Paul W. Downs is an Emmy triple threat for ‘Hacks’
HBO Max’s “Hacks” has proven once again that it is one of the best comedy series currently streaming. The third season has bested even the heights of its first two seasons, with Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder elevating the show to new heights with their crackling chemistry.
The series follows Deborah Vance (Smart), a legendary stand-up who has a complex relationship with young comedy writer Ava Daniels (Einbinder). Paul W. Downs plays their long-suffering agent Jimmy LuSaque, who works tirelessly to placate his cranky clients. Downs is a man of many talents. He created “Hacks” with his wife Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky and has directed and written multiple episodes.
He has four Emmy nominations to his name contending for both Best Comedy Series and Best Comedy Writing for each of seasons one (2021) and two (2022) of “Hacks.” He, Aniello and Statsky won the writing prize for the pilot episode. We expect that Downs will earn the same dual nominations this year for season three but, this time, he could add in an acting nomination for Best Comedy Supporting Actor. Just consider his rave reviews for the role:
Brian Tallerico (Roger Ebert) stated: “Still, the standout in that department this year is show co-creator and writer Paul W. Downs as Jimmy, Deborah’s agent. He naturally understands the voice and intent of this season better than anyone and nails his biggest arc to date.”
Kelly Lawler (USA Today) declared: The superb cast of supporting characters doesn’t disappoint. Downs and Meg Stalter are the best slapstick duo on the side as Deb’s managers, taking unhealthy relationships and cluelessness to the next level.”
Melanie McFarland (Salon) observed: “As ever, ‘Hacks’ episodes hum along with a fine-tuned comic cadence, buoyed by the stars’ performances along with that of Downs and Stalter.”
As a result, Downs is right on the precipice of a nomination for Best Comedy Supporting Actor. At the moment, our predicted nominees in this category are Ebon Moss-Bachrach (“The Bear”), Tyler James Williams (“Abbott Elementary”), Oliver Platt (“The Bear”), Paul Rudd (“Only Murders in the Building”), Lionel Boyce (“The Bear”), Carl Clemons-Hopkins (“Hacks”), and Matty Matheson (“The Bear”). But Downs is a serious contender here and you shouldn’t rule him out for many reasons.
Firstly, let’s get the elephant out of the room — don’t worry about the fact that Downs is competing against his own co-star (Clemons-Hopkins) for a nomination in this category. Voters have shown time and time again that they are more than open to nominating multiple stars from the same show in the same category. Recent examples include Anthony Carrigan and Henry Winkler (“Barry”); Phil Dunster and Brett Goldstein (“Ted Lasso”); Goldstein, Toheeb Jimoh, and Nick Mohammed (“Ted Lasso”); Mohammed, Jeremy Swift, and Brendan Hunt (“Ted Lasso”); Sterling K. Brown and Tony Shalhoub (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”); and Kenan Thompson and Alec Baldwin (“Saturday Night Live”).
Downs’ potential nomination here would feel most similar to Hunt and Goldstein’s nominations for “Ted Lasso.” That duo co-wrote and co-created “Ted Lasso” and earned nominations (or, in Goldstein’s case, wins) for Best Comedy Supporting Actor. Downs co-writes and co-created “Hacks” and is on the, er, hunt for the same nomination. Hunt has proven there is a precedence here and Downs could follow suit.
We know that Emmy voters love multi-hyphenates. Plenty of stars have earned acting nominations for shows they wrote or created, such as Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”), Donald Glover (“Atlanta”), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”), Issa Rae (“Insecure”), Bill Hader (“Barry”), Larry David (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), and Keegan-Michael Key (“Key & Peele”). Importantly, all of these performers were nominated in comedy acting categories while Key and the aforementioned Hunt and Goldstein were specifically nominated in Best Comedy Supporting Actor, the same category Downs is hoping to compete in. There is a clear path here and Downs could walk it.
We are also expecting Emmy voters to fall in love with season three of “Hacks” in general. Season one earned 15 nominations in total while season two received 17 citations. If voters love season three just as much, Downs could easily be taken along for the ride. This has happened to plenty of actors in this category before, including Dunster (“Ted Lasso”), Jimoh (“Ted Lasso”), Swift (“Ted Lasso”), Stephen Root (“Barry”), and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (“Modern Family”).
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