Editor's note: The below interview contains spoilers for Hacks Season 4 Episode 6.
The Emmy-winning comedy series Hacks had a lot of storylines and shifting power dynamics to address in Season 4 — chief among them the aftermath of Ava (Hannah Einbinder) blackmailing Deborah (Jean Smart) in order to get the head writer position in that wild Season 3 finale twist. Just as exciting and unpredictable, though, is the ever-evolving relationship between manager extraordinaire Jimmy (Paul W. Downs) and the assistant-turned-manager, Kayla (Megan Stalter).
Season 3 of Hacks ended with Jimmy asking Kayla to be a partner at his new management company (they’re still working on the name…) and Kayla running headfirst into her new role. Even though they are essentially equals now, their wonderfully chaotic dynamic, firmly established in Season 1, remains intact. So far in Season 4, Kayla’s worked on finding her client niche, found them an assistant (played by comic Robby Hoffman), and got them a meeting with Canada's popular TikTok dance mom sensation, unexpectedly played by Julianne Nicholson, who’s typically known for dramatic roles.
During this interview with Collider, Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs dig into Kayla and Jimmy’s new business venture, how impressed they are with Julianne Nicholson’s comedy chops, and how Robby Hoffman’s energy was exactly what Jimmy and Kayla’s dynamic needed. Plus, Downs — who is a co-creator along with Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky — breaks down what it was like directing that emotional moment between Ava and Deborah on the beach in Episode 6.
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