LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY FIRST GUEST IS AN EMMY AWARD-WINNING

ACTOR YOU KNOW FROM "BIG LITTLE LIES," "TWIN PEAKS," AND

"JURASSIC PARK."

SHE JUST WON A GOLDEN GLOBE FOR HER ROLE IN "MARRIAGE STORY."

PLEASE WELCOME TO "THE LATE SHOW," LAURA DERN.

♪ ♪ ♪ ( APPLAUSE )

>> WOW!

I LOVE-- I LOVE BEING HERE.

>> Stephen: HOW DELIGHTFUL.

SO NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE YOU.

AND I LOVE BEING A SURPRISE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, ALL.

>> Stephen: CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GOLDEN GLOBE.

>> THANK YOU!

>> Stephen: FOR "MARRIAGE STORY."

>> THANK YOU!

>> Stephen: WELL DESERVED.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Stephen: IS THAT-- IS THAT FUN?

I'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE GOLDEN GLOBES BECAUSE OUR SHOW-- THEY

DON'T HAVE A CATEGORY FOR US.

>> I MEAN, IT'S SO FUN.

ROBERT De NIRO WAS SITTING RIGHT BEHIND ME.

HOW CAN IT NOT BE FUN?

YOU'RE SEEING PEOPLE WHO ARE SUCH ICONS AND IDOLS TO YOU.

>> Stephen: LAURA DERN.

>> I MEAN, COME ON!

I SAW MYSELF.

I WAS JUST FREAKED OUT AND THRILLED.

NO, BUT IT IS AMAZING, YOU KNOW, TO BE-- I'M SUCH A FAN OF

"FLEABAG" "SUCCESSION," SO SEEING THE CAST OF THESE SHOWS

WAS SO EXCITING.

>> Stephen: "MARRIAGE STORY" IS ONE OF THE MOST MOVING,

HEARTBREAKING, FUNNY, AND BEAUTIFUL MOVIES I'VE SEEN IN

YEARS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERFORMANCE, AND FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN

IT.

I KNOW THAT NOEL BAUMBACH-- >> THANK YOU.

>> Stephen: ( APPLAUSE ).

>> Stephen: IF I HAVE THIS CORRECTLY THAT NOEL BAUMBACH

ACTUALLY INVOLVED THE PERFORMERS IN SORT OF THE-- IN

CONVERSATIONS BEFORE THE SCRIPT WAS COMPLETED, WHILE IT WAS

STILL BEING DEVELOPED.

>> HE DID, WHICH WAS AMAZING.

>> Stephen: WHAT DID YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT?

>> YOU KNOW, WE STARTED -- IT WAS WITH MYSELF, ADAM DRIVER,

AND SCARLETT JOHANSSON, WHO ARE INCREDIBLE IN THIS FILM.

AND WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS, AND NOAH

SAID HE WANTED TO MAKE A LOVE STORY.

AND OVER THE COURSE OF SOME MONTHS, HE AND I HAD DINNER, AND

I REMEMBER HIM SAYING, "I THINK I WANT TO TELL A LOVE STORY

THROUGH THE LENS OF DIVORCE," WHICH I THOUGHT WAS INCREDIBLY

BOLD AND QUITE A TERRIFYING THING TO PULL OFF, WHICH HE'S

SUCH A METICULOUS WRITER, HE DID SO PERFECTLY.

AND THEN HE SAID, "I THINK I WANT YOU TO PLAY THE DIVORCE

LAWYER," AND OUR CONVERSATIONS GREW FROM THERE, WHICH WAS

AMAZING.

>> Stephen: TO BE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS,

AND THEN FINALLY SEE THE SCRIPT MUST HAVE BEEN FASCINATING.

WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU FINALLY READ THE SCRIPT?

>> SOBBED FOR 15 MINUTES.

ON HIS VOICE MAIL, IN FACT.

I MEAN, I WAS-- I WAS WEEPING BECAUSE THE MOVIE THAT YOU SEE

IS THE SCRIPT WE WERE GIVEN.

EACH LINE, HOW I TAKE MY HIGH HEELS OFF-- I MEAN, EVERYTHING

WAS DESCRIBED FLAWLESSLY.

AND RIGHT BEFORE I READ IT, I REMEMBER HIM SAYING, "I WANT TO

MAKE A MOVIE TO REMIND US THAT ENDINGS AREN'T FAILURES."

AND THAT ALREADY MADE ME CRY.

I FELT SO MOVED BY THAT.

AND HE REALLY HAS MADE THAT FILM.

SO IT WAS AMAZING.

>> Stephen: WE HAVE A CLIP HERE OF YOU TALKING TO SCARLET'S

CHARACTER-- WHAT'S THE ACTUAL MOMENT HERE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO

HAVEN'T SEEN IT?

>> FOR THE MOST HERE, MY CHARACTER YOU'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW

AS A PRETTY PARTICULAR DIVORCE LAWYER, VERY MANIPULATIVE NSOME

WAYS, TO WINT CASE.

BUT HERE, THEY'RE DOING A SORT OF TRIAL ON HOW YOU SHOULD BE

WITH A MEADEATOR AND CONVERSE AND SHARE WHO ARE YOU AS A

MOTHER.

AND IT'S IN A WAY MY CHARACTER'S ORIGIN STORY ABOUT HOW SHE GOT

INTO THIS BUSINESS TO SORT OF PROTECT WOMEN AND MOTHERS'

VOICES IN FAMILY COURT.

BUT SHE GETS VERY CLEAR ABOUT HOW WOMEN ARE MEASURED UP-- OR

MOTHERS, COMPARED TO FATHERS.

>> Stephen: JIM.

>> LET'S FACE IT, THE IDEA OF A GOOD FATHER WAS ONLY INVENTED,

LIKE, 30 YEARS AGO.

BEFORE THAT, FATHERS WERE EXPECTED TO BE SILENT AND ABSENT

AND UNRELIABLE AND SELFISH.

WE CAN ALL SAY WE WANT THEM TO BE DIFFERENT, BUT ON SOME BASIC

LEVEL, WE ACCEPT THEM.

WE LOVE THEM FOR THEIR FALLIBILITIES, BUT PEOPLE

ABSOLUTELY DON'T ACCEPT THOSE SAME FEELINGS IN MORPGZ WE DON'T

ACCEPT IT STRUCTURALLY, AND WE DON'T ACCEPT IT SPIRITUALLY.

BECAUSE THE BASE OF OUR JUDEO-CHRISTIAN-- WHATEVER-- IS

MARRY MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS, AND SHE'S PERFECT.

SHE'S A VIRGIN WHO GIVES BIRTH!

( APPLAUSE ) >> IT'S JUST SUCH --

>> Stephen: YEAH.

>> IT'S SUCH BRILLIANT WRITING, AND AS, YOU KNOW, AN ACTOR IT'S

LIKE A CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO GET A TREAT LIKE THAT.

MY GOD.

>> Stephen: I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT HERE TO JUST GUSH BRIEFLY

ABOUT ANOTHER AMAZING FILM YOU'RE IN THIS YEAR, "LITTLE

WOMEN."

>> YES.

( APPLAUSE ) SO BEAUTIFUL.

>> Stephen: AGAIN, ANOTHER AMAZING CAST OF PEOPLE.

>> INCREDIBLE.

>> Stephen: INCREDIBLE DIRECTOR, TOO?

>> INCREDIBLE, ALSO WRITER, DIRECTOR, WHO HAPPENS TNT

PARTNER OF THE WRITER, DIRECTOR YOU JUST SAW.

I SPENT MY YEAR WITH NOEL BAUMBACH AND GRETA GERWIG WHO

ARE ALSO A COUPLE.

>> Stephen: HAVE THEY ADOPTED YOU?

>> YES, 100%.

THEY MAY NOT HAVE WANTED TO, BUT, YES, IN FACT, I MIGHT MOVE

IN.

>> Stephen: WHAT WAS IT LIKE-- IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT,

BESIDES BEING A BEAUTIFUL STORY, AND A VERY GENTLE AND

HEARTWARMING STORY AND HEARTBREAKING AT THE SAME TIME.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT.

IS IT SHOT IN CONCORDE?

>> IT IS.

WE BASICALLY MOVED INTO CONCORDE, MASSACHUSETTS, ALL OF

FALL, WHICH WAS AMAZING, OF LAST YEAR.

SO BEAUTIFUL, WE'RE LITERALLY AT THE HOME OF LOUISA MAY ALCOTT,

WALKING EVERY WEEKEND ON WALDEN POND.

SOMEHOW-- I HAD TO PINCH MYSELF-- MY NEWFOUND FRIEND, WHO

IS MY HERO, MERYL STREEP, WHO I WORKED WITH ON "BIG LITTLE LIES"

JOINED THE CAST, SO WE WERE IN CONCORDE TOGETHER.

>> Stephen: THE SECOND THING YOU'VE DONE WITH HER THIS YEAR.

>> YES, WHICH IS AMAZING!

AND THERE WE ARE HAVING DINNERS AND BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS

INCREDIBLE HISTORIC PLACE.

AND WHEN YOU ARE AND YOU'RE WORKING ON SOMETHING LIKE

"LITTLE WOMEN" YOU NEED TO REALLY STEEP YOURSELF INTO

AMERICAN HISTORY TOND THE STORY YOU'RE TELLING.

SO WHY NOT GO TO YOUR NEIGHBOR, DORIS KERNS GOODWIN.

>> Stephen: SHE WAS LIVING RIGHT BY YOU?

>> YES AND WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT SHE WAS MY NEIGHBOR, THANK GOD

SHE AND HER SON LET ME BECOME LIKE FAMILY WITH THEM.

BUT ALL I KEPT THINKING WAS, "APOLOGIES TO DORIS KERNS

GOODWIN."

THIS IS -- >> Stephen: DEEP CUT FOR

"COLBERT REPORT" FANS.

LITERALLY THE LAST JOKE WE DID ON THE OLD SHOW.

HAD YOU WORKED WITH MERRILL BEFORE?

>> JUST ON "BIG LITTLE LIES."

THAT WAS IT.

SO MY WHOLE LIFE, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS A HERO TO ME.

AND THEN ON "BIG LITTLE LIES," I WAS SO EXCITED, ALL I WANTED TO

DO WAS PAY TRIBUTE TO HER, BOW AT HER FEET, OR CUSS HER OUT IN

A STARBUCKS WHICH IS WHAT I HAD TO DO.

DO.

>> Stephen: I WANT TO CATCH UP ON A NEWS STORY THAT KIND OF GOT

AWAY FROM US THAT YOU WERE PART OF.

IT'S A BIG NEWS STORY.

BABY YODA IS A BIG DEAL THIS YEAR.

AND YOU WERE ON A RED CAERPT-- WHAT WAS THAT FOR?

DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THAT WAS FOR?

>> THE GOTHAM AWARDS.

>> Stephen: THE GOTHAM AWARDS.

ON THE GOTHAM AWARDS YOU WERE ASKED ABOUT BABY YODA.

DO YOU LIKE BABY YODA?

AND DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU SAID?

YOU SAW HIM-- >> AT A BASKETBALL GAME.

>> Stephen: AND PEOPLE WEREN'T SURE WHAT TO MAKE OF IT.

AND THIS CAUSED HEADLINES, A LOT OF HEADLINES.

AND THIS CAUSED HEADLINES, A LOT OF HEADLINES.

( LAUGHTER ) ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ).

>> Stephen: SO, CLEARLY, THE PEOPLE-- THE PEOPLE, ANDREY

DERKOTCH THE PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW, WHAT DID YOU MEAN?

DID YOU SEE BABY YODA AT A BASKETBALL GAME?

>> I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THIS, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN IN THIS

BUSINESS FOR A LONG TIME NOW.

>> Stephen: SURE.

>> AND I WAS RAISED BY ACTORS.

THERE CAN BE A FRENZY WHEN PEOPLE ARE FRIENDS OR HAVE SOME

KIND OF RELATIONSHIP, AND PEOPLE WANT TO WONDER.

YOU KNOW?

AND -- >> Stephen: HE'S A STAR,

YOU'RE A STAR, AND YOU'VE BEEN SEEN TOGETHER AT BASKETBALL

GAMES.

>>UN -- >> Stephen: ANYTHING?

>> I MEAN, HE'S, AS A BABY, HE'S A 50-YEAR-OLD BABY.

SO I MEAN, IT'S NOT INAPPROPRIATE.

IT'S A PERFECT -- >> Stephen: SURE, SURE, NO ONE

IS GOING TO ACCUSE YOU OF ROBBING THE CRADLE.

>> AND I SAID TO MY FRIENDS, THE NEXT MAN I AM WITH I WANT TO BE

INCREDIBLY WISE, GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR.

I DON'T MIND BEING THE TALLER ONE.

>> Stephen: I'M SURE YOU HAD TO DO THAT A LOT IN YOUR CAREER.

>> I NEVER MENTIONED GREEN, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING

TO GET.

>> Stephen: AND THOSE EYES.

>> THOSE EYES!

I CAN'T TELL YOU.

WHEN YOU SAY, "I JUST WANT YOU TO LOOK INTO MY EYES FOREVER,"

HE'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE DOING THAT.

>> Stephen: LAURA, GOOD LUCK.

GIVE MY BEST TO BABY YODA.

>> I WILL.

>> Stephen: "MARRIAGE STORY" IS ON NETFLIX NOW.

LAURA DERN, EVERYBODY!

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH KESHA.