Get to know the breakout star of the hit HBO Max series, now streaming.
Hannah Einbinder Was Always Destined for 'Hacks'
Hannah Einbinder has been drawn to her Hacks costar Jean Smart since she was a kid—even if she didn’t know it at the time. “When I was growing up, I was obsessed with Kim Possible because she was a ginger, crime-fighting cheerleader,” says Einbinder from her home in Los Angeles. “And Jean Smart—that’s right, you guessed it!—played Kim Possible’s mom.” Today, Einbinder counts road tripping, gambling, and providing comfort post-plastic surgery among the activities she’s done with Kim Possible’s mom, née Jean Smart—all in the name of art, of course.
In Hacks, HBO Max’s new critically acclaimed series, Einbinder stars as Ava, a comedian who gets canceled in a twitterstorm and is hired to re-energize and youth-ify the jokes of an acclaimed-albeit-tired comedian, played by Smart. The series, which comes from the brains of Broad City’s Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky, is a welcome reprieve after a bleak year and a half. It feels like the cherry on top of a long-awaited sundae.
The casting was spot-on considering Einbinder is a standup comedian herself. “The role is not what we would call a stretch,” she says, deadpanned. “Ava feels comfortable.” As the daughter of SNL vet Laraine Newman and comedy writer Chad Einbinder, humor runs through the 26-year-old’s veins. She started pursuing open mics toward the end of college, and acting felt like the next progression. “This was the first thing that really hit,” says Einbinder, whose role in Hacks marks her first major acting turn, though it certainly will not be her last. “Acting has given me the greatest gift of all, which is time to develop and be patient with myself as an artist.”
Get to know the Hacks star who, despite sharing the character traits of an old man (her words, not ours), seems pretty freaking cool.
Glamour: What was your idea of what it meant to be a successful actor when you were a kid?
Hannah Einbinder: I think in the beginning, success meant the freedom to perform, access to stage time, and the ability to do stand-up freely. That is still how I feel about success. But now, it really encompasses the ability to do comedy and maintain the purity of my stand-up. Acting has been such a gift in that it’s provided me with another avenue to express myself, while also being able to keep the stand-up pure and not rushed or pumped out because I’m worried about supporting myself.
What was your audition for Hacks like?
Right before the initial COVID lockdown, I got the sides for the series in my inbox. When I read them, I laughed out loud, which is not something I had ever really done before upon receiving an audition. I read the script immediately and was so excited in a way I didn’t know was possible outside of stand-up. I felt connected to it pretty quickly, but my view on it was, “I can’t wait to watch this show when it comes out and I’m not in it.”
The casting office was filled with gorgeous actresses all around me, so I went in and was like, I’m just going to come in and do this. During my audition, there was a line that I forgot, so I made up a joke in its place. I believe that joke is why they brought me back, and they actually ended up using it in the show. It was something like, “Who is your decorator, Melania Trump?” My strategy going forward was just to add in lines because the creators are comedians themselves, and they were so welcoming to that collaboration.
I became obsessed with this project. My initial audition was on March 9, and then only a few days later the lockdown happened. But I thought, even if I have just one more audition and don’t get the part, this is fulfilling me in a way that I need. The last stage of the audition was the screen test with Jean. I was really nervous going in, but Jean called me the night before and said, "I know it may feel a little surgical tomorrow with all the COVID precautions, but I just want to let you know, I think you're really great. I think we're going to have a lot of fun." She was just so classy and cool. I credit a lot of our chemistry to Jean being so warm.
How did you celebrate landing the role of Ava?
I was on my way to get a coffee when Lucia, Paul, and Jen called me, and I just screamed at the top of my lungs on the street. Of course, I thanked them profusely, hung up, and then proceeded to call all of the most important people in my life—none of whom picked up their phones. So I was just freaking out alone. Then after a couple of frantic calls, people started calling me back. And then I went right to the script and got terrified thinking, “Oh my God. I’ve never acted before. Fuck, is this a mistake?”
How do you most relate to Ava?
I feel like Ava is most similar to a version of me before therapy. When I was younger, I put up a lot of walls. I was very sensitive and had been hurt or taken advantage of, so I was playing defense and learned to protect myself by not letting anyone in. People who are not emotionally intelligent or self-aware can use it as a survival tactic, because maybe that reflection is too overwhelming. Before I really started tearing down the walls I had built, I think I existed in that Ava-zone, which is a big part of why I love her. I have compassion for difficult people. There's always a reason, you know?
Fill in the blank: “The scene that made me the most nervous was….”
The make-out scene in the pilot episode, because I typically hide my figure as much as possible. Being that vulnerable was wild. Also, kissing a stranger during a pandemic was terrifying, even though we were all tested. It was initially pretty scary, but it also made me feel really good afterwards because I survived it. I’m usually someone where if my ankles are showing, I’m like, “Ooh, she’s being frisky tonight!” So then in later episodes where I’m on drugs in my underwear acting crazy, I was like, “All the crew has seen my butt, so let’s do this!”
What was your favorite costume to wear?
Ava goes to a job interview in episode nine and wears a cute all-black look. Other than that, I love her stuff. A lot of the clothes Ava wears are Lucia’s, but the pants and the flannel from the pilot are my own. Ava always dresses like she’s in a personal pandemic.
What makeup and skin-care products did you rely on while filming?
I have cystic hormonal acne and it gets pretty bad, especially when I’m wearing a lot of makeup. I got turned onto the iS Clinical skincare products and we also found that the Dior Airflash foundation worked the best on my skin.
Fill in the blank: “My choice of beverage and snack on set is….”
Apple peanut butter sandwiches. They were slices of apples with peanut butter and granola in the middle. I turned everyone on to them on set—so much so that by the time I wanted to get one, they would be all gone. Everyone was hooked. And I drank a lot of LaCroix.
If there was a superlative for you on set, it would be:
Probably the biggest ham. I really was just so desperate to goof around and riff with all the people around on set. It was such a blast.
Do you have any superstitions you can’t shake before auditioning?
I don’t have superstitions when I’m auditioning, but sometimes before a stand-up set, I will pray if I’m really terrified.
What was the biggest lesson you learned while filming?
From the beginning of shooting, I was incredibly insecure. My imposter syndrome really flared up at the beginning because on paper, my casting was a risk. But by the end, my castmates and Paul, Lucia, and Jen let me be open about those feelings and gave me the guidance to see that it doesn’t really serve me. As I got comfortable and I saw everyone being happy with my work and proud, I thought, “If these people I love are happy with it, I should be, too.” I saw my confidence in this new realm grow, while also remaining like a sponge and soaking it all up. And also, knowing that it’s okay to pat yourself on the back now and then. It’s really nice to feel good.
Fill in the blank: “My first big paycheck purchase was…”
A Breville Espresso machine. I used to be a barista and have missed a proper steaming wand and being able to pull my own shots, as they say. I worked at Alfred’s Coffee, and we actually shot there in the pilot episode. I knew all the people working there. It felt crazy.
Finally, when you’re not working, what’s your idea of a perfect day?
It would be so much more fun to tell you that I spend my days rock climbing, but...no. I am a homebody, to be honest. I love baking—I’m really into babka—reading, and just kickin' it. I am 26, but I do feel pretty weary and tired. Aside from my little walks, I feel like an old man. I like a nice dessert, sitting and looking out my window, and strolling for my exercise. What could be better?
Caitlin Brody is the entertainment director at Condé Nast.
This story originally appeared on: Glamour - Author:Caitlin Brody
