces the Colbert Questionert.
• 02:37 – First concert: Debbie Gibson.
• 02:48 – Scariest animal: Rattlesnake; tells a hiking story.
• 03:09 – Apples vs. oranges.
• 03:27 – Savion Glover autograph story.
• 03:48 – Thoughts on death and legacy.
• 04:12 – Favorite action movie: Die Hard; is it a Christmas movie?
• 04:28 – Window or aisle?
• 04:42 – Favorite smell: Jasmine.
• 05:06 – Cats or dogs? (Dogs, and they speak French.)
• 05:43 – Only song for life: Try A Little Tenderness (Otis Redding).
• 06:11 – Guesses the number "seven."
• 06:42 – Five words to describe rest of life: “Pass.”

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Tone and Atmosphere

The exchange is playful and conversational, with Natalie open and thoughtful, while Colbert maintains his signature wit and gentle prodding for fun and revealing answers. The tone is light-hearted but allows for genuine, meaningful moments, especially when discussing legacy and favorite experiences.

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Conclusion

Listeners are treated to a warm, entertaining, and insightful session revealing personal tidbits about Natalie Portman—her tastes, values, and some quirky preferences—delivered in the uniquely engaging Colbert style. The Colbert Questionert proves once again to be an effective and enjoyable way to get to know celebrity guests beyond the usual press tour chatter.

Transcript

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[Natalie Portman]

The late Show Poncho with Stephen Colbert.

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey, everybody. Welcome back to the Late Show. As you can see, we are graced with the presence of Natalie Portman. And Natalie, thank you so much for being here for this. You know, it's lovely to talk to you. I'm a fan. You're a wonderful actress and just a radiant presence. But the problem is is that even though I've had the honor of talking to you several times, it's just very hard to get to know one of my guests in a short period of time, you know, because we're talking about the project and we're talking about croissants and stuff like that. But what I really like to do is really get to know somebody. And so what we've done here at the Late show, up in the labs up on the 75th floor, the team has put together something called the Colbert Questionnaire. And the Colbert Questionnaire is a series of questions that have been designed specifically to penetrate straight to the soul of someone.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Wow.

[Stephen Colbert]

So that they will, they will be fully known by the audience and really to themselves. So I'm just curious, do you have the courage to face the world and bare your heart for all to see who you are? Just Asking.

[Natalie Portman]

I accept your challenge.

[Stephen Colbert]

You accept the challenge. Brave girl. Brave girl. Okay, here we go. The Natalie Portman Colbert questionnaire. Question number one. Natalie Portman, what is the best peanut butter and jelly. Peanut butter and jelly. What was your first concert that you attended?

[Natalie Portman]

Debbie Gibson.

[Stephen Colbert]

Debbie Gibson, wow. For you. In your opinion, what is the scariest animal? Hmm.

[Natalie Portman]

Rattlesnake.

[Stephen Colbert]

Rattlesnakes. Have you been in the presence of a rattlesnake? When did that happen?

[Natalie Portman]

In la. I was hiking and I saw one that was probably the most scared I've been. I like animals. Did it not.

[Stephen Colbert]

Did they do that thing?

[Natalie Portman]

Actually, it was rattling.

[Stephen Colbert]

And what did you do?

[Natalie Portman]

I walked slowly backwards.

[Stephen Colbert]

Apples or oranges?

[Natalie Portman]

Apples.

[Stephen Colbert]

All right.

[Natalie Portman]

Okay.

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Good answer.

[Natalie Portman]

You know me super well, right?

[Stephen Colbert]

You can't put peanut butter on an orange.

[Natalie Portman]

Exactly.

[Stephen Colbert]

Have you ever asked someone for their autograph?

[Natalie Portman]

Yes.

[Stephen Colbert]

May I ask who?

[Natalie Portman]

Many people. Savion Glover.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow.

[Natalie Portman]

Love Savion Glover.

[Stephen Colbert]

Do you tap dance?

[Natalie Portman]

I did as a kid. I was a big Savion fan.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, me too. What do you think happens when we die? It's a roller coaster. The questionnaire is a roller coaster of emotions. Okay.

[Natalie Portman]

Oh, well, I think we disintegrate into the ground.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay.

[Natalie Portman]

And then our soul lives on in the people who love us. Very earnest answer.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, it's a good answer. That's what I'm looking for. We're looking. We gotta know you. We gotta know you. Favorite action movie?

[Natalie Portman]

Die Hard.

[Stephen Colbert]

Side answer. Since you said Die Hard, I have to ask you, is Die Hard a Christmas movie?

[Natalie Portman]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay. There you go. The correct answer. Window or aisle?

[Natalie Portman]

Window.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Yeah.

[Natalie Portman]

For sure.

[Stephen Colbert]

You don't mind getting up and making past the other person if you have to go to classroom.

[Natalie Portman]

I'm very small.

[Stephen Colbert]

They just store you under the seat in front of you.

[Natalie Portman]

There you go.

[Stephen Colbert]

Favorite smell?

[Natalie Portman]

Jasmine.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's lovely. Very soothing. Very soothing.

[Natalie Portman]

What's yours?

[Narrator/Announcer]

What?

[Natalie Portman]

What's yours?

[Stephen Colbert]

I don't answer questions for the cobra person. I'll ask the questions, young lady.

[Natalie Portman]

All right.

[Stephen Colbert]

All right. Least favorite smell? Cats or dogs?

[Natalie Portman]

Dogs.

[Stephen Colbert]

Do you have a dog?

[Natalie Portman]

Three.

[Stephen Colbert]

You have three dogs?

[Natalie Portman]

I have three dogs.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. Do they speak French?

[Natalie Portman]

Of course.

[Stephen Colbert]

How do dogs woof in French?

[Natalie Portman]

I don't know if there's a word.

[Stephen Colbert]

I remember from taking French. There's a different. It's like. Or something like that. There's some. It's like egg. Egg or something like that.

[Natalie Portman]

That sounds right.

[Stephen Colbert]

All right.

[Narrator/Announcer]

There you go.

[Stephen Colbert]

I don't know, it's spelled differently over there. There you go. You only get one song to listen to for the rest of your life. What is it? This is not. You don't have to listen to it continually, but when you go to listen to music, this is the song that you get.

[Natalie Portman]

That'S really hard.

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey, no one said the Kohlberg questionnaire was easy.

[Natalie Portman]

Try A Little Tenderness. Otis Redding, maybe.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Yeah. That's nice.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's nice. Girls do get weary.

[Natalie Portman]

Yep, they do get weary.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wearing the same tattered dress when he.

[Natalie Portman]

Goes, oh, at the beginning, I'm just like, so beautiful. Right?

[Stephen Colbert]

Right. Yeah. What number am I thinking of?

[Natalie Portman]

Send it to me. Seven.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, I tried, though. I promise you, I tried.

[Natalie Portman]

You didn't even say between what and what. Like, it could have been, like, 7632.

[Stephen Colbert]

This is true. But it's not that one either. Okay, good. Describe the rest of your life in five words.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Pass.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's one.

[Natalie Portman]

That's a mean question.

[Stephen Colbert]

Natalie Portman. Congratulations, you are known. 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 YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.

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[Natalie Portman]

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