Here are the celebrities who guest-starred on the final episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”

WASHINGTON — The final episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” featured a star-studded cast of actors, comedians, musicians and even astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, helping Colbert wrap up his 11-year run at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

In addition to the final guest, who Colbert is keeping secret until Wednesday’s broadcast, there are 15 celebrity guest appearances.

In the audience, Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Tim Meadows, Teague Notaro and Ryan Reynolds were among the contenders to be the final guest, with many actors and comedians angrily leaving the set after Colbert refused to be interviewed.

The show also teased speculation that Pope Leo XIV would be Colbert’s final guest. During Thursday night’s show, a white-robed impersonator threw a hot dog into the camera from backstage.

“The Pope doesn’t come out of his dressing room,” Colbert joked. “Apparently, we bought him the wrong snacks.”

Colbert, a devout Catholic, has called Chicago-born Leo XIV his dream guest on “Moby Dick.”

All 15 celebrity guest appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s final episode:

• Bryan Cranston

• Paul Rudd

• Tim Meadows

• Teague Notaro

• Ryan Reynolds

• Neil deGrasse Tyson

• Jon Stewart

• Andy Cohen

• Elijah Wood

  Fifth Commando:

• jimmy fallon

• jimmy kimmel

• Seth Meyers

Other musical performances:

• Elvis Costello

• Jon Baptiste

Also appearing on the final episode were Colbert’s Late Night counterparts from other networks. The group of hosts, made up of Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, John Oliver and Colbert, dubbed each other the “Strike Five” after podcasts produced during the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.

Other celebrity cameos include Jon Stewart, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Andy Cohen and Elijah Wood, who appeared with Commando 5 in a sketch about a wormhole at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

Before the final musical performance from Colbert’s final guest, the host performed Costello’s “Jump Up” with Elvis Costello, Jon Batiste and bandleader Louis Cato. Batiste served as Colbert’s bandleader and musical director during the show’s first seven years (2015 to 2022).

None other than Sir Paul McCartney. The rock star offered to stand in for Leo XIV and presented Colbert with a framed photo of the Beatles’ first performance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1964. The theater was renamed the Ed Sullivan Theatre, and the stage where Colbert recorded his performance was located in the same studio as The Beatles’ performances, which is credited with launching the British invasion of pop music. McCartney was 21 at the time and Colbert was not yet born.

McCartney, 83, just wrapped up his “Got Back” tour to promote his new album “The Boys of Dungeon Lane,” and shared memories of an appearance on “The Sullivans.”

McCartney was also Colbert’s final musical guest, performing the Beatles’ hit “Hello and Goodbye” with Costello and Baptiste. Cato succeeded Batiste as the show’s frontman in 2022 and performed with his Great Big Joy Machine band.

CBS will fill the void of “Late Night” with “Comic Unleashed,” in which comedians share stories. Host Byron Allen vows to avoid politics.