For more than twelve years, James Lipton has sat down with hundreds of the world's most accomplished artists -- ranging from actors and directors to musicians and comedians - for penetrating, fascinating interviews. Lipton's studious research and enlightened curiosity has inspired his guests to open up and confess their deepest thoughts about their craft.

The series premiered with Paul Newman, an Actors Studio alumnus and former president (1982-1994). A partial list of notable featured guests includes Sally Field, Dennis Hopper, Jessica Lange, Christopher Walken, Nathan Lane, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Whoopi Goldberg, Jack Lemmon, Gary Sinise, Kathy Bates, Robert De Niro, Susan Sarandon, Meryl Streep, John Hurt, Harrison Ford, Spike Lee, Ed Harris, Ben Affleck, Mike Myers, Antonio Banderas, Kevin Kline, Gene Hackman, Debra Winger, Johnny Depp, Hugh Grant, Richard Gere, Benicio del Toro, Samuel L. Jackson, Sir Ian McKellen, Pierce Brosnan, Juliette Binoche , Martin Scorcese, Edward Norton, Julianne Moore, The Cast of "The Simpsons," Nicholas Cage, Renee Zellweger, Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Angelina Jolie and Al Pacino to name a few.

Hosted by Pace University, each episode is taped before an audience of students at the Michael Schimmel Center of the Arts and is now broadcast in 125 countries. In addition to his duties as host and executive producer, Lipton is also the Dean Emeritus of The Actors Studio.