CNN, Variety announce lineup for new season of ‘Actors on Actors’

CNN and Variety revealed today the full lineup for the Variety-CNN version of “Actors on Actors,” the Emmy Award-winning interview franchise slated to begin its new season Dec. 5, 2025.

This marks the first season under the recently announced collaboration between CNN and Variety, with all-new episodes debuting exclusively for subscribers of CNN’s new streaming offering before premiering across Variety’s digital platforms.

“With exclusive revelations from Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Jennifer Lawrence, Dwayne Johnson, Michael B. Jordan, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Ethan Hawke and more, this is our best season of ‘Actors on Actors’ yet,” said Ramin Setoodeh, Variety’s co-editor in chief and co-president, in a statement. “We can’t wait for fans of this Emmy-winning series to savor every minute of these conversations on CNN and Variety.”

“Variety & CNN Actors on Actors” will begin rolling out on Dec. 5, with one conversation premiering each day for 13 consecutive days. Full episodes will debut on CNN at 9:00am Eastern, followed by a 3 p.m. premiere on Variety’s YouTube channel.

Variety’s annual Actors on Actors print issue will hit newsstands on Dec. 10th 7, 2025.

The “Variety & CNN Actors on Actors” pairings include:

• Friday, December 5: Ariana Grande (Wicked: For Good) and Adam Sandler (Jay Kelly)
• Saturday, December 6: Julia Roberts (After the Hunt) and Sean Penn (One Battle After Another)
• Sunday, December 7: Jonathan Bailey (Wicked: For Good, Jurassic World Rebirth) and David Corenswet (Superman)
• Monday, December 8: Dwayne Johnson (The Smashing Machine) and Brendan Fraser (Rental Family)
• Tuesday, December 9: Gwyneth Paltrow (Marty Supreme) and Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein)
• Wednesday, December 10: Cynthia Erivo (Wicked: For Good) and Hugh Jackman (Song Sung Blue)
• Thursday, December 11: Sydney Sweeney (Christy) and Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon)
• Friday, December 12: Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value) and Alexander Skarsgård (Pillion)
• Saturday, December 13: Michael B. Jordan (Sinners) and Jesse Plemons (Bugonia)
• Sunday, December 14: Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue) and Jeremy Allen White (Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere)
• Monday, December 15: Oscar Isaac (Frankenstein) and Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another)
• Tuesday, December 16: Colin Farrell (Ballad of a Small Player) and Jessie Buckley (Hamnet)
• Wednesday, December 17: Jennifer Lawrence (Die My Love) and Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another)

Throughout the season, CNN entertainment correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister will present exclusive content across CNN’s platforms, spotlighting the participants and the conversations that define Variety & CNN Actors on Actors.

“Variety & CNN Actors on Actors” is executive produced by Ramin Setoodeh and Donna Pennestri for Variety along with Amy Entelis and Roxanna Sherwood for CNN Originals.

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A selection of episodes from previous seasons of “Actors on Actors” are available to stream now for CNN’s streaming subscribers on CNN.com and CNN’s connected TV and mobile apps.