Credit: Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ABC

Who are the most fascinating people of the year?

From influential world leaders to A-list celebrities, some of the year's biggest names in entertainment, sports and popular culture are sitting down with ABC's Barbara Walters for her annual special, "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of the Year."

The 90-minute-long program, now in its 20 th season, will air Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 9:30 p.m. ET.

The special features a wide-ranging list of eclectic figures, including Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, outspoken New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Olympic gold medal gymnast Gabby Douglas, the British boy band sensation One Direction, Academy-award winning actor/director/writer Ben Affleck, the 2013 Oscars host and creator of the cult classic, "Family Guy," Seth MacFarlane, and one of the most famous authors in the world, EL James, the woman behind the steamy literary phenomenon, "Fifty Shades of Grey."

The Number One Most Fascinating Person of 2012 will be announced on the program.

Over the past two decades, Walters has picked an diverse group of people for the honor of "Most Fascinating Person." Last year, she chose former Apple CEO and tech innovator, the late Steve Jobs. Past choices have included J.K. Rowling, Nancy Pelosi, Camilla Park Bowles, Paris Hilton, Laura Bush, Gen. Tommy Franks, Colin Powell, Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela and more.