At the 2025 Critics Choice Awards, Paul W. Downs, the actor, co-creator, and co-showrunner of the hit show “Hacks,” delivered a passionate plea to studios to shoot more projects in Los Angeles. Downs, who was accepting the award for best comedy series, emphasized the importance of filming in Los Angeles, stating that it is an industry town that should see more production.
The actor highlighted that “Hacks” had been primarily shot in Los Angeles, with some scenes filmed in Las Vegas. He expressed his gratitude for the support of the cast and crew before addressing decision-makers in the audience. Downs urged them to consider shooting more shows in L.A., emphasizing the benefits of filming in the city.
According to a recent report from FilmLA, overall production in Los Angeles hit a historic low in 2024. Despite a slight increase in filming towards the end of the year, challenges such as wildfires have threatened progress in local production. Downs’ co-star, Hannah Einbinder, used her acceptance speech to draw attention to climate change, specifically calling out the fossil fuel industry for its role in the crisis.
Alongside the success of “Hacks” at the awards ceremony, lead star Jean Smart was recognized for her outstanding performance, winning the award for best actress in a comedy series. Smart, along with co-showrunners Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky, were notably absent from the event as they were busy filming the fourth season of the HBO comedy.
In their absence, Downs and Einbinder used the platform of the Critics Choice Awards to advocate for important issues such as local production in Los Angeles and climate change. Their messages serve as a reminder of the power of storytelling in raising awareness and driving change in the industry and beyond.