Ovation TV has acquired the long-running interview series Inside The Actors Studio and will launch a new season in 2019 from New York City, the network and the Actors Studio announced Monday.
The series -- which has aired on Bravo since 1994 -- will feature a rotation of hosts as part of its new iteration, ending the run of James Lipton, the show’s original host, creator and executive producer. Along with new episodes, and changing the scene to New York from Los Angeles, Ovation has also secured content from the Actors Studios’ extensive library of episodes, said Ovation.
The series, which has received 20 Emmy nominations, has featured interviews with such actors and directors as Sally Field, Ellen Burstyn, Alec Baldwin, Bradley Cooper, Brad Pitt, Sidney Pollack, Carol Burnett, Jessica Lange, Julia Roberts, Willem Dafoe, Billy Crystal, Shirley MacLaine, Meryl Streep, Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, Jeremy Irons, Barbra Streisand, Clint Eastwood, Al Pacino, George Clooney and Angelina Jolie.
“Inside The Actors Studio is a series that fits perfectly with Ovation’s mission to provide viewers with diverse arts programming, and we’re doing it from the heart of New York City with the support of our partners at AT&T-DirecTV, Comcast, Charter, Verizon Fios and independent cable operators across the country,” Ovation CEO Charles Segars said in a statement.
Bravo also released a statement: "Inside the Actors Studio was Bravo’s first original series, getting 19 Emmy nominations and an Emmy win over the last 24 years, and it will always be a part our family. We’ve had a legendary run with Jim and we’ve all enjoyed his unique interview style, comprehensive research, intimate conversations and his impact on pop culture. With Jim at the helm, the series became a must stop for A-List Hollywood and creative talent. Now that there will be a new host, we felt it was time to close this chapter and pass the baton.”
