Every New Guest Star & Cameo In Hacks Season 5 (So Far)

Complicating matters is the fact that Deborah is barred from performing comedy of any kind due to her gag order. Of course, a veteran comedian like Deborah Vance has plenty of famous friends to help her get back on top, making season 5 one of Hacks' most star-studded. Beyond celebrities playing themselves, Hacks is a highly acclaimed, multi-Emmy-winning series, attracting many well-known actors in guest-starring roles as well.

The note-perfect Hacks season 5 begins with Deborah looking for creative ways to work around her non-compete clause before realizing her ultimate goal — selling out Madison Square Garden. This is, of course, no easy feat, but at least Deborah's path to ultimate greatness is lined with stars.

Tony Kushner As Himself

Episode 1, "EGOT"

The iconic playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner cameos in the Hacks season 5 premiere as himself. Kushner is best known for his Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning stage play Angels in America, which was also adapted into an acclaimed HBO miniseries, and for his collaborations with Steven Spielberg (Munich, Lincoln, West Side Story, The Fabelmans).

In Hacks, Deborah finds a creative way to vie for a Grammy while still under her gag order — record an audiobook of her memoir, which she has hired Kushner to write. However, Kushner's process, which includes delving deep into Deborah's Scottish ancestry and listening to Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?", almost bores Deborah to tears. She fires him, much to Ava's dismay.

Gigi Bermingham As Esme

Episode 1, "EGOT"

Gigi Bermingham guest-stars as Esme, an untalented actress whom Jimmy fires from the Fatty Arbuckle movie to replace her with Deborah. However, it's not all bad for Esme — Jimmy's "good cop, bad cop" strategy backfires on him when Kayla offers to sign her as a client.

While not a household name, Bermingham has had a prolific acting career consisting mostly of TV guest-starring roles. She has appeared in Apple TV series Loot and Platonic, and will next be seen in an episode of Beef season 2 on Netflix.

George Basil As Stefan

Episode 1, "EGOT"

George Basil's Stefan is the somewhat spineless director of the Fatty Arbuckle movie. Stefan agrees with Jimmy and Kayla that Esme is terrible, though he insists they be the ones to fire her because he's "not good at being direct with people."

Basil had a brief role in the Barbie movie as a boutique owner, though he is much more known for his TV work. He has appeared in the casts of Flaked as Cooler and Crashing as Leif.

Alanna Ubach As Amanda Weinberg

Episode 2, "Number One Fan"

Deborah's desire to sell out Madison Square Garden hits its first snag in episode 2, "Number One Fan": she didn't actually clear it with the venue. That's where Alanna Ubach's Amanda Weinberg comes in. Amanda is a booker for MSG, and she is none too pleased about Deborah's premature announcement.

Furthermore, she doesn't think Deborah can fill the house. But by the end of the episode, after the Little Debbies' campaign, which includes harassing Amanda with glitter packages and cryptic toilet paper messages, she caves and books Deborah.

HBO audiences are about to see even more of Ubach, as she'll be reprising her role as Suze, Cassie and Lexi's mom, in the cast of Euphoria season 3, which premieres on April 12. Ubach also famously played Serena McGuire, Elle Woods' loyal Delta Nu sorority sister, in the first two Legally Blonde movies, and she will also appear in the upcoming third film.

Soleil Moon Frye As Herself

Episode 2, "Number One Fan"

Soleil Moon Frye is briefly seen signing autographs and expressing appreciation for her fans at the Las Vegas autograph convention Deborah attends. Frye is best known for playing the precocious titular protagonist in 1980s NBC sitcom Punky Brewster, and she also played Roxie King in the cast of Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Hannah Pilkes As Cindy

Episode 2, "Number One Fan"

Hannah Pilkes plays Cindy, who initially presents herself as a diehard fan of Ava's, much to the writer's surprise and delight. However, it's later revealed that Cindy is president of the Little Debbies Tuscon Chapter, and was trying to replace Ava as Deborah's most trusted writer.

Pilkes made her feature film debut opposite Kevin Bacon in 2004's The Woodsman. She currently stars in the cast of the hit Netflix sitcom Leanne as Josie Murphy, Leanne's free-spirited daughter.

William "Billy" Baldwin As Himself

Episode 2, "Number One Fan"

The second-youngest of the famous Baldwin brothers, William "Billy" Baldwin is known for his roles in myriad films, including Flatliners, The Squid and the Whale, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Cameoing as himself in Hacks, Baldwin graciously agrees to change photobooth timeslots with Deborah at the autograph convention, citing appreciation for standing up to Bob Lipka and her Fourth of July party invitations.

Renée O'Connor As Herself

Episode 2, "Number One Fan"

Renée O'Connor is famous for playing Gabrielle in Xena: Warrior Princess, and in Hacks, Jimmy is a big fan. He's starstruck when he sees O'Connor at the convention, but finds the courage to suggest she start a Xena rewatch podcast. O'Connor loves the idea and pitches it to Lucy Lawless. Impressed with Jimmy's initiative, O'Connor hires him as her manager and shares a percentage of her earnings from the convention.

Bayne Gibby As A Deborah Vance Fan

Episode 2, "Number One Fan"

Played by Bayne Gibby, this kindhearted Deborah Vance fan presents the comedian with a homemade portrait made out of natural seeds and grains. The fan gets emotional as shares how much Deborah meant to her and her late mother, who would have been so happy that the comedian received the picture. The story chokes up Deborah, who takes a break from her meet-and-greet to compose herself.

No stranger to HBO comedy series, Gibby is best known for her appearances in Enlightened and The Comeback. She also plays Casey Kelly, the pro-life speaker who gets on the wrong end of Lady Bird's wrath, in Lady Bird.

Ann Dowd As Unnamed Celebrity In An Alien Costume

Episode 2, "Number One Fan"

An unrecognizable Ann Dowd appears in tentacle and green-skinned alien costume regalia as an unnamed celebrity at the autograph convention. The woman is taking a smoke break when Deborah steps outside for some air, and gives Vance some wise words about how to repair her relationship with her fans, telling her that they just need to feel needed. Deborah takes these words to heart and gets the Little Debbies back on her side.

Dowd's most celebrated role is her Emmy-winning turn as the morally complex Aunt Lydia in The Handmaid's Tale, which she is reprising in the cast of spinoff series The Testaments. In film, Dowd's notable credits include Garden State, Compliance, and Hereditary.

Alyssa Limperis As Jenny

Episode 2, "Number One Fan"

Alyssa Limperis's Jenny is a childhood friend of Ava's whom Deborah invites to her 30th birthday in an effort to disprove her cruel season 4 remark about Ava not having friends. Though it's revealed that she and Ava were never really close, Jenny still makes herself at home at the party and even hooks up with musical guest Jesse McCartney.

An actress and a comedian, Limperis released a comedy special, Alyssa Limperis: No Bad Days, on Peacock in 2022. Her acting credits include What We Do in the Shadows and Dexter: Original Sin.

Jesse McCartney As Himself

Episode 2, "Number One Fan"

The aforementioned Jesse McCartney appears as himself in Hacks to serenade Ava with his breakout hit song, "Beautiful Soul" — a middle school fantasy of Ava's come true. Eagle-eyed fans will know that McCartney's cameo is a full-circle moment, as a poster of him is shown on the wall of Ava's childhood bedroom in Hacks season 1.

McCartney continues to make music, with his fifth studio album, New Stage, released in 2021. His acting work includes credits in All My Children, Law & Order: SVU, and Fear the Walking Dead.

Christopher Briney As Nico Hayes

Episode 3, "No New Tricks"

It was an exciting time to be a fan of The Summer I Turned Pretty when it was announced that Christopher Briney, the actor who played the dreamy Conrad Fisher, would appear in Hacks season 5. Even more thrilling was the fact that it looked like his character would be a potential love interest for Deborah Vance.

Indeed, Fisher plays Nico Hayes, international rock star and the Palmetto's newest artist-in-residence, who strikes up a flirtation with Deborah. When he asks her to dinner, Deborah assumes it's a publicity stunt, so she tips off the paparazzi.

However, Nico's intentions were purely romantic, and the two have genuine chemistry. It looks like there might actually be a future there — until Nico finds out about Deborah calling the paparazzi and immediately breaks things off.

Grady Eldridge As Eli

Episode 3, "No Tricks"

Deborah wasn't the only one to find a dashing new suitor in episode 3, as Ava has a fun, banter-filled encounter with Eli at Nico's party. Eli asks Ava on a date but warns her that he's a sex worker, and this has caused issues in past relationships. As a sex-positive, liberal person, this is not only not a dealbreaker for Ava, but a turn-on.

Not a turn-on are Eli's aspirations as a magician (despite being terrible at his craft). Upon discovering Ava's feelings about magicians, Eli not only dumps her but also vows to quit sex work to focus on magic, much to the dismay of Mayor Jo Pezzimenti, who is one of his clients.

Thus far, Hacks is one of actor Grady Eldridge's most notable acting credits. He has also guest-starred in The Sex Lives of College Girls and Doctor Odyssey.

Lucia Aniello As Meredith

Episode 3, No New Tricks"

Lucia Aniello plays Meredith, the gumsmacking, oversharing real estate agent selling the Paradiso Hotel. When she meets with Marcus, she aggressively hits on him, though she settles for a hangout after she learns he's gay.

Though this marks the first time Aniello appears on camera in Hacks, she plays an instrumental role off-screen as one of the show's co-creators alongside her husband, Paul W. Downs (who also plays Jimmy), and Jen Statsky. Aniello, Downs, and Statsky also serve as Hacks's co-showrunners.

Anna Konkle As Beth

Episode 4, "Who's Making Dinner?"

Anna Konkle's Beth is the events coordinator for the Who's Making Dinner? 50th anniversary celebration. Kayla and Randi interpret Beth's friendliness and seemingly flirtatious behavior toward Jimmy as her hitting on him. Jimmy is skeptical, especially because Beth is married, but when she makes an overtly sexual comment, he feels the need to clear the air, only for Beth to inform him he misread the situation. This bites Jimmy even further when Beth refuses to cut the event's livestream to let Deborah speak.

Konkle is best known for creating the underrated, Emmy-winning Hulu comedy series Pen15 with Maya Erskine. Erskine and Konkle also star in the show as 13-year-old versions of themselves, while the rest of the pubescent cast are played by age-appropriate actors.

Peter Strauss As Frank Vance

Episode 4, "Who's Making Dinner?"

Peter Strauss plays Deborah's late ex-husband, Frank Vance, who appears in a never-before-seen interview clip about Who's Making Dinner? In it, Frank wistfully talks about how Deborah is always the funniest person in the room. This moves Deborah, and inspires her to abandon her persecution-focused material for her MSG show in favor of making her act the funniest it can be.

Strauss is a veteran actor primarily known for his work in television. He won an Emmy for his performance in the 1979 TV movie The Jericho Mile and also notably starred in Rich Man, Poor Man and Kane & Abel.

Alan Blumenfeld As Eddie Bean

Episode 4, "Who's Making Dinner?"

Eddie Bean is a Hollywood director who helmed the Who's Making Dinner? pilot, whom Deborah and Ava run into at the anniversary event. He is condescendingly sympathetic to Deborah about her "breakdown," and she badmouths Eddie as soon as he walks away.

Heroes fans will recognize Alan Blumenfeld as Maury Parkman, the telepathic father of Matt (Greg Grunberg). Blumenfeld also played the father of Grunberg's character in Felicity.

Phil Keoghan As Himself

Episode 5, "D'Amazing Race"

Phil Keoghan has been hosting The Amazing Race since the reality show's debut in 2001, and he plays himself in the highly anticipated Amazing Race-Hacks crossover episode, "D'Amazing Race." He's first seen kicking off the race and asking the celebrity contestants why they're competing, and later turns up to tell Deborah and DJ that they're the first eliminated team after DJ bombs the clown-dancing Detour.

Trisha Paytas As Herself

Episode 5, "D'Amazing Race"

Controversial YouTuber Trisha Paytas is famous for her "crying on the kitchen floor" confessional vlogging, mukbangs (videos in which the host consumes food while interacting with the audience), and highly publicized feuds. Paytas plays herself, competing against Deborah and DJ in The Amazing Race with Jordan Firstman.

Paytas and Firstman approach Deborah and DJ for an alliance early in the race. Deborah declines after taking offense to Paytas's success as a " fellow comedian," and is dismayed at how well Paytas and Firstman perform in the competition.

Jordan Firstman As Himself

Episode 5, "D'Amazing Race"

Firstman is Trisha Paytas's partner in Hacks' The Amazing Race episode. He introduces himself as a big fan of Deborah's and chats with her while Paytas and DJ compete in a Road Block challenge.

Most famous for his satirical impressions on Instagram, Firstman is also known for starring in the cast of the HBO comedy series I Love LA. Firstman went viral for his criticism of Heated Rivalry, in which he slammed the series for lacking authenticity in its depictions of gay intimacy. He later walked back his comments and shared a selfie with Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams.

Jonathan & Drew Scott As Themselves

Episode 5, "D'Amazing Race"

HGTV celebrities and twin brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott, best known for their home improvement reality show Property Brothers and its many spinoffs, appear in Hacks as themselves, competing as a team in The Amazing Race. They're seen at the beginning of the race and later in full clown regalia, having completed the challenge and sharing how hard it was with Deborah and DJ.

Richard Jefferson & JR Smith As Themselves

Episode 5, "D'Amazing Race"

Richard Jefferson and JR Smith are retired professional basketball players and real-life friends on a team together in Hacks' The Amazing Race episode. The former athletes are competing to raise money for the United Negro College Fund, a much nobler cause than Deborah promoting her MSG show.

In their basketball careers, Jefferson and Smith were teammates for the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning the 2016 NBA Championship together. They also made a joint appearance on Hot Ones' "Truth or Dab" segment in 2023.

Elise Doganieri As Herself

Episode 5, "D'Amazing Race"

10-time Emmy winner and Amazing Race producer Elise Doganieri plays herself in Hacks episode 5. After an exasperated Deborah barks out orders to DJ on how to properly milk a goat, Doganieri informs the comedian that she's not allowed to interfere with Roadblock challenges she isn't competing in.

Alex Moffat As Graham Sweeney

Episode 6, "QuickScribbl"

Played to sleazy perfection by Alex Moffat, Graham Sweeney is a tech developer whom Deborah is courting as an investor for The Diva. When Graham reveals the real reason he's interested — to use Deborah's library catalog to train his LLM AI generator, QuickScribbl — Ava is furious. Deborah, on the other hand, thinks not pouncing on the opportunity means getting left behind. However, when Graham insults the very human creative process, Deborah righteously turns down his proposal.

Sweeney was an SNL cast member from 2016-2022 and is best known for his celebrity impressions of Joe Biden, Mark Zuckerberg, and Eric Trump, as well as his recurring "Weekend Update" character, "The Guy Who Just Bought a Boat". Post-SNL, Moffat appeared in an episode of the hilarious network sitcom The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins.

Sean Patton As Bruno Fox

Episode 6, "QuickScribbl"

When Deborah looks to book a comedian in residence for The Diva, Jimmy and Kayla set their sights on Bruno Fox (Sean Patton). They link up with Bruno in Michigan, and while the funnyman is affable and very interested in the offer, his hard partying is worrisome. Over a night of drinking, Bruno reveals he's been numbing himself with substances to cope with the fact that he killed a man in a hit-and-run. Jimmy and Kayla convince him to turn himself in.

Hailing from New Orleans, Patton is a New York-based stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. His most noteworthy credit is as gym teacher and football coach Markie Hillridge in FX's underrated school sitcom English Teacher​​​​​​.

Bob Mackie As Himself

Episode 7, "Montecito"

Bob Mackie is a world-famous, Tony Award-winning fashion designer who cameos in Hacks as himself. Dubbed the "Sultan of Sequins", Mackie is best known for his longtime collaborations with Cher and Elton John, as well as his costume design work for The Carol Burnett Show. In episode 7, Deborah calls Mackie in hopes of acquiring the legendary white jumpsuit he designed for Burnett's last show.

Cherry Jones As Kelly Kilpatrick

Episode 7, "Montecito"

LGBTQ+ icon Cherry Jones plays Kelly Kilpatrick, a veteran comedian in a longstanding feud with Deborah, who made homophobic jokes about her sexual orientation in the past. This comes back to bite Deborah when she learns that Kelly owns the Bob Mackie jumpsuit she wants to wear in her Madison Square Garden Show.

When Deborah asks Kelly to lunch to mend fences, Kelly mistakes Ava for Deborah's girlfriend. Kelly then believes Deborah is secretly gay and forgives her. She also invites Deborah and Ava to her Montecito home for the weekend, which they visit while pretending to be a couple. What ensues is a wild weekend with moments of tenderness and poignancy, and even when Deborah comes clean about the ruse, Kelly gives her the jumpsuit.

A titan of the American stage, Jones is a two-time Tony Award winner. She has also had a prolific and highly successful career on the small screen, winning three Primetime Emmys for her performances in 24, The Handmaid's Tale, and Succession.

Leslie Bibb As Monica

Episode 7, "Montecito"

Monica (Leslie Bibb) is Kelly's much younger, touchy-feely girlfriend. Upon meeting her, Ava has an instant attraction to Monica, and is even more titillated after learning that Monica and Kelly have an open relationship. Ava and Monica almost have an intimate moment, but it is alas thwarted by Deborah.

Hacks isn't the first successful HBO show Bibb has appeared on, as she famously starred in the cast of The White Lotus season 2. Bibb is also known for her breakout role in Ryan Murphy's debut series Popular, along with playing journalist Christine Everhart in the MCU.