Summary

• Hacks season 3 brings back fan-favorite characters and introduces new additions to the cast, including two new writers and a jaded late-night host.
• Jean Smart reprises her role as legendary comic Deborah Vance, who is enjoying a career comeback but becoming disillusioned with fame.
• The rest of the main cast, including Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniels and Carl Clemons-Hopkins as Marcus, add to the hilarious performances in Hacks season 3.

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Hacks season 3.

Hacks season 3 has brought back all the fan-favorite characters from the previous seasons and also introduced some exciting new additions to the show’s cast. The highly anticipated third season of Max’s hit comedy series sees Deborah and Ava attempting to mend their working relationship – and the friendship that blossomed out of it – after Deborah fired Ava at the end of season 2. Not only are Deborah and Ava back; the supporting players are back, too.

From Deborah and Ava’s agent Jimmy to Deborah’s trusted right-hand man Marcus, the best characters from Hacks’ first and second seasons are back to reprise their roles in the third. Season 3 also introduces two new writers under Deborah’s employment and a jaded late-night host who just might relinquish his show to Deborah. The Hacks season 3 cast is full of hilarious performers.

Jean Smart As Deborah Vance

Jean Smart was born in 1951 in Seattle, Washington. After getting her start in regional theater in the Pacific Northwest, Smart appeared on Broadway in 1981 with the role of Marlene Dietrich in the biographical play Piaf. She broke big with a leading role as Charlene Frazier Stillfield in the CBS sitcom Designing Women, which she starred in from 1986 to 1991.

In Hacks season 3, Smart reprises her role as legendary Las Vegas standup comic Deborah Vance. After releasing her bestselling comedy special at the end of season 2, Deborah is enjoying a career comeback, although she’s quickly become disillusioned with fame. Audiences will laugh at her shows just because they love her – they won’t even let her get to the punchline. Olivia Boreham-Wing has a brief cameo as young Deborah when Deborah looks in the mirror before her late-night hosting debut and sees her younger self looking back at her.

In addition to Hacks and Designing Women, Smart is known for her fan-favorite recurring role as Lana Gardner in Frasier, for which she netted two Emmy Awards, and her turn as First Lady Martha Logan in the fifth and sixth seasons of 24. Her film roles include Dena Dittmeyer in The Brady Bunch Movie, Stella Kay Perry in Sweet Home Alabama, and Elinor St. John in Babylon.

Hacks is streaming now on Max.

Hannah Einbinder As Ava Daniels

Hannah Einbinder was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. She’s the daughter of original Saturday Night Live cast member Laraine Newman. Einbinder’s breakout role was her starring role opposite Smart in Hacks.

In Hacks season 3, Einbinder reprises her role as once-disgraced, now-celebrated comedy writer Ava Daniels. Throughout seasons 1 and 2, Ava reluctantly worked as a writer for Deborah. But after being fired by Deborah at the end of season 2, season 3 sees Ava working as a staff writer on an acclaimed, Peabody Award-winning TV comedy series called On the Contrary.

Einbinder’s other TV roles include Amelia Earhart in History of the World, Part II and Gretchen Fletcher in Julia, a series based on the life of Julia Child. She’s also an accomplished comedian, having been the last on-stage performer on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert before a COVID-enforced 15-month hiatus. She also had a small role as a waitress in the movie North Hollywood.

Carl Clemons-Hopkins As Marcus

Carl Clemons-Hopkins was born in Lithonia, Georgia. Their big break was in Hacks. Their role in Hacks earned them a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2021.

Clemons-Hopkins reprises their role as Marcus, Deborah’s closest confidant and COO of her management company, in Hacks season 3. Marcus has continued to stick by Deborah through thick and thin. In season 3, he takes on an Etsy store selling unauthorized Deborah Vance merch.

Clemons-Hopkins also voiced the role of Narj in the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks. They played the roles of Aaron Burr and George Washington in a production of Hamilton at the CIBC Theater. Their movie roles include Jameson in the 2021 Candyman reboot and Jeremy in The Beanie Bubble.

Paul W. Downs As Jimmy LuSaque

Paul W. Downs was born in New Jersey in 1982. He first gained recognition with his recurring role as fitness instructor Trey Pucker, Abbi’s boss at Soulstice, in Broad City. Downs also worked as a writer, director, and executive producer on Broad City.

In Hacks season 3, Downs reprises his role as Deborah and Ava’s agent, Jimmy LuSaque. Jimmy has since signed Valerie Bertinelli as a client and built up an impressive roster of iconic comedians. He’s still struggling to escape from the shadow of his famous parents, but he’s doing very well for himself.

Downs is also a co-creator and co-showrunner of Hacks along with Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky, with whom he’d previously worked on Broad City. In 2016, Downs co-starred with Broad City’s Ilana Glazer in the Comedy Central miniseries Time Traveling Bong and wrote and starred in his own half-hour episode of the sketch show Netflix Presents: The Characters. He also played Jim in the Netflix comedy movie Like Father in 2018.

Megan Stalter As Kayla

Megan Stalter was born in 1990 in Cleveland, Ohio. She first gained recognition by posting videos online. Stalter got her break as the voice of Bonnie Davis on Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News.

In Hacks season 3, Stalter reprises her role as Jimmy’s assistant Kayla. Jimmy initially found Kayla to be annoying and incompetent, but since she’s the daughter of his boss, he was forced to work with her. In season 3, Jimmy and Kayla are still working together, although they haven’t learned to get along any better.

Stalter’s film roles include Lili in Problemista, Davina in First Time Female Director, and Lisa in Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain. She was a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race and played the guest role of Jill in The Great North. She also appeared in the comedy special Yearly Departed.

Hacks Season 3 Supporting Cast & Characters

Rose Abdoo as Josefina: Rose Abdoo reprises her role as Deborah’s estate manager, Josefina. Abdoo is known for playing Stars Hollow’s local mechanic, Gypsy, in Gilmore Girls and the Spanish teacher, Señorita Rodriguez, in That’s So Raven.

Mark Indelicato as Damien: Mark Indelicato returns as Deborah’s personal assistant Damien in Hacks season 3. Indelicato is best known for playing Betty Suarez’s fashion-obsessed nephew Justin in Ugly Betty.

Lorenza Izzo as Ruby Rojas: Lorenza Izzo reprises her role as up-and-coming actress Ruby Rojas. Ruby was previously introduced as Ava’s ex-girlfriend, but they’re back together in Hacks season 3. Izzo has also played Genesis in Knock Knock, Justine in The Green Inferno, and Francesca Capucci in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Dylan Gelula as Miria: Dylan Gelula joins the cast of Hacks in season 3 as Miria, one of Deborah’s new writers. Gelula first broke out with the role of Xanthippe in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and later played Molly in Dream Scenario and Lisa in I Want You Back.

Jordan Gavaris as Logan: Season 3 sees Jordan Gavaris join the cast of Hacks as Deborah’s other new writer, Logan. Gavaris is best known for his previous TV roles as Felix Dawkins in Orphan Black and Justin in The Lake.

Christopher McDonald as Marty Ghilain: Christopher McDonald reprises his role as the CEO of the Palmetto Casino, Marty Ghilain, in Hacks’ season 3 premiere. McDonald is best known for playing the villainous Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore.

Frank Garcia-Hejl as Danny Collins: Frank Garcia-Hejl appears in Hacks season 3 as Danny Collins, the jaded Late Night host that Deborah is hoping to replace. Garcia-Hejl previously played Derek in The Disruptors and a radio announcer in Blood Relatives.