In the fifth and final season of Hacks, Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) meets musician Nico Hayes (Christopher Briney) and is surprised to learn that the much younger man is very into her, not merely for the sake of the cameras following them around.
Awards Buzz spoke with Briney about his affinity for the show prior to getting the opportunity to appear on it and how that came about:
“I got an email with two scenes, sides, for an audition and I was really busy at that time of year and the Zoom was like a day or two away and I read it real quick and I had to go do other stuff. And then all of a sudden I was in an Uber going back to my place and I was like, shit! My audition’s in like 20 minutes and I’m going to get home in 19 minutes. It was stressful and I felt underprepared and I decided, all right, let’s just play. Let’s have fun with it, because that’s what comedy’s about. And I’m a fan of the show. I feel like I understand the tone, whatever, and I don’t know. Then a few days later I found out that they were offering the role and I was blown away. I still am. I don’t know why anybody lets me on any set. It’s sort of in a fever dream. I felt like it just happened. I got very lucky.”
He had nothing but praise for his primary scene partner, Smart:
“I don’t know if I set too many expectations, but I will say whatever I thought was severely exceeded by her in reality, because she’s such a legend. I have so much respect for her whole career and obviously her work on Hacks.”
Watch the video above to hear about how guest-starring on this show feels different than headlining other popular TV sensation, The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Hacks is streaming on HBO Max.
