CNN Expands the 'Searching For' Franchise with Searching For France
May 14th, 2025
CNN RELEASES FIRST LOOK OF NEW CNN ORIGINAL SERIES
NEW YORK – (May 14, 2025) – CNN announced today that the award-winning actress, producer, director, philanthropist, and entrepreneur Eva Longoria is continuing her journey with the news network in a new CNN Original Series Eva Longoria: Searching for France . Produced by Hyphenate Media Group, the series will premiere in 2026.
'France has long been a cornerstone of global cuisine, and I'm thrilled to be partnering with CNN for this next chapter in our culinary and cultural journey,' said Longoria. 'I can't wait to dive into the country's rich gastronomic traditions, revisit the regions that have shaped my own palate and passion, and celebrate the artistry and heritage that make French food and culture so enduringly iconic and influential in kitchens around the world.'
Often referred to as the food capital of the world, France has long been synonymous with culinary excellence. In the tradition of her journeys in Searching for Mexico and Searching for Spain , Longoria will now discover the iconic origins of French cuisine, where the dining experience was first elevated to an art form. Throughout multiple regions, Longoria will be at the crossroads of centuries old gastronomic tradition and cutting-edge creativity in a country whose national identity is defined by its rich food history.
'We always knew France would be the ultimate destination and a pilgrimage through this culinary mecca requires the ultimate cultural ambassador – and Eva has become just that,' said Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent, CNN Originals and creative development for CNN Worldwide. 'From Mexico to Spain, Eva's infectious sense of culinary curiosity has resonated with CNN viewers, and we are delighted to embark on this new adventure with her.'
This latest installment in the 'Searching For' franchise builds upon CNN Original Series' enduring success in host-led food and travel programming, joining a library of premium, award-winning storytelling. Searching for Spain is currently airing on Sundays at 9pm ET/PT on CNN. All episodes of Searching for Mexico and Searching for Italy are available to stream on Max.
Executive Producers for Searching for France are Eva Longoria, Cris Abrego, Rachelle Mendez, and Shauna Minoprio for Hyphenate Media Group; Richard Bond and Eve Kay for Dragonfly; and Amy Entelis and Lyle Gamm for CNN Original Series. Minoprio also serves as showrunner. Banijay Rights will handle international distribution of the series.
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About CNN Originals
The CNN Originals group develops, produces and acquires original, long-form unscripted programming for CNN Worldwide. Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent, CNN Originals and creative development, oversees the award-winning CNN Originals portfolio that includes the following premium content brands: CNN Original Series, CNN Films, CNN Flashdocs, and CNN Studios. Since 2012, the team has overseen and executive produced more than 45 multi-part documentary series and 60 feature-length documentary films, earning more than 110 awards and 445 nominations for the cable network, including CNN Films' first Academy Award® for Navalny . Acclaimed titles include the Peabody Award winning and 13-time Emmy® Award-winning Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown ; five time Emmy® nominee, Apollo 11 , directed by Todd Douglas Miller; Carville: Winning is Everything, Stupid directed by Matt Tyrnauer; Emmy® nominated Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico ; the Emmy® Award-nominated 'Decades Series': The Sixties , The Seventies , The Eighties , The Nineties , The 2000s , and The 2010s, executive produced by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman; The Last Movie Stars , directed by Ethan Hawke about the lives and careers of actors and humanitarians Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman; the Emmy® Award winning Little Richard: I Am Everything , directed by Lisa Cortés; Luther Vandross: Never Too Much , directed by Dawn Porter; The Many Lives of Martha Stewart ; Primetime Emmy® and duPont-Columbia Award-winning, RBG , directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen; See It Loud: The History of Black Television , executive produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter; Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight in partnership with the BBC; the Producers Guild Award and three-time Emmy® Award-winning Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy ; T his is Life with Lisa Ling ; BAFTA nominee and Directors Guild Award winner, Three Identical Strangers , directed by Tim Wardle; the five-time Emmy® Award-winning United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell ; the American version of the long-running UK comedy series, Have I Got News For You , hosted by Roy Wood Jr; and the five-time Emmy® Award-winning The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper . CNN Originals can be seen on CNN, the CNN Original Hub on Max and discovery+, the CNN Originals FAST channel, and for pay TV subscription via CNN.com, CNN apps and cable operator platforms.
About Hyphenate Media Group
Founded by entertainment executive and entrepreneur Cris Abrego (Co-Founder and CEO) and celebrated director, producer, and activist Eva Longoria (Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer), Hyphenate Media Group is a media holding company and premium content studio that captures audiences through ground-breaking and culture-defining content. In addition to developing and producing its own slate of premium programs, Hyphenate invests in creator-led production companies, scaling these enterprises through capital investment, brand development, and the collaborative advantage and infrastructure provided by Hyphenate's core leadership team.
CNN Original Series Press Contacts:
Jordan.Overstreet@cnn.com
Sophie.Tran@cnn.com
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