Podcast Movement Evolutions at SXSW Expands Star-Studded Lineup with Penn Badgley, Sean Astin, and Apple Podcasts

Podcast Movement and Sounds Profitable today announced additional headline talent and major programming updates for Podcast Movement Evolutions at SXSW, taking place March 13–15 at the Sky Box in downtown Austin. The expanded lineup reinforces the event’s position as the central gathering point for podcasting, creator-led media, and the future of audio during SXSW.

Penn Badgley, star of You and Gossip Girl, has been added to the slate of live performances with Companion, joining an already dynamic lineup of cultural and creative voices appearing throughout the weekend.

Award-winning actor Sean Astin, known for The Lord of the Rings, Stranger Things, Rudy, and The Goonies, will deliver the Sunday keynote. In addition to his decades-long acting career, Astin is a respected trade union leader and currently serves as the President of SAG-AFTRA, bringing a unique perspective on creators, labor, and the evolving media landscape.

Also newly confirmed, Apple Podcasts will spotlight its recent announcement introducing a new video podcast experience on Apple Podcasts. Powered by HLS, the new platform provides a best-in-class experience for creators and audiences in the app dedicated to podcasts. Creators have full control over their distribution and monetization, including industry-first creator controlled dynamic video advertising, in partnership with hosting providers and ad platforms delivering HLS.

These announcements build on previously revealed programming featuring Maya Hawke, singer-songwriter, musician, and actor, appearing as a special guest for a live recording of Broken Record.

To showcase its launch, on Saturday, March 14, Companion takes over the Podcast Movement Evolutions at SXSW stage with Companion Presents: In Good Company, an evening of live performances and storytelling, headlined by an intimate acoustic set from multi‑platinum artist Andy Grammer. The event cuts through the SXSW chaos with space for curiosity, creativity, and connection, reflecting the same spirit found across the slate, from Rainn Wilson’s Soul Boom to Christiana Mbakwe‑Medina’s Pop Syllabus. The evening features a conversation with Penn Badgley, appearances from Science and the City, We Love You, and In The Hyphen, plus performances from Ayana Butterfly and JJ & The Mood.

The weekend will also feature previously announced talent including MrBallen (John Allen), host of The MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories; Emmy-nominated Kensington Tallman; Allison Dunbar; and Shaan Sharma.

Programming begins Friday with an address from Tom Fox, Founder of The Compliance Podcast Network and Founder of Podcast Movement Evolutions’ honorarium program for community driven sessions.

Fox will be followed by a keynote from Steve McLendon, Product Lead for YouTube’s podcasting initiatives. During his tenure, YouTube has grown to over one billion monthly active podcast viewers, solidifying its position as a leading service for podcast consumption. In this role, McLendon oversees podcasting across the YouTube ecosystem, focusing on enhancing discovery, listener engagement, and creator tools.

“Podcasting is evolving faster than ever across audio, video, live experiences, and creator-led media,” said Bryan Barletta, Partner at Sounds Profitable and President at Podcast Movement. “Bringing together voices from media giants like Apple and YouTube alongside beloved entertainers like Sean Astin, Penn Badgley, and Maya Hawke, as well as the content creators like MrBallen shaping culture today reflects exactly where this industry is headed. Podcast Movement Evolutions at SXSW is where the future of the medium comes into focus and where the people building it come together.”

The event will close on Sunday evening with The Independent Creator Awards Show from Oxford Road. The awards will be hosted by podcaster and rapper Killer Mike and nominees include the likes of legacy creators such as Steven Bartlett (The Diary of a CEO), Theo Von (This Past Weekend) and Tim Ferriss (The Tim Ferriss Show), as well as breakout creators like Caleb Hearon (So True With Caleb Hearon), Kendall Rae (True Crime with Kendall Rae) and Hala Taha (Young and Profiting).

Podcast Movement Evolutions at SXSW is made possible with support from industry leaders including Acast, ADOPTER Media, AdsWizz, Airwave Media, Amazon Music, ART19, Audacy, Castbox, Colture, Companion Network, Display.io, ESPN, Hill Country Podcast Network, Locked On Podcast Network, Magellan AI, Mynt Agency, Nielsen, Nueva Network, Nomono, NPR, Oxford Road, Red Seat Ventures, Right Side Up, SAG-AFTRA, Simplecast, Soundstack, Supporting Cast, and YouTube.

The full Podcast Movement Evolutions schedule and additional programming updates can be found on the Podcast Movement website.

Podcast Movement Evolutions is free to attend and interested parties can register here.