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Variety and PBS SoCal Announce New Season and Talent Line-up for Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

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Fifth season of actor on actor conversations will premiere on PBS SoCal January 3; clips will stream on Variety.com in November

LOS ANGELES, Calif, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 – Variety and PBS SoCal KOCE announced today the actor lineup and schedule of the fifth season of the LA Area Emmy Award-winning Variety Studio: Actors on Actors, a series co-produced by PBS SoCal. The new season of the series will include exclusive one-on-one conversations with top talent from the year's most notable films, who are expected to contend this awards season. Clips will appear on Variety.com starting at the end of November. Full episodes will premiere on PBS SoCal KOCE on January 3, 4, and 5, 2017 at 7 p.m., and stream on pbssocal.org.

The series features interesting pairings of acclaimed actors talking to each other about their lives, their craft and their careers. This season's actor pairings will include: Viola Davis (Fences) with Tom Hanks (Sully), Natalie Portman (Jackie) with Michelle Williams (Manchester by The Sea), Amy Adams (Arrival, Nocturnal Animals) with Andrew Garfield (Silence, Hacksaw Ridge), Nicole Kidman (Lion) with Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea), Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals) with Adam Driver (Paterson), Emma Stone (LaLa Land) with Molly Shannon (Other People), Dev Patel (Lion) with Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures), Matthew McConaughey (Gold) with Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water), Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures) with Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) with Greta Gerwig (20th Century Women), Annette Bening (20th Century Women) with Naomie Harris (Moonlight), Hugh Grant (Florence Foster Jenkins) with Colin Farrell (The Lobster), Hailee Steinfeld (Edge of Seventeen) with Sally Field (Hello My Name is Doris).

"Once again Variety is excited to showcase outstanding film talent in the 2017 award season race with our two-time Emmy winning series, Actors on Actors. We are proud to partner with PBS SoCal to illuminate these fresh and candid conversations," said Michelle Sobrino-Stearns Variety CRO & Group Publisher.

"Variety Studio: Actors on Actors delivers a unique look into one of our region's most cherished creative industries – and the people who make it special," said Andrew Russell, President & CEO of PBS SoCal. One great value of our Variety partnership is it helps us to bring the West Coast voice to the PBS schedule."

Variety Studio Actors on Actors will be distributed to PBS stations across the nation starting in January (check local listings).

This year's Variety Studio: Actors on Actors lounge and video on variety.com will be presented by The Venetian Las Vegas and sponsored by American Airlines and bobble Presenting sponsor, The Venetian Las Vegas will offer hand-crafted cocktails from its newest lounge, The Dorsey, created by award-winning bartender Sam Ross. The Dorsey is a high-design, memorable cocktail spot for the worldly, curious and engaged. The Venetian will also bring the infectious spirit of Venice to Actors on Actors with 3D printed replicas of artist Laura Kimpton's LOVE installation, currently featured at The Venetian. Kimpton will personalize miniature versions of her piece for each of the actors in attendance. American Airlines will be asking guests of the studio to participate in raising miles for their Miles of Hope program, benefiting Stand Up To Cancer, Susan G. Komen® and the American Red Cross. bobble, a leader in the reusable water bottle category, is providing exclusive Variety-branded bobble Insulate bottles and water refill dispensers so celebrities can stay hydrated - and ditch single-serve waste - during interviews.

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ABOUT VARIETY:
Variety remains the seminal voice of the entertainment industry for 111 years and counting. Featuring award-winning breaking news reporting, insightful award-season coverage, must-read feature spotlights and intelligent analysis of the industry's most prominent players, Variety is the trusted source for the business of global entertainment. Read by a highly engaged audience of industry insiders, Variety's multi-platform content coverage expands across digital, mobile, social, print and branded events and summits. In 2014 and 2015, Variety Studio: Actors on Actors was awarded a Los Angeles Area Emmy Award for Best Entertainment Programming. "Actors on Actors," which is an interview special that features pairings of prominent actors discussing their craft, was produced by PBS SoCal in partnership with Variety Media, LLC. Follow Variety on Facebook facebook.com/variety; Twitter, @variety; Instagram, @Variety; Pinterest and Snapchat. The Variety Group – Variety, Variety.com, Variety Insight, IndieWire, LA 411, NY 411 – is owned by Variety Media, LLC, a division of Penske Media Corporation.

ABOUT PBS SoCal KOCE:
PBS SoCal is the home to PBS for Greater Los Angeles and Southern California. We deliver the full schedule of PBS programs, plus content that is for, about and by the people of Southern California. Our content is available free through three broadcast channels, at pbssocal.org, on our mobile apps, and via connected TV services. And we provide the community with early education resources and cultural and educational experiences through partnerships, events and grassroots outreach. PBS SoCal has offices in Century City, Costa Mesa, and Los Angeles. Connect with us at pbssocal.org and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.

ABOUT THE VENETIAN LAS VEGAS:
Towering at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, The Venetian Las Vegas boasts spacious suites, James Beard award-winning chefs, and world-class entertainment and shopping. Every room, a luxurious suite, is complete with a sunken living room and all marble bath. Carefully curated restaurants offer exceptional dining moments, helmed by celebrated chefs like Thomas Keller, Mario Batali, and Buddy "Cake Boss" Valastro. The resort also features Canyon Ranch SpaClub and wellness center, TAO Beach and Nightclub, the Grand Canal Shoppes retail and Grand Canal gondola rides. The Venetian is home to Sands Expo and Convention Center, creating some of Las Vegas' largest meetings and conventions with the same ease and attention to detail as its most intimate events. For more information, visit venetian.com. The Venetian Las Vegas is a property of global integrated resorts developer Las Vegas Sands Corp (NYSE: LVS).

ABOUT AMERICAN AIRLINES:
American Airlines and American Eagle offer an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. As the preferred airline to the entertainment industry, American is the largest carrier at LAX with up to 225 flights per day, to 70 destinations and the only airline offering access to five continents. American has hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. American is a founding member of the oneworld® alliance, whose members serve more than 1,000 destinations with about 14,250 daily flights to over 150 countries. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL. In 2015, its stock joined the S&P 500 index. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

ABOUT bobble®
Founded in 2009, bobble® is a registered trademark of Seventh Generation Ventures, Inc. and based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The brand lives out its mission to reduce the outrageous waste caused by single-serve, disposable beverages and beverage systems, with products that are sustainable, stylish alternatives to single-serve plastic water bottles and coffee pods or filters. For more information on bobble, visit waterbobble.com.

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