Ethan Hawke crashes Kimmel's opening monologue as host returns after suspension

Ethan Hawke crashed Jimmy Kimmel's opening monologue on Wednesday, stepping onto the stage as Kimmel returned to air after a week-long suspension over comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk's alleged assassination. The moment interrupted the late-night host's reentry into the spotlight, setting a playful but pointed tone for a show that also tackled national headlines. Hawke then joined a lineup that included Lisa Ann Walter and musical guest YUNGBLUD as the episode opened.

During the segment leading into the on-air reunion, Kimmel thanked more than 400 entertainers, actors, writers, directors, and producers who signed a letter from the ACLU in support of the show. A crew member handed Kimmel the letter already bearing signatures, including from Ben Affleck and Brad Pitt, to show the audience. Hawke, 54, unexpectedly walked out and told Kimmel in person that it was “an honor to sign this letter.” Kimmel then tried to locate Hawke's name on the document, only to learn he hadn’t signed it at all. Hawke produced a pen and quickly added his signature below Tom Hanks' name, while Kimmel, with his back turned, quipped that he hadn’t been aware Hawke would sign. “I think I signed it twice. There’s like 400 names on there! It doesn’t matter. You don’t see my name?” Hawke said he would have signed it, but noted, “I’m not the type of guy to bet on a three legged horse with broken ankles.” Kimmel responded that he wouldn’t hold it against the actor but left the audience to decide whether Hawke should be allowed back on the show. The moment set up a broader conversation about accountability and free expression on late-night television.

The interview portion that followed included Hawke discussing auditioning for the late Robert Redford. Meanwhile, Kimmel used the monologue to deliver pointed jokes about President Donald Trump, and he shared humorous text messages from co-workers whose families were reacting to the suspension and return. One text joked about whether Kimmel works for Fallon; another referenced the possibility of the show being canceled or replaced. The staff texts provided a humorous, backstage counterpoint to the public controversy, illustrating the roller-coaster nature of late-night television in a charged political moment.

Kimmel also thanked friends who texted him about the show’s return and noted a compassionate gesture from Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, who reportedly sent an ice-cream truck to the studio. “It’s honestly very thoughtful,” Kimmel said, adding that Guillermo, the show’s security dog, helped deliver the gag by reacting to the truck as it arrived. The host also addressed the ongoing political debate surrounding his return, including Trump’s online post suggesting he might sue ABC again over the show’s reinstatement. Kimmel quipped that the president’s post epitomized the ongoing public back-and-forth between late-night hosts and political figures.

The night also served as a test of Kimmel’s resilience and the show’s audience. ABC later disclosed that Kimmel’s return had yielded strong ratings, with Monday’s episode drawing about 6.26 million viewers, well above the typical 1.8 million. The network noted that streaming numbers were not included in the official tally, and that Kimmel’s emotionally charged, 20-minute monologue had been viewed on social media more than 25 million times. The return came after Disney suspended the show to avoid inflaming a tense moment in the national conversation, with more than 400 celebrities signing a letter of support from the American Civil Liberties Union. The list included well-known figures such as De Niro, Ariana Grande, Channing Tatum, Tom Hanks, and Zayn Malik, among others, and was circulated in the days leading up to Kimmel’s comeback.

In the wake of the suspension, Kimmel and his team described thoughtful conversations with Disney executives and a commitment to continuing the show’s approach to difficult topics. The network also noted that Sinclair and Nexstar stations, representing about a third of ABC’s affiliates, would not air the program immediately, reflecting ongoing regional considerations about late-night programming in a politically charged climate. During the broadcast, Kimmel reaffirmed that while the moment was fraught with controversy, the show would continue to tackle big issues with humor and nuance, and he paid tribute to Erika Kirk, the widow of the man Kirk’s alleged shooter, for forgiving him at his funeral—a moment Kimmel said deserved emphasis as an act of grace.

As the episode closed, Kimmel again referenced the broader arc of the controversy and thanked the audience for sticking with the show through an emotional week. “I think we’ll be back tomorrow night, see you then,” he concluded. The night’s events underscored the delicate balance late-night hosts strike when politics and pop culture intersect, and highlighted the role of public conversation in a moment when freedom of expression remains a contested arena across media platforms.