Interviewing some of the biggest stars in Hollywood for over two decades can seem a towering task. But for James Lipton, it was just another day at the office. The host and executive producer of the series Inside The Actor’s Studio passed away on March 2 at the age of 93, according to our sister site Variety. Over his career, James interviewed everyone from the likes of modern day celebs like Scarlett Johannson to classic Hollywood stars like Paul Newman, beloved personalities and dynamite talents like Robin Williams, and even the cast of Family Guy in character! Over the course of his time hosting the show, James did over 200 interviews with various actors, actresses, and artistic professionals. Here are five things to know about James Lipton.
1) James hosted and executive produced Inside The Actors Studio for over two decades. Inside The Actors Studio premiered its very first episode on June 12, 1994. James’s first guest on the show was actor Alec Baldwin, whom he interviewed about his career and acting choices. The series went on until it’s very last episode on Dec. 15, 2019. James’s last guest on his show was Oscar winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, who was interviewed by Emmy winner Uzo Aduba.
2) James hosted one of the most memorable moments on the show. While Inside The Actor’s Studio allowed the opportunity for audiences to better understand the actors and actresses they so often saw on-screen, it also opened up Q&A sessions with budding talent. During the Jan. 17, 1999 episode with actor Sean Penn, a now-familiar face stuck out in the audience. Bradley Cooper was among the students who James allowed to ask Sean a slew of questions about his work. You can see the excerpt from the episode below.
James Lipton has died at the age of 93
I’ve seen every ‘Inside the Actors Studio’ episode and enjoyed the way Lipton conversed with his guests with such ease
One of my favorites is the cast of ‘Family Guy’ bring interviewed as their characters … still gives me a chuckle #RIP
— T̷R̷O̷Y̷ ̷H̷U̷G̷H̷E̷S̷ (@TommySledge) March 2, 2020
3) James was often parodied on a number of shows. During his time on Saturday Night Live, Will Ferrell did a memorable, exaggerated impression of James while hosting Inside The Actor’s Studio. It’s one of Will’s most enduring performances from the sketch comedy show, and he would reprise the role often. James also played himself in a number of series and films, including Glee, the film adaptation of Bewitched, and The Simpsons.
4) He earned a lot of awards recognition. James won one Emmy in 2013 for Inside The Actor’s Studio. Over the course of his career, he was nominated roughly 20 times. He also earned three Producers Guild of America nominations for the series, as well as two Critics’ Choice TV Award nominations and one win.
5) He is survived by his second wife. James was married twice in his life. He was married to actress Nina Foch from 1954-1959 and then to Kedakai Turner in 1970.
