Last Night on Late Night

Matt Damon promotes The Odyssey and describes Christopher Nolan’s practical approach, including filming in rough water, using a 60-foot Cyclops puppet in a Greek cave, and packing actors inside a Trojan horse. He also explains how his screams to age Odysseus’s voice alarmed Robert Pattinson. Damon opens with stories about his family’s Argentina fandom and New York sports.

Jake Johnson discusses the Apple TV comedy The Dink, training with Brad Gilbert and filming extended pickleball rallies opposite Andy Roddick. He reflects on valuing the work over celebrity, including his daughter’s description of him as merely “familiar,” and talks about raising daughters, protecting family time and making an advice podcast built around intentionally questionable suggestions.

Will Ferrell promotes The Hawk, describing washed-up golfer Lonnie Hawkins and reuniting with Molly Shannon, whom he imitates as an intensely attentive listener. He also marks Talladega Nights’ 20th anniversary, recalling that he and Adam McKay pitched a NASCAR comedy despite knowing nothing about racing, and tells a World Cup story about meeting a pregnant fan due on his birthday.

Justin Theroux discusses working with Ike Barinholtz on Running Point and returning to shoot Fallout season three after the series earned 10 Emmy nominations. He also describes becoming a father, including wearing personalized scrubs in the delivery room, and jokes through a deliberately shaky demonstration of his newfound World Cup expertise.

Rebecca Lowe discusses hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, balancing live coverage with England’s painful semifinal loss and managing a studio team of strong personalities. She recalls how NBC unexpectedly agreed to lend her to Fox and names Cape Verde’s goal against Argentina as a defining moment. Lowe says the World Cup has accelerated soccer’s growth in the United States.

Lupita Nyong’o promotes The Odyssey, describing its practical international shoot, her dual roles as Helen and Clytemnestra and the moment Christopher Nolan asked her to direct background actors while performing a scene. She also discusses her Make Fibroids Count campaign and urges support for the U-FIGHT Act to fund research into less invasive fibroid treatments.

Ike Barinholtz talks with his father Alan and brother Jon about their family's circuitous path into entertainment, from Alan's disastrous early stand-up set to Jon's work on Superstore and The Perfect Line. They also honor their late grandmother Miriam by reading a string of deliberately outrageous entries from her supposed diaries.

Gracie Abrams promotes Daughter From Hell and the A Look at My Life Tour, explaining that the album’s title track became a decades-overdue thank-you note to her mother. She recalls the shock of spotting Paul McCartney watching her at Glastonbury and describes building an arena production around a lineup of opening acts she admires. She also gives Jimmy Fallon a blind-contour portrait.

Gracie Abrams performs “Minibar” from her album Daughter From Hell.