Jane Fonda stands by Stephen Colbert: ‘He never flinched’

Stephen Colbert spent a decade courting Hollywood royalty behind his “Late Show” desk, but now he’s getting the star treatment.

Several A-listers, from Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda and “Star Wars” icon Mark Hamill to fellow late-night host Jimmy Fallon, paid tribute to the Emmy-winning television host online as he concluded his CBS talk show on May 21, after 11 seasons.

Fonda, 88, was joined by other outspoken celebrities in a video for the Committee for the First Amendment, a collective of artists advocating for free speech. The “Coming Home” actress, who spearheaded the group’s revival in 2025, praised Colbert for his endearing mix of humor and conviction.

“He made us laugh, and he never flinched,” Fonda said in the May 21 video.

Colbert revealed last July that CBS canceled his talk show after a decade on the air. The “Late Show” franchise, which debuted in 1993, will also be retired along with Colbert’s cancellation (Byron Allen‘s “Comics Unleashed” is slated to fill the time slot).

The shocking ouster came amid increasing political scrutiny of Colbert, who’d voiced criticism of CBS’ former parent company, Paramount Global, and its settlement deal with President Donald Trump in a case involving “60 Minutes.”

In a statement at the time, Paramount executives called the move “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” adding that Colbert’s removal was “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

Here’s what other stars are saying about Colbert and the impact of his show.

Mark Ruffalo, Sally Field, more stars honor Stephen Colbert amid show cancellation

Aside from Fonda, the Committee for the First Amendment’s video on Colbert’s cancellation featured several Hollywood luminaries, including Oscar-nominated actor and Trump critic Mark Ruffalo.

“I’m going to miss him, and I’m disturbed by what it means that he’ll be gone,” Ruffalo, 58, said. “Stephen, you modeled the punchline as an act of resistance. You stood up courageously, even when it cost you personally.”

“He called out CBS for paying off Trump,” said “West Side Story” star Ariana DeBose. “CBS canceled his show.”

Actress Sally Field added, “Authoritarians need to get rid of those voices, voices of the people. This is a dark time in our country, and I feel certain with all of us standing up resisting, one day we’ll be on the other side of it.”

“On ‘The Late Show,’ Stephen Colbert has used humor to bring us joy and hold power accountable,” said “Community” actress Yvette Nicole Brown, later criticizing other “violations” of free speech in the media. “These are not the actions of the powerful. These are the actions of the threatened.”

Mark Hamill calls Stephen Colbert ‘positively therapeutic’

Hamill, who appeared as a guest during Colbert’s star-studded “Colbert Questionert” on May 20, paid tribute to the late-night host’s TV legacy in a May 21 Instagram post.

“Can’t thank Stephen Colbert enough for the decades of laughs he’s given us,” Hamill, 74, wrote. “He’s been positively therapeutic in these troubled times, [and] I can’t wait to see what he does next!”

Jimmy Fallon sends Stephen Colbert good vibes with colorful post

In honor of Colbert’s late-night send-off, Fallon took to X on May 21 to share a photo of a colorful painting, which depicted Colbert boarding a boat named “Freedom.”

The “Tonight Show” host, 51, made an appearance during Colbert’s finale special, reassembling Strike Force Five with Seth Meyers, John Oliver and Jimmy Kimmel, to offer advice to Colbert, as well as investigate the green portal that served as a metaphor for the end of “The Late Show.”

“There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for,” wrote Fallon, referencing Colbert’s recently announced project of cowriting a “Lord of the Rings” film with his son.

Conan O’Brien says Stephen Colbert is a ‘man of great integrity’

Former late-night host Conan O’Brien also chimed in on Colbert’s “Late Show” goodbye with a heartfelt message posted to Instagram May 21.

“Here’s to Stephen Colbert, a man of great integrity and wit,” O’Brien, 63, wrote alongside a photo of the pair. “Onward, friend, to bigger and better things.”

Contributing: Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stephen Colbert tributes pour in from Jane Fonda, Jimmy Fallon, more