Actors on Actors is getting a bigger stage. Variety‘s Emmy-winning series, which pairs the best performers of the year in unscripted interviews, will air on CNN for the first time.
Under a new partnership, the upcoming 23rd season of Actors on Actors will be co-produced by Variety and CNN. The new episodes premiere on CNN’s new All Access streaming for an exclusive 24-hour window before airing on Variety‘s YouTube page. Episodes will begin to roll out on CNN on Dec. 5 and Variety’s digital channels on Dec. 6.
“Actors on Actors has become a defining driver of the cultural and awards conversation and Variety has built a truly singular format,” said Amy Entelis, executive VP of talent at CNN Originals and creative development for CNN Worldwide. “These interviews exemplify the contemporary, conversation-driven programming that resonates deeply with CNN viewers.”
This year’s lineup, celebrating the best performances in film, will be announced in the coming weeks.
“We are thrilled to bring Variety’s Actors on Actors to CNN, the perfect partner for our award-winning series,” said Ramin Setoodeh, Variety’s co-editor in chief and co-president. “Our next season, in which Hollywood A-listers once again get candid in one-on-one conversations, features some of the most revelatory, intimate and hilarious moments yet. We cannot wait for fans of this franchise to watch — and rewatch — these episodes on CNN’s new streaming offering and on Variety‘s social media channels.”
Actors on Actors will be executive produced by Entelis, Setoodeh, Variety associate publisher Donna Pennestri and CNN’s vice president of original programming Roxanna Sherwood.
A selection of episodes from previous seasons of Actors on Actors — including conversations with Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway; Cillian Murphy and Margot Robbie; Jeffrey Wright and Taraji P. Henson; Colin Farrell and Jamie Lee Curtis; and Paul Mescal and Natalie Portman — are available to stream now on CNN for subscribers of the All Access subscription tier. Last year’s film edition of Actors on Actors generated nearly 200 million social video views and won a Webby Award.