Podcast Summary: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert – Episode Featuring Uzo Aduba
Episode Details:
- Title: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert
- Host: CBS
- Guest: Uzo Aduba
- Release Date: March 15, 2025
- Episode Focus: Uzo Aduba’s recent achievements, her memoir, and her new role in “The Residence”
1. Introduction and Warm Welcome (00:00 – 02:10)
The episode begins with Stephen Colbert introducing Uzo Aduba, highlighting her impressive accolades as a three-time Emmy Award winner and Tony nominee. Colbert underscores Aduba’s notable roles in popular series such as "Orange Is the New Black" and "Mrs. America", and introduces her latest project, the Shonda Rhimes series "The Residence", where she portrays an eagle-eyed detective.
2. Personal Milestones and Achievements (02:10 – 04:12)
Stephen Colbert opens the conversation by congratulating Aduba on her recent successes:
- Colbert: “You won your third Emmy. You got married.”
- Colbert: “You wrote a memoir.”
Uzo Aduba responds with humility, mentioning her busy schedule balancing her new marriage and motherhood:
- Aduba: “Yeah. Haven’t been doing a thing between a book and a baby.”
They discuss her daughter, who recently turned 16 months old. Aduba shares insights into her parenting experience, highlighting her daughter's developing communication skills:
- Aduba: “She's sleeping through the night. You know, sometimes she has sleep regressions, but she's mostly sleeping through the night, which is good.”
- Aduba: “She's gotten that from me. Big talker. Loves words.”
3. Writing and Memoir Inspiration (04:12 – 06:07)
The conversation shifts to Aduba’s memoir, inspired by her mother. Colbert inquires about the familial influences on her writing:
- Colbert: “Now, this memoir right here. Your mother inspired you to write this memoir?”
- Aduba: “Yes. My mom, yes. In her own way. She kept a journal her entire life, and I have journals because of her.”
Aduba explains that her memoir not only reflects her experiences but also includes the lives of her brothers and sisters:
- Aduba: “Absolutely. They have read it recently.”
- Colbert: “Do they approve?”
- Aduba: “Yes, they do. They do.”
She shares a personal anecdote about her sister reading the memoir during their vacation in Cabo, Mexico, and her sister's subdued yet positive reaction:
- Aduba: “...she was like, it was good. And I was, okay. Okay. Yeah. Okay. We did.”
4. New Series: The Residence (06:07 – 08:49)
Stephen Colbert introduces Aduba’s new series "The Residence", a whodunit set in the White House. They discuss her fascination with mystery genres:
- Colbert: “Are you a fan of mysteries in general?”
- Aduba: “I do. I like Clue. I watched Clue a ton when I was growing up. Remember that movie? I love that movie.”
Aduba reminisces about classic mystery shows like "Murder, She Wrote", linking them to her mother's love for the series:
- Aduba: “My mom loved that show. And that was Cabot Cove. Yeah. Jessica Fletcher.”
Colbert humorously suggests a theory about Jessica Fletcher being a serial killer, to which Aduba responds playfully:
- Colbert: “There's a theory that Jessica Fletcher is actually a serial killer and she's killed her story. That's it.”
- Aduba: “It tracks.”
Discussing the set of "The Residence", Aduba shares intriguing details about the White House set:
- Aduba: “There are a lot of levels underground. Like, there are probably something like four or five levels underground.”
- Aduba: “I went almost all the way down. And when I was being shown through the White House... I got it.”
Aduba elaborates on her character’s unique detective style, integrating her passion for birdwatching:
- Aduba: “My character style is. Well, she's a birder. That's her hobby, bird watching. So she uses a lot of those skills.”
- Colbert: “You mean binoculars?”
- Aduba: “She uses exactly. The body's right here. She's looking at it.”
She explains how her character employs a “bird’s eye view” to gather clues, enhancing her investigative prowess:
- Aduba: “She's using kind of like a bird's eye view to get clues and get clues put together. You know, instead of looking at people, like, from here, she's looking from 3,000ft up, gathering.”
When asked about her personal experience with birding, Aduba admits it’s not her favorite activity but finds "The Residence" engaging:
- Aduba: “I have, and it's not for me. But it's very relaxing.”
5. Closing Remarks and Upcoming Releases (08:49 – End)
Colbert wraps up the discussion by promoting the release date of "The Residence":
- Colbert: “The Residence is available on Netflix March 20th.”
He thanks Uzo Aduba for joining the show and encourages listeners to watch the episode:
- Colbert: “Uzo Aduba, everybody. Thank you for listening to the Late Show Pod show with Stephen Colbert.”
Aduba adds a promotional note directing fans to The Late Show YouTube channel for more content:
- 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.”
Notable Quotes:
- Uzo Aduba (02:56): “Never a day in my life have I ever said that. Right. And so until I had my daughter, and then she started walking...”
- Uzo Aduba (05:24): “Can we go down to those two other levels? And they're all like, that's the bunker. No, I was like, oh, okay. No problem. Get it. I got it.”
- Uzo Aduba (08:27): “She's using kind of like a bird's eye view to get clues and get clues put together.”
Conclusion
This episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert offers an in-depth look into Uzo Aduba’s multifaceted life, from her celebrated acting career and personal milestones to her literary endeavors and latest acting projects. Aduba’s candid discussions provide listeners with a heartfelt and insightful portrayal of her journey, both professionally and personally.
For those interested in exploring more about Uzo Aduba’s work and following her new series "The Residence", available on Netflix starting March 20th, this episode provides a comprehensive and engaging overview.