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Isabela Merced hilariously trolls Jimmy Fallon in her late-night debut© Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Image

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Isabela Merced hilariously trolls Jimmy Fallon in her late-night debut

Merced brought up a hilarious story involving Nicole Kidman


Maria Loreto
Senior Writer
MAY 21, 2025 2:55 PM EDT

Isabela Merced did her research before her debut on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." The actress, who's entering one of the biggest years of her career with roles in "The Last of Us" and "Superman," attended her first late-night show, teasing some of her projects and what fans can expect in the coming months. Before that, though, she got a few hilarious zingers in. 

Isabela Merced hilariously trolls Jimmy Fallon in her late-night debut© Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Image
Merced had her late night debut last night

Merced sat down to discuss the season finale of "The Last of Us," which airs next Sunday. Fallon discussed his experience playing the video game, describing it as one of the scariest ones he's ever played. 

“Was that the game you were playing when you bombed your date with Nicole Kidman?” said Merced, prompting laughs and gasps from the audience. 

Fallon was silent. "It's a pleasure meeting you, we're out of time," he said, prompting more laughs from the audience. He later revealed that the game he was playing was actually Mario Kart. 

Merced reminded Fallon of one of the funniest and most awkward moments in his show's history© Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Image
Merced reminded Fallon of one of the funniest and most awkward moments in his show's history

Merced quoted one of the funniest and most-watched moments in The Tonight Show's history, when Kidman was a guest on Fallon's show and discussed the time when a mutual friend set them up. While Kidman thought the two were going on a date, Fallon thought the meeting was a business opportunity. So he spent the meeting playing video games. "It was bad," said Kidman memorably.

You can check out Merced's full clip below: 

Isabela Merced Calls Jimmy Out for Failed Nicole Kidman Date; Talks The Last of Us (Extended)

More about 'The Last of Us' finale

This weekend, Merced is starring in the final episode of the second season of "The Last of Us." "A lot of pieces of the puzzle are gonna come into place. And you're probably gonna want to rewatch it," she said on Fallon. 

This July, Merced is starring in one of her biggest films, "Superman," where she plays Hawkgirl, a superhero and future member of the Justice League. 

How Isabela Merced is preparing to play the iconic Hawkgirl heroine in 'Superman'© Getty Images for IMDb
Merced is starring in 'Superman,' premiering this summer

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