James Lipton, the revered host and personality behind Inside the Actors Studio, has died.
According to a report from TMZ, Lipton died at home Monday morning at the age of 93.
"There are so many James Lipton stories but I'm sure he would like to be remembered as someone who loved what he did and had tremendous respect for all the people he worked with," Lipton's wife Kedakai Turner told the outlet on Monday.
Inside the Actors Studio was created by Lipton and debuted in 1994, with Paul Newman serving as the inaugural guest. Meryl Streep, Samuel L. Jackson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Williams, Dave Chappelle, Daniel Radcliffe, and Chris Rock would go on to appear on the series known for Lipton's calm and well-researched interviewing methods. In 2018, Lipton stepped down from his role as host of the classic series.
"It'd very gratifying to see the legacy of Inside The Actors Studio being carried forward for a new generation to appreciate and enjoy," Lipton said when announcing his decision to close that chapter of his life.
Back in 2017, Lipton spoke at length with Deadline to reflect on Inside's decades-strong track record of incredible interviews. Asked to name some of his favorite moments from the show, Lipton made a point to mention Chappelle.
"Big favorite of mine, big favorite of our public who arrived late the night of the episode at about 11 o'clock, because he was flying from Ohio and they were grounded for a while," he recalled. "The audience waited—they stayed with us until 2:30, and it was 3 o’clock in the morning when they finally left. I remember that with great excitement. That was an extraordinary night."
In addition to his Inside the Actors Studio legacy, Lipton also boasted a number of writing and acting credits, including a five-episode appearance on Arrested Development.
Lipton's writing credits included The Guiding Light, The Best of Everything, The Edge of Night, Another World, and more.
The revered film voice was also famously portrayed by Will Ferrell on Saturday Night Live, with the recurring sketch ultimately getting a co-sign from Lipton himself.
RIP to the GOAT.
