Stephen Colbert‘s Late Show finale is still six weeks away, but he’s already lined up his next TV role. The host is set to lend his voice to The Testaments, the upcoming The Handmaid’s Tale spinoff—appearing as the voice of “Radio Free America.”
Showrunner Bruce Miller told TV Insider (which broke the news of Colbert’s voice appearance) that Colbert was a natural fit for the role, describing him as an ideal voice to represent free expression within the series’ universe.
Miller added that Colbert had been on his wishlist for the role befoe The Late Show‘s cancellation—though the timing, he acknowledged, ultimately felt serendipitous.
The role continues a tradition established in the original Hulu series, where Oprah Winfrey made a memorable audio-only appearance as a resistance broadcaster for the same station. In the dystopian universe of Gilead, “Radio Free America” serves as a lifeline—delivering updates from the outside world and messages of hope to those still trapped inside the regime.
Set roughly four years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments follows a new generation of young women coming of age under Gilead’s rule. With little memory of life before its rise, they begin to question their future and seek out allies in a system built to control them.
The appearance marks the latest foray into voice acting for Colbert. Earlier this year, he appeared in the Paramount+ series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy as the “Digital Dean of Students,” delivering daily announcements and alerts to cadets.
These roles fit into a long line of voice work for Colbert, who has appeared in animated films like Despicable Me 4, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, and Monsters vs. Aliens, and TV series including Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, The Simpsons, BoJack Horseman, and Rick and Morty. He was also famously one half of The Ambiguously Gay Duo (the “Ace” half, alongside Steve Carell‘s “Gary”).
While Colbert does not appear onscreen in The Testaments, his voice is expected to play a familiar role within the show’s world—offering information, reassurance, and a reminder that resistance still exists beyond Gilead’s borders.
The series, based on Margaret Atwood’s 2019 novel, premieres April 8 on Hulu.
Makes me not want to watch it . Does he know Handmaids was written to be about Islam!