5 Late night TV guests to watch this week – January 25, 2021
By Matt Moore
It’s the final week of January and what a month it has been. Late night TV will do its best to end things with a bang and should get some help from this week’s lineup of celebrity guests.
Unsurprisingly, most of the month was spent covering the assault on the Capitol, former President Donald Trump’s final days in office, and the inauguration of President Joe Biden. Late night TV reflected this in monologues, special episodes, and politically-minded guests.
Expect late night TV to change gears this week, at least when it comes to the guests. There is only a couple of guests from politics on the schedule. Much of the focus will be on the entertainment industry ahead of some pretty big television and film releases.
With that being said, here are Last Night On’s picks for five late night TV guests that fans won’t want to miss. Be sure to let us know who you’ll be tuning in to watch.
Late night TV guests to watch: Serena Williams
Start your week with one of the most dominant athletes in the history of sports. Tennis superstar Serena Williams comes to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Monday, Jan. 25.
Williams is next scheduled to be back on the court in Feb. for the 2021 Australian Open. She is currently quarantining in Australia with her family ahead of the tournament’s start. A victory will make her the first tennis player to win Grand Slam singles title in four different decades.
Off the court, Williams is ready to promote her collection for the luggage and accessories brand Away. The world’s travel plans may be on hold right now but Williams is ready to equip travelers once things get back to normal.
Expect Colbert to ask Williams about training for the Australian Open with everything going on as well as to talk about the tennis star’s life and interests outside of the sport.
Late night TV guests to watch: Jason Segel
Jason Segel continues his promotional tour around late night TV. Catch him on Conan on Tuesday, Jan. 26.
As a reminder, we are now in the final six months of Conan O’Brien’s career as a late night host. Conan is set to end in June and then O’Brien will launch a new variety show on HBO Max. That means that fans will want to enjoy as many episodes as they can before then.
It helps when guests like Jason Segel are on the schedule. He has a history of entertaining appearances and Tuesday night should be no different. Segel will be promoting his film Our Friend co-starring Casey Affleck and Dakota Johnson.
Late night TV guests to watch: Viggo Mortensen
One of the finest actors around will check in with Stephen Colbert this week. You can see Viggo Mortensen on The Late Show on Thursday, Jan. 28.
Mortensen makes this list for one major reason: The Lord of the Rings. We know that Colbert is an expert on all things J.R.R. Tolkien and loves any chance he gets to show off that knowledge. Even though this isn’t the first time Colbert has interviewed Mortensen, there is still a good chance that the Late Show host asks about Aragorn.
Mortensen will be on the show to discuss his directorial debut Falling. He also stars in the film about a gay man who is forced to take care of his homophobic father suffering from dementia. It is set to be released in the U.S. on Feb. 5.
Late night TV guests to watch: Ryan Shazier
Late Night with Seth Meyers welcomes an inspirational figure from the world of sports this week. Watch former NFL linebacker Ryan Shazier on Thursday, Jan. 28.
Shazier was a standout player for the Pittsburgh Steelers whose career was cut short following a spinal injury. After undergoing spinal stabilization surgery and learning how to walk again, Shazier retired from the NFL in Sep. 2020.
But Shazier has been busy since his retirement. He returned to Ohio State University to finish his degree, started the nonprofit organization the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation, and hosts the web series “Ryan Shazier’s 50 Phenoms” for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center profiling individuals battling medical conditions.
Expect Meyers, a lifelong Steelers fan, to ask about Shazier’s journey and his recovery. Shazier’s accomplishments off the field should also get a lot of attention.
Late night TV guests to watch: Justin Timberlake
End your week of late night TV with one of the best combinations in the business. Justin Timberlake returns to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Friday, Jan. 29.
The friendship between Timberlake and Fallon needs no introduction. The pair have teamed up for some of the best bits and sketches in Tonight Show history since Fallon took over. It has been a while since Timberlake has been on the show so expect them to make up for lost time and do something special.
In the interview, Fallon will likely ask Timberlake about his experience performing for President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Then, the singer/actor will promote his new film Palmer coming to Apple TV+ on Jan. 29.
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Who are you most excited to see this week? Check out the complete lineup of late night guests right here. Be sure to check back with Last Night On for all the highlights.