Cherry Jones and Hacks are a match made in heaven. Even if it took a lot of convincing — in the form of three phone calls from co-creator Paul W. Downs himself — to get Jones to appear in the beloved HBO Max show, which is currently airing its fifth and final season. (Yes, we’re devastated too).
“I kept saying no and Paul finally called me a third time weeks later. And, and I thought, ‘Well, my God, no one's ever wanted me that much.’ So I have to do that, that gives you confidence,” says the 24 and Erin Brockovich actor ahead of the release of the newly released episode 7, in which she guest stars.
In this season of Hacks, Deborah Vance — played by the incomparable Jean Smart, who’s won four Emmys for this role — is dealing with the aftermath of her Late Night debacle, in which she lost her show for refusing to fire her assistant/writer/best friend/confidante Ava Daniels (the hilarious Hannah Einbinder). But not only did she lose her hosting job, Deborah is now dealing with the repercussions of her strict contract, which doesn't allow her to perform, at all, for a very long time.
But of course, it’s not that simple. Deborah wants to fight back, publicly. And she wants to have a comeback show at Madison Square Garden (of course). Does the fact that the only slot available to her happen to land on 9/11 present any issue to Deborah? Absolutely not, onwards and upwards. Which gets viewers to episode 7, “Montecito,” perhaps the best of the series thus far.
“[Hacks co-creators] Lucia [Aniello] and Jen [ Statsky] and Paul [W. Downs] said at one point while we were shooting it, in all sincerity, ‘We think this may be the funniest episode of the series.’ And I thought, holy shit. That's good,” Jones says of “Montecito.”
Hannah Einbinder and Cherry Jones on 'Hacks'Courtesy HBO Max
In the episode, Deborah, while preparing for her show at the Garden, which she fought tooth and nail for, decides — or actually, is told by her psychic — that there’s only one thing she can possibly wear. A vintage Bob Mackie design worn by Carol Burnett during her final show. The only problem? It’s owned by one of her many arch-nemeses, Kelly Kilpatrick, played by none other than Jones.
“When I read it, I just thought it was hilarious, but I didn't want to do it because I don't do that much comedy, I mean I hardly have ever done any comedy, and I so revere Jean Smart,” she says of playing Kilpatrick, an out lesbian and fellow comedian who despises Deborah. Until, that is, she “discovers” that Deborah is also “gay” and in a “relationship” with Ava. Reader: She’s not.
But one thing about Deborah? She’ll do whatever it takes to get what she wants. Including playing pretend girlfriends with Ava for a weekend while in Montecito visiting Kelly and her hot and flirtatious wife, Monica (hello, Leslie Bibb!). “I got paid money to go to work every day and watch Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart go to town like that. And then I get to play wives with Leslie Bibb? They sweetened the deal even more," Jones says.
In this episode, fans get to see Jones in a fantastic look of aviators and a vintage 70s green blazer jacket — which her character says belonged to Merv Griffin — and which Jones helped pick out with Hacks costume designer Kathleen Felix-Hager. They're also treated to Bibb in a full beekeeper look. “I will never forget the moment of her [Bibb] coming into the room in that bee suit, and she was like a bee. She just swept in and took over the whole room and all the oxygen,” Jones says. “I really thought I'm gonna have to up my game. It was like acting 101. She was just so funny.”
Cherry Jones and Leslie Bibb play wives on 'Hacks'Courtesy HBO Max
And viewers also get plenty of lesbian jokes, Deborah and Ava actually kissing (not just in a dream!), discussions of Pillow Princesses, nude hot tubbing, and plenty of trophy wife discourse. Basically, this episode was made for OG "Avorah" shippers. “This is a real nod to the fans,” Jones says. “Because it’s not the trajectory of these characters that they're gonna be a couple and live in bliss the rest of their lives together, but, this was the best they [the showrunners] could do, and by God, I'd say it should serve nicely.”
Towards the end of episode 7, Kelly tells Ava and Deborah that she’s rooting for them. But does Jones feel the same? “Well, my character still thinks they really are gay. So I'm rooting for them that way. I want whatever will make them happy,” she says. But not only does Kelly say she’s still rooting for Ava and Deborah, she also offers Ava some nice elder lesbian advice to help them re-connect. So I asked Jones: What advice does she have for younger lesbians?
“I would never presume to give advice to young lesbians or anyone young. Except, you know, follow your heart and be kind, but that's what we all try to do anyway," Jones says. "Every moment of life is so unique for every individual from the other, and I just want folks to find love and take good care of each other.”
When I tell her that I can't wait to see how everyone reacts to this little taste of Deborah and Ava as a real couple, Jones tells me that it feels like “Christmas morning,” waiting for the episode to drop. “And, and I don't know how this group said goodbye to each other at the end. I know when you have that, when you laugh that hard for that many years together, I know it's just gonna be a huge hole.”
Episode 7 on Hacks is now streaming on HBO Max.
Cherry Jones on 'Hacks'Courtesy HBO Max
