Variety and CNN Launch 24th Season of “Actors on Actors” Featuring Emmy Contenders

Variety and CNN have confirmed the rollout of the 24th season of the interview series “Actors on Actors.” The program, which pairs two performers for a one-hour conversation, will debut on June 3, 2026 and run daily through June 15. Episodes premiere at 9 a.m. ET on CNN’s streaming platform (CNN.com/watch) and are rebroadcast at 11:59 p.m. ET on Variety’s YouTube channel.

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The collaboration follows a town-hall interview with Timothée Chalamet in spring 2025 and builds on a long-standing Variety-CNN partnership that began with earlier seasons of the series. The previous season, which spotlighted Oscar-season film performances, generated a record 247 million social views in December 2025, underscoring the format’s strong digital traction.

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• Executive producers: Ramin Setoodeh (Variety co-editor-in-chief & co-president), Amy Entelis (CNN Executive Vice President for Talent, CNN Originals & Creative Development), Donna Pennestri (Variety associate publisher), Roxanna Sherwood (CNN).

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• Networks: Variety (print and digital) and CNN (streaming and broadcast).

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• Featured talent: The season includes 30 actors across 15 pairings, such as Jennifer Aniston with Lisa Kudrow, Kit Harington with Peter Dinklage, Kerry Washington with Tony Goldwyn, and Elizabeth Banks with Josh Hutcherson.

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• Additional production element: The annual “Actors on Actors” TV issue, featuring a portrait by photographer Mary Ellen Matthews, will hit newsstands on June 3.

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• June 3: Jennifer Aniston & Lisa Kudrow

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• June 4: Keke Palmer & Sharon Stone

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• June 5: Kit Harington & Peter Dinklage

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• June 6: Kerry Washington & Tony Goldwyn

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• June 7: Paul Anthony Kelly & Patrick Ball

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• June 8: Bowen Yang & Rachel Sennott

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• June 9: Rhea Seehorn & Bryan Cranston

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• June 10: Marcello Hernández & Tracy Morgan

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• June 11: Josh Hutcherson & Elizabeth Banks

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• June 12: Noah Wyle & Sally Field

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• June 13: Claire Danes & Richard Gadd

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• June 14: Colman Domingo & Sarah Pidgeon

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• June 15: Jamie Lee Curtis & Mariska Hargitay

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• 30 actors participating across 15 episodes.

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• 247 million social media views recorded for the prior season, indicating high audience engagement.

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• Episodes released twice daily on separate platforms to maximize viewership.

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Variety’s Ramin Setoodeh highlighted the partnership’s renewal after a successful town-hall event, emphasizing expectations that the interviews will “go viral” and showcase reunions of iconic series casts. CNN’s Amy Entelis framed the collaboration as an expansion of audience connection, noting that “Actors on Actors” delivers “conversation-driving programming” that resonates with CNN subscribers and generates lasting cultural impact. Both executives expressed confidence that the series will spotlight this year’s Emmy contenders and reinforce the brands’ influence in entertainment journalism.

Variety Magazine

• “Following our town hall event with Timothée Chalamet last spring, Variety is thrilled to once again partner with CNN on the latest season of Actors on Actors,” said Ramin Setoodeh, Variety co-editor-in-chief and co-president. “These interviews are sure to go viral in the days to come, and we can’t wait for viewers to watch this year’s Emmys contenders in insightful and electrifying conversations that include reunions with the stars of ‘Friends,’ ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Scandal’ and ‘The Hunger Games.’.”

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• “This collaboration with Variety allows us to expand how we connect audiences with the talent and stories shaping the entertainment landscape,” said Amy Entelis, executive vice president for talent, CNN Originals and creative development for CNN Worldwide. “*Actors on Actors* continues to deliver distinctive, conversation-driving programming that resonates with CNN’s subscribers and generates lasting cultural impact.”

Variety Magazine