Meryl Streep reads from John Lithgow's "Trumpty Dumpty" book on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on September 30, 2020.
CNN  — 

John Lithgow appeared remotely on Wednesday’s “Late Show” with a delightful surprise for Stephen Colbert and his audience.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and John Lithgow during Wednesday\'s September 30, 2020 show. Photo: Best Possible Screen Grab/CBS 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The actor had convinced his pal Meryl Streep to read from his book, “Trumpty Dumpty Wanted A Crown: Verses For A Despotic Age,” and of course the Oscar winner did not disappoint.

Streep read Lithgow’s “The Toreys, also known as “The Tiger King,” to the camera, and brought full drama to the story of a political party that enables a tiger, who becomes king but at a great cost.

Besides Streep, Lithgow has enlisted a number of famous friends to read from the book in what has become a virtual book tour. Samuel L. Jackson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Glenn Close and Whoopi Goldberg have all participated.