Newport Beach TV Fest Returns With a Star-Powered Lineup

Melia Franks
Jun 3
5 min read

Returning for its second year, the Newport Beach TV Fest spotlights hit shows, new and acclaimed talent and artistic voices from the community to the creators.

Andy Cohen will be honored with Variety’s Creative Impact in Television Award at the Newport Beach TV Fest for his lasting contributions to the television industry as a host, producer and media personality. Photo courtesy of ScenarioPR

The TV stars are coming back to Newport.

From Emmy-winning creators and television icons to reality TV legends, the second annual Newport Beach TV Fest is returning June 4-7 with an expanded lineup for one of Southern California’s most anticipated up-and-coming television celebrations.

CEO and co-founder of the Newport Beach TV Fest, Gregg Schwenk, said the event grew from conversations on how to expand the Newport Beach Film Festival and celebrate the revived “golden age” of television.

Schwenk and Todd Quartararo, founders and directors of the Newport Beach Film Festival, began considering an expansion into television around the festival’s 20th anniversary in 2019.

“Last year, we launched the Newport Beach TV Fest, and we had multiple sellouts, an incredible amount of coverage and just amazing positive feedback,” Schwenk said. “Not only from our audience, but also from our participants, who love the experience.”

After drawing roughly 10,000 attendees to the inaugural event, they expect a similar turnout this year. For only the second annual event, the Newport Beach TV Fest is returning with more ideas, more talent and more opportunities.

Held at the historic, 86-year-old Lido Theater, the four-day festival will bring together some of the industry’s most recognizable names for screenings, conversations, panels and award presentations. The beautifully restored Art Deco theater, a Newport Beach landmark, seats just 500 guests, creating an intimate setting rarely found at television industry events.

"It's automatically a very intimate venue," Schwenk said. "I love the idea of taking what is sort of a passive experience of watching TV or film and making it active. That's what's so neat about this — it's all about hearing directly from the people who have made the magic happen.”

PHOTO 1: Mindy Kaling will receive the Newport Beach TV Fest’s Artist of Distinction Award, recognizing her impact as a writer, producer and creator behind acclaimed series including "Never Have I Ever," "The Mindy Project" and "Running Point." Photo courtesy of Ari Michelson. PHOTO 2: Seth MacFarlane will receive the Newport Beach TV Fest Maverick Award, celebrating his groundbreaking work on "Family Guy," "American Dad!," "The Orville" and "Ted." Photo courtesy of Pamela Littky. PHOTO 3: Ashley Padilla from "Saturday Night Live" will be one of stars honored at the Breakout Award Panel. Photo courtesy of Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC

While the festival’s big names – such as Mindy Kaling, Andy Cohen and Billy Bob Thornton – may be the main attraction, organizers and observers say the benefits extend far beyond the theater doors. Increased hotel bookings, visitor spending and national attention are helping establish Newport Beach as a continuing hub for entertainment events and celebrity-driven tourism.

“Several of the surrounding hotels are fully booked this weekend, including Lido House, the newly debuted Bay Shores Peninsula Hotel, as well as Balboa Bay Resort,” said Caitlin Corbin, director of communications for Visit Newport Beach. “There really is no other weekend besides the film festival where such an incredible celebrity lineup is here in the flesh and really accessible to the public. We're thrilled that these events are not exclusive to guild members. Anyone can buy tickets and get up close and personal with some of their favorite TV stars.”

Georgia Rios, public information manager for Newport Beach's city manager's office, said, "“Events like the Newport Beach TV Fest support the city of Newport Beach’s local economy by attracting visitors, industry professionals and media who drive economic activity for our hotels, restaurants, retailers and other local businesses .... These events not only enhance Newport Beach’s profile as a premier destination but also generate valuable economic activity that benefits businesses throughout the community.”

For Schwenk, the Newport Beach TV Fest is an opportunity to celebrate accessibility, art, community and the natural and manmade Newport beauty.

“One of the things that we wanted to always tout is accessibility,” Schwenk said. “We wanted to build a program that was both impactful, but also interesting. For both of our festivals, while we have a strong industry component. It is built by the community for our community.”

This year’s festival opens Thursday, June 4, with writer, producer and actress Kaling receiving the Artist of Distinction Award. Kaling will also participate in a live recording of the Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the event expected to start at 7 p.m.

On Friday, June 5, Emmy award winner and TV host Andy Cohen will receive Variety’s Creative Impact in Television Award. Cohen will join Kate Aurthur, the managing editor at Variety, to reflect on his career and share insights into the evolution of reality TV and the 20th anniversary of “The Real Housewives of Orange County.”

CBS’s "Survivor" will receive the Newport Beach TV Fest Legacy Award in recognition of its enduring cultural impact and 50-season run as one of television’s most influential reality franchises. Image courtesy of ScenarioPR

At 2 p.m. Saturday, “Survivor” will be honored with the Legacy Award and will feature appearances from iconic players like Aubry Bracco, Rick Devens, Tiffany Ervin, Ozzy Lusth, Dee Valladares and Rizo Velovic. The show recently celebrated its 50th season and its 25th anniversary.

“I'm so glad we’re honoring them,” Schwenk said. “Because (‘Survivor’) is a collective experience that is so rare with society, it has such a passionate fan base. When a show can have that universal, shared experience, that's pretty significant.”

The "Landman" ensemble will accept the Outstanding Ensemble – Drama Series Award at 4 p.m., following a panel discussion moderated by Jenelle Riley, deputy awards and features editor at Variety, featuring cast members Billy Bob Thornton (Tommy Norris), Andy Garcia (Galino), Ali Larter (Angela Norris) and Michelle Randolph (Ainsley Norris).

Saturday evening the Newport Beach TV Fest, partnering with Gold Derby, will honor rising stars with the Breakout Award panel. This panel will spotlight Shabana Azeez (“The Pitt”), Thomas Doherty (“Paradise”), Paul Anthony Kelly (“Love Story”), Ashley Padilla (“Saturday Night Live”), Owen Thiele (“Adults”) and Karolina Wydra (“Pluribus”). The conversation will be moderated by Gold Derby editor-in-chief Debra Birnbaum and doors open at 7:30 p.m. for the 8 p.m. event.

The Newport Beach TV Fest concludes on Sunday, June 7, with a strong lineup of comedy talent. At noon, the “Shrinking” ensemble panel will receive the Outstanding Comedy Ensemble Award, with cast members Jason Segel, Christa Miller, Jessica Williams and Michael Urie discussing the Apple TV+ hit comedy series.

“We have some cool surprises on that particular panel that are going to be happening,” Schwenk said.

Doors open at 3:30 p.m. for a one-on-one sit down conversation with comedian Sebastian Maniscalco as he receives the Comedy Special of the Year Award for his Hulu special, “It Ain’t Right.”

Closing out the festival will be a live taping of The Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast hosted by Scott Feinberg, featuring Seth MacFarlane, the creator behind “Family Guy,” “American Dad!,” “The Orville” and Peacock’s “Ted.” MacFarlane will receive the Maverick Award in recognition of his groundbreaking impact across television, film and music, and for his work on “Ted.”

Due to the fest’s instant popularity, several events this year have already sold out, including the Andy Cohen Creative Impact in Television Award presentation, the “Survivor 50” All-Star Contestants panel, the "Landman" ensemble panel and the "Shrinking" ensemble panel.

With tickets priced at $58.85 each, including fees, the festival offers SoCal residents a rare and accessible opportunity to interact with their favorite TV stars.

“If you're into what's going on in television, the Newport Beach TV Fest has something for everybody,” Schwenk said.