Who joined Colbert on finale?

Paul McCartney joined Colbert on the finale

The finale of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Thursday, May 21, included at least one major surprise music moment: Colbert sang a Beatles classic with Paul McCartney.

Beyond McCartney, the broadcast featured multiple surprise celebrity cameos, including a guest that specifically drew attention from viewers: Ryan Reynolds. Separate coverage indicates Reynolds’ appearance was part of the surprise-guest lineup during Colbert’s farewell.

Late-night peers also marked the occasion. Reports in the provided stories say Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel took an unusual step for the final night by closing their own sets and going dark in late-night solidarity.

Taken together, the finale was structured as a highly visible, star-packed goodbye rather than a simple closing monologue—aimed at celebrating Colbert’s run and highlighting his connection to mainstream entertainment.

While the stories confirm McCartney’s participation and specifically flag Reynolds as a notable cameo, details on the full list of every guest brought out during the episode weren’t completely enumerated in the provided text.