A well-known name is the latest to surface in the populated field of late night television hosts: Alec Baldwin.
The Emmy-winning actor is in the mix for a spot in NBC’s late-night lineup, one executive involved in the network’s program planning said. The executive asked not to be identified because the talks were still in initial stages.
The most likely landing place for a show hosted by Mr. Baldwin would be in the latest of NBC’s entries, the show now called “Last Call.” That half-hour interview program currently stars Carson Daly.
Mr. Daly is also the host of NBC’s biggest show, “The Voice.”
NBC is in the midst of what looks like a complete overhaul of its late-night lineup. Last week, the network confirmed that Jimmy Fallon, now host of NBC’s “Late Night,” would be taking over the “Tonight” from Jay Leno when he steps down next February. The show will move from Los Angeles to New York with Mr. Fallon as star.
After that move was announced, speculation immediately began about who might succeed Mr. Fallon at the “Late Night’ show. Now the mutual interest between Mr. Baldwin and NBC about opening a late-night spot for the actor could result in three new late-night hosts for NBC.
Mr. Baldwin ended his much-praised run as a star on this NBC comedy “30 Rock” this season. He twice won the Emmy Award for Best Actor in a Comedy for his work as Jack Donaghy.
Mr. Baldwin has also been long regarded one of the best guests on late-night television shows. And he has won critical praise for a podcast series he created with WNYC radio in New York, called “Here’s The Thing.”
In the series, Mr. Baldwin has interviewed a wide range of guests, including David Letterman, Billy Joel, Kristen Wiig, Chris Rock, Lena Dunham, and the Indianapolis Colts quarterback, Andrew Luck.
The format of the half-hour podcasts takes Mr. Baldwin out of the studio and into some remote locations — like a star’s apartment – to conduct the interviews. The advantage of hosting a similar show for television would be that Mr. Baldwin could record several interviews in a single day and leave his schedule open to perform as an actor, either in movies or potentially another television comedy.
He is also a Broadway star, currently heading the cast of the play “Orphans.”