Variety is returning to the Sundance Film Festival this year with its annual Interview Studio, presented by Audible, the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling. The studio will begin on Friday, Jan. 24, and run through Sunday, Jan. 26, featuring interviews with leading talent and filmmakers from projects premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Variety & Audible will join forces once again to host two Cocktails & Conversations panel events, providing festival goers an opportunity to listen in on exclusive in-depth conversations from today’s most notable creatives across various entertainment mediums, moderated by Variety journalists.
Confirmed Interview Studio participants include:
Sarah Jessica Parker, executive producer & Kim A. Snyder, director, “The Librarians”
Alia Shawkat, actor, Callum Turner, actor & Hailey Gates, director, writer, “Atropia”
Dev Patel, actor, Rosy McEwen, actor, Jade Croot, actor, and Bryn Chainey, director & writer, “Rabbit Trap”
Dylan O’Brien, actor, Lauren Graham, actor, Aisling Franciosi, actor, and James Sweeney, writer, director and actor, “Twinless”
Marlee Matlin, subject & Shoshannah Stern, director, producer, “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore”
Olivia Colman, actor, John Lithgow, actor, Aud Mason-Hyde, actor and Sophie Hyde, director & writer, “Jimpa”
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, director & producer and Joseph Patel, producer, “Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius)”
James Griffiths, director, Tom Basden, screenwriter & actor, Tim Key, screenwriter & actor and Carey Mulligan, actor, “The Balled of Wallis Island”
Sheryl Lee Ralph, actor, Stephan James, actor, Titus Welliver, actor, and Rashad Frett, director, “Ricky”
Molly Gordon, actor, Logan Lerman, actor, Geraldine Viswanathan, actor, John Reynolds, actor, and Sophie Brooks, director, writer & producer, “Oh, Hi!”
Rose Byrne, actor, Conan O’Brien, actor, and Mary Bronstein, director & writer, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”
Rachel Sennott, actor, Austin Amelio, actor, Perry Yung, actor, and Katarina Zhu, writer & director, “Bunnylovr”
Benedict Cumberbatch, actor, and Dylan Southern, writer & director, “The Thing With Feathers”
Josh O’Connor, actor, Meghann Fahy, actor, Kali Reis, actor, Lily LaTorre, actor and Max Walker-Silverman, director & writer, “Rebuilding”
Finn Wolfhard, actor, Helena Zengel, actor, Emily Watson, actor, and Isaiah Saxon, director & writer, “The Legend of Ochi”
André Holland, producer & actor, Roy Wood Jr., actor, Nicole Beharie, actor, DeWanda Wise, actor, Cassandra Freeman, actor and Rachael Holder, director, “Love, Brooklyn”
Dave Franco, actor, Alison Brie, actor and Michael Shanks, director & writer, “Together”
Jennifer Lopez, actor, Tonatiuh, actor and Bill Condon, director & writer, “Kiss of the Spider Woman”
Bowen Yang, actor, “The Wedding Banquet”
Cooper Raiff, director, writer, creator & actor, Lili Reinhart, actor, Havana Rose Liu, actor, Addison Timlin, actor and Alyah Chanelle Scott, actor, “Hal & Harper”
Jon Hamm, actor, Alia Shawkat, actor, Ana de la Reguera, actor and Aaron Lipstadt, director, “The Big Fix: A Jack Bergin Mystery”
Ronan Farrow, host, “Not a Very Good Murderer”
Russell Tovey, actor, Maria Dizzia, actor, and Carmen Emmi, director & writer, “Plainclothes”
Glenn Kaino, director, producer, Alexys Feaster, executive producer, Afshin Shahidi, executive producer, Jesse Williams, executive producer, “Hoops, Hopes & Dreams”
In addition to the Interview Studio, Variety and Audible will once again host its “Variety x Audible Cocktails & Conversations” events taking place on the evenings of Friday, Jan. 24 and Sunday, Jan. 26. Friday’s panel will feature leading creatives from film, television, audio and beyond for an illuminating discussion on the evolution of storytelling as audiences crave innovative content experiences. Ronan Farrow, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and host of Audible’s “Not a Very Good Murderer”; André Holland, actor and producer of “Love, Brooklyn”; Rachel Ghiazza, chief content officer, Audible; and Titus Welliver, actor, “Ricky” — these industry innovators will explore how they adapt their creative processes to engage modern audiences across entertainment mediums, offering unique insights into the past, present, and future of narrative crafting.
The conversation on Sunday, Jan. 26, will spotlight Audible’s The Big Fix: A Jack Bergin Mystery with stars Jon Hamm, “Mad Men,” “Fargo,” “Grimsburg,” “Your Friends and Neighbors” (upcoming), “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Baby Driver”; Alia Shawkat, “Blink Twice,” “Search Party”; Ana de la Reguera, “Narcos,” “Army of the Dead”; Aaron Lipstadt, producer and director, “The Big Fix”; and Kate Navin, executive producer, “The Big Fix”; and head of creative development for North America, Audible. The panel will discuss the upcoming new installment of Audible’s cinematic audio drama, “The Big Fix,” and how an oft-forgotten, dark moment in L.A. history is brought to light through a captivating detective story and unparalleled immersive audio experience. The new season debuts on Audible on Thursday, April 24.
You can request an invitation to the Cocktails & Conversations panels at the following links: Friday Session & Sunday Session.
Once again, the Audible Listening Lodge will welcome festival attendees throughout the weekend, offering a serene retreat from the hustle and bustle of Sundance. Located on the outside terrace of Kimball Terrace on Main Street, the scenic haven provides a cozy space for film-goers to unwind, connect, and recharge. Visitors will have the opportunity immerse themselves in Audible’s selection of premium podcasts, audiobooks and Originals while enjoying hot and cold beverages and light bites against a spectacular view of the mountains. The Audible Listening Lodge is open to the public Friday, Jan. 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 25 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 26 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Throughout the festival, videos from the interview studio and panels will be distributed across Variety.com as well as Variety and Audible’s social media channels (Instagram: @audible, @Variety; X: @audible_com, @Variety; TikTok: @audible, @VarietyMagazine).
Listeners can discover some of the world’s most groundbreaking storytellers on Audible, featuring curated listens in the spirit of the festival, from Sundance creators, and more: audible.com/sff.
