Variety & CNN Actors on Actors S1:E9

Ariana Grande and Adam Sandler

What do Ariana Grande ('Wicked: For Good') & Adam Sandler ('Jay Kelly') have to talk about? Quite a lot, it turns out, as these two comic performers share charmingly earnest chemistry.

Julia Roberts and Sean Penn

Oscar winners Julia Roberts & Sean Penn are longtime friends and neighbors - yet neither one recognized each other in their transformative 2025 performances. Now, they're opening up about their career trajectories and most famous roles.

David Corenswet and Jonathan Bailey

2025's defining heartthrobs Jonathan Bailey ('Wicked: For Good') & David Corenswet ('Superman') reflect on playing Oz's and Krypton's most celebrated charmers and get real about ambition, auditions, and the roles ahead.

Dwayne Johnson and Brendan Fraser

Years after meeting on set of 'The Mummy Returns,' Hollywood leading man Dwayne Johnson & Oscar winner Brendan Fraser reflect on their careers thus far, showing that their bond is as strong as ever.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Jacob Elordi

As Gwyneth Paltrow makes a return to theaters, she shares her enthusiasm for the craft of movie-making with an admiring Jacob Elordi, who opens up about becoming Frankenstein's monster for Guillermo del Toro.

Cynthia Erivo and Hugh Jackman

Theater veterans and defining voices in Hollywood Cynthia Erivo & Hugh Jackman discuss the joys of performing and their new movies - a blockbuster sequel for Erivo and a heartfelt Neil Diamond musical for Jackman.

Sydney Sweeney and Ethan Hawke

Sydney Sweeney & Ethan Hawke both played real-life figures in 2025 - Sweeney the boxer Christy Martin, Hawke the songwriter Lorenz Hart. They share their enthusiasm for transformation in a freewheeling conversation.

Alexander Skarsgård and Stellan Skarsgård

Stellan Skarsgård plays a complicated artist father in 'Sentimental Value.' In real life, he's the patriarch to a family of actors, including eldest son Alexander. The pair speak about family legacy and their awards-season rivalry.

Kate Hudson and Jeremy Allen White

Kate Hudson & Jeremy Allen White both had to master the modern American songbook - Hudson to play a Neil Diamond cover artist, and White to play The Boss himself. What does it take for an actor to become a singer? They explain it all.

Oscar Isaac and Teyana Taylor

Oscar Isaac & Teyana Taylor are both starstruck, sharing admiration for each other's work, from Isaac's performances in 'Star Wars' and 'Dune', to Taylor's breakout role in 'One Battle After Another'.

Colin Farrell and Jessie Buckley

Colin Farrell & Jessie Buckley would be the first to tell you the Irish have a tradition of storytelling. They share tales of transforming into a gambling addict for 'Ballad of a Small Player' and Shakespeare's grieving wife in 'Hamnet.'

Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio

Jennifer Lawrence's favorite movie of the year was 'One Battle After Another.' So it was only fair to give her the opportunity to interrogate its star, Leonardo DiCaprio, in her classic uninhibited and boundaryless style.