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

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Warning: Spoilers ahead for Hacks season 5.

Deborah Vance is returning for a fifth and final season of Hacks, bringing with her a host of well-known guest stars. Picking up right after the events of season four, the new season finds Deborah back in Las Vegas, proving she’s very much alive and eager to return to performing. The Emmy-winning HBO Max comedy will conclude with these episodes.

Things get tricky because Deborah is legally prevented from doing stand-up comedy. However, veteran comedian Deborah Vance has a lot of famous friends who are helping her revive her career, making season 5 of Hacks particularly full of celebrity appearances. In addition to celebrities playing themselves, Hacks is a highly praised, Emmy-winning show, which also attracts many well-known actors for guest roles.

The highly anticipated fifth season of Hacks starts with Deborah figuring out how to bypass the restrictions of her contract. She initially aims for an EGOT – winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award – but quickly sets her sights on a bigger goal: filling Madison Square Garden. The first two episodes premiered on April 9th and already feature a fantastic lineup of well-known actors.

Tony Kushner As Himself

Episode 1, “EGOT”

Tony Kushner, the celebrated playwright and screenwriter known for his Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning play Angels in America – and its popular HBO adaptation – makes a brief appearance as himself in the season 5 premiere of Hacks. He’s also worked with director Steven Spielberg on several films, including Munich, Lincoln, West Side Story, and The Fabelmans.

On the show Hacks, Deborah comes up with a clever plan to still compete for a Grammy despite being legally restricted from speaking publicly: she decides to record an audiobook version of her memoir, and hires Kushner to write it. However, Kushner’s writing process—which involves extensive research into Deborah’s Scottish roots and listening to the song “Is That All There Is?” by Peggy Lee—proves incredibly tedious for Deborah, leading her to fire him, much to Ava’s frustration.

Gigi Bermingham As Esme

Episode 1, “EGOT”

Gigi Bermingham plays Esme, an actress who isn’t very good, and Jimmy has to let her go from the Fatty Arbuckle film in favor of Deborah. Luckily for Esme, Jimmy’s attempt at a “good cop, bad cop” tactic doesn’t work as planned when Kayla steps in and offers to represent her.

Though she might not be widely known, Bermingham has worked consistently as an actress, primarily in guest roles on television. She’s appeared in Apple TV+’s Loot and Platonic, and will soon be featured in an episode of Beef season 2 on Netflix.

George Basil As Stefan

Episode 1, “EGOT”

George Basil’s character, Stefan, directs the film starring Fatty Arbuckle. He agrees with Jimmy and Kayla that Esme is doing a bad job, but he avoids firing her himself, claiming he’s uncomfortable with direct confrontation and wants them to handle it instead.

While Basil recently had a small part in the Barbie movie playing a boutique owner, he’s better known for his television roles. He’s appeared in Flaked as Cooler and Crashing as Leif.

Alanna Ubach As Amanda Weinberg

Episode 2, “Number One Fan”

Deborah’s plan to host a show at Madison Square Garden faces its first problem in episode 2, “Number One Fan”: she hadn’t gotten permission from the venue. This is where Alanna Ubach’s character, Amanda Weinberg, enters the scene. Amanda works as a booker for MSG and is upset that Deborah announced the event before finalizing arrangements.

She initially doubted Deborah would be a good fit for the house. However, after a relentless campaign by the ‘Little Debbies’ – involving glitter bombs and strange messages left with toilet paper – she finally gave in and booked Deborah to stay.

Alanna Ubach is returning to HBO’s Euphoria for season 3, premiering April 12th, to play Suze, the mother of Cassie and Lexi. Many also know her as Serena McGuire from the first two Legally Blonde films, and she’s set to appear in the new third Legally Blonde movie as well.

Soleil Moon Frye As Herself

Episode 2, “Number One Fan”

I spotted Soleil Moon Frye at this autograph convention Deborah and I went to in Vegas – it was so cool! She was genuinely sweet, taking the time to sign autographs and thank everyone. You probably know her best as Punky Brewster from that awesome 80s sitcom, but she was also Roxie King on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which I totally forgot about until I saw her!

Hannah Pilkes As Cindy

Episode 2, “Number One Fan”

Hannah Pilkes portrays Cindy, who first appears to be a devoted fan of Ava, much to the writer’s surprise and pleasure. But it’s eventually discovered that Cindy leads a local Little Debbie fan club and was actually trying to take Ava’s place as Deborah’s favorite author.

Pilkes began her film career in 2004, appearing alongside Kevin Bacon in The Woodsman. Today, she plays Josie Murphy, the lively daughter of the main character, in the popular Netflix comedy Leanne.

William Baldwin As Himself

Episode 2, “Number One Fan”

William Baldwin, one of the younger Baldwin brothers, has appeared in many films, including popular titles like Flatliners, The Squid and the Whale, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. He also made a cameo appearance as himself on the show Hacks, where he kindly adjusted his photobooth schedule at an autograph convention to accommodate Deborah, acknowledging her courage in confronting Bob Lipka and inviting him to her Fourth of July party.

Renée O’Connor As Herself

Episode 2, “Number One Fan”

Renée O’Connor is well-known for her role as Gabrielle in Xena: Warrior Princess. In the show Hacks, the character Jimmy is a huge fan. When he meets O’Connor at a convention, he’s initially overwhelmed, but manages to suggest she create a podcast revisiting the Xena series. O’Connor thinks it’s a great idea and shares it with Lucy Lawless. Recognizing Jimmy’s enthusiasm and initiative, O’Connor hires him as her manager and gives him a share of her convention earnings.

Bayne Gibby As A Deborah Vance Fan

Episode 2, “Number One Fan”

Bayne Gibby plays a sweet Deborah Vance fan who gives the comedian a unique gift: a portrait crafted from seeds and grains. The fan becomes emotional while explaining how much Deborah meant to both her and her late mother, who would have loved seeing the picture. This touching story moves Deborah, and she pauses her meet-and-greet to collect herself.

Lucy Gibby is a familiar face on HBO comedies, having appeared in shows like Enlightened and The Comeback. She also played Casey Kelly in Lady Bird, the character who clashes with the main character.

Ann Dowd As Unnamed Celebrity In An Alien Costume

Episode 2, “Number One Fan”

Ann Dowd is barely recognizable dressed in an elaborate alien costume at a celebrity autograph show. While taking a break to smoke, she offers Deborah helpful advice on reconnecting with her fans – suggesting they simply want to feel appreciated. Deborah follows this advice and successfully wins back the support of her fans, affectionately known as the Little Debbies.

Ann Dowd is best known for her Emmy-winning performance as Aunt Lydia in The Handmaid’s Tale, and she’s continuing that role in the new series The Testaments. She’s also appeared in several acclaimed films, including Garden State, Compliance, and Hereditary.

Alyssa Limperis As Jenny

Episode 2, “Number One Fan”

Jenny is a friend from Ava’s childhood that Deborah invites to her 30th birthday party. She hopes this will prove Ava wrong after Jenny made a mean comment in season 4 about Ava not having any friends. While it turns out Jenny and Ava weren’t actually that close, Jenny comfortably settles in at the party and ends up having a romantic encounter with the musical performer, Jesse McCartney.

Alyssa Limperis is a performer who does both comedy and acting. In 2022, she released a comedy special called Alyssa Limperis: No Bad Days on Peacock. She’s also appeared in TV shows like What We Do in the Shadows and Dexter: Original Sin.

Jesse McCartney As Himself

Episode 2, “Number One Fan”

Jesse McCartney makes a guest appearance on the show Hacks, playing himself and singing his popular song, “Beautiful Soul” – a dream come true for the character Ava, who loved the song in middle school. Beyond acting, McCartney continues to record music; his fifth album, New Stage, came out in 2021. He’s also appeared in several TV shows, including All My Children, Law & Order: SVU, and Fear the Walking Dead.

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2026-04-10 14:11