“Hacks” is a dark comedy about two women in different stages of life desperately trying to hold on to their careers, but it’s also a character study that defies genre.
The series stars Jean Smart as comedian Deborah Vance and Hannah Einbinder as Ava, a young, struggling comedy writer brought in to revamp Vance’s stale Vegas residency.
The 10-episode first season of the HBO Max series, created by “Broad City” trio Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky, tackles isolation, loneliness and, according to Variety’s Daniel D’Addario, “successfully argues that there is a virtue all its own in showing up and gutting it out — in being a hack.”
At the heart of the show is the relationship between Vance and Ava – a pair of strong-willed, hardheaded women from opposite worlds and generations who share a common passion: comedy.
“In essence, it’s a love story,” Downs shares during a video chat with Variety. “It’s about two women who are cast aside by society and really need each other. We wanted to create characters that were flawed and needed to do a lot of growing.”
An immediate hit with audiences and critics alike, “Hacks” garnered 15 Emmy nominations in 2021 and three wins for best comedy writing, best comedy directing and outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for Smart.
Last month, “Hacks” received two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for outstanding performance by a female actor for Smart and outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series.
Together, Smart and her castmates turn what seems like a sitcom about showbiz into a romantic dramedy about professional fulfillment. Show creators auditioned over 400 actors to play the pivotal role of Ava. “Once we had [Smart] cast, finding that person to play off of her was then a very tall order,” says Downs. “We wanted to find somebody who would have a great dynamic and feel really fun with her.”
The trio had never heard of Einbinder when they received her audition tape.
“We saw the tape and it was just so different than every other read we had seen,” says Downs. “When you’re writing [the part], you hear the musicality of the lines, and Hannah had a whole different instrument.”
Einbinder, 26, is a stand-up comic herself, and “Hacks” is her breakout role. Downs remembers that Einbinder and Smart “just took to each other so fast.”
“I don’t know that there are words to describe what we share,” Einbinder says, before adding a very Ava-like comparison. “Much like the mystery that is outer space.”
What wasn’t a mystery to the actor was Ava.
“Like me and, dare I say, most people, [Ava is] an imperfect person trying to be better,” says Einbinder. “I have a lot of love and compassion for her, so it’s really a joy to be her always. When she’s funny, self-destructive or having a good cry, whatever it may be.”
In addition to Smart and Einbinder, the first season of “Hacks” features Downs, Rose Abdoo, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Mark Indelicato, Poppy Liu, Christopher McDonald, Kaitlin Olson and Megan Stalter.
“We wanted to make this ensemble show that showcased a lot of great performers, but also examined what it’s like to be a person like Deborah Vance, who needs people to keep the machinery of her empire going,” says Downs.
The key to Vance’s life and work is Marcus, the aging comedian’s full-time COO, played by Clemons-Hopkins. Originally, Downs wanted Marcus to be a 50-something man who had been with Vance for 30-odd years.
“When Carl read for the part, we thought, ‘OK, maybe we need to age this character down,’” says Downs. “Because they were just so unique and so dry.”
Clemons-Hopkins was living in Chicago acting in a regional performance of “Hamilton” when they auditioned for the role.
“When Jean read with [Carl], it almost felt like there was a history between them,” says Downs. “Like they had layers beneath the surface.”
Another integral character in the series is Las Vegas.
“[Las Vegas] is this place where nowadays there’s all of these famous residencies there, but it’s a place famous for magicians, showgirls and standup comedians,” says Downs. “It’s a place where comedians go to die. So, we wanted to explore what it’s like for people who live and work in Las Vegas.”
Kiki, Deborah’s personal blackjack dealer and Ava’s confidante, is one of those people. Rising queer icon Liu, a first-generation Chinese American actor who originally read for the role of Ava, plays Kiki. Downs saw them as a perfect fit for the role.
“She is so funny and so good,” Downs says. “I mean, every take [she gives] is different.”
Switching to the role of Kiki didn’t faze Liu.
“The writers knew exactly what they were looking for in every character, and when they found the right person it was like puzzle pieces locking together,” Liu says. “That’s why we have such a strong ensemble. Every person has a precise role and energy to bring. I was always meant to be Kiki.”
Downs, who plays Ava and Deborah’s manager Jimmy in the series, cast comedian Stalter as his eccentric, difficult, scene-stealing assistant Kayla.
Stalter was both excited and comfortable playing the part.
“Kayla is screwing everything up with a smile on her face, until of course it’s time for a total meltdown, which is my favorite thing to play,” she says.
The fact that Kayla sits at a desk answering phones was also appealing to Stalter: “I love the idea of working at an office, but know I wouldn’t like it in real life so pretending to is my dream job.”
Casting the entire ensemble allowed Downs, who had written the pilot with his fellow showrunners Aniello and Statsky, to formulate the rest of the series’ nine episodes.
“It was really fun to watch [the actors] read the roles and then immediately start thinking about how we were writing the future scripts,” he says. “We really did try and adapt those characters to the voices of the actors.”