Paul W. Downs
Downs in 2018
Born	(1982-11-21)November 21, 1982 (age 42)[1] New Jersey, U.S.[2]
Alma mater	Duke University
Occupations	Writer actor director
Years active	2007–present
Spouse	Lucia Aniello
Children	1[3]

Paul W. Downs (born November 21, 1982) is an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is the co-creator, co-showrunner and one of the stars of the critically acclaimedHBO Max seriesHacks, for which he has received aGolden Globe,Peabody Award, and threePrimetime Emmy Awards, among others. Downs first gained attention for his role in theComedy Central seriesBroad City, which ran for five seasons and for which he was also a writer, director and executive producer.

Downs was born inMorristown, New Jersey^[4] and raised inSussex Borough, New Jersey. He attended thePeck School for seventh and eighth grade where he performed in theTwelfth Night and won a drama award.^[5] For high school, he attended thePingry School.^[6]

Downs studied theater atDuke University^[6] where he did improv as a member of Duke University Improv (DUI).^[7]

Downs has been creatingdigital shorts withLucia Aniello under the moniker Paulilu since the pair met at theUpright Citizens Brigade. In 2012, they made aweb series calledPaulilu Mixtape forAbove Average Productions, a division ofBroadway Video.

From 2014–2019, Downs played Trey Pucker on theComedy Central sitcomBroad City. Trey is a fitness instructor and the boss turned romantic interest of Abbi Abrams (played byAbbi Jacobson) at Soulstice.

On April 29, 2015, it was announced that Downs and Aniello would be writing a female spin-off of21 Jump Street.^[8] On June 22, 2015, it was announced that the duo sold their script forMove That Body, a feature film acquired bySony. RetitledRough Night and released in 2017, Aniello directed, while Downs co-starred oppositeScarlett Johansson in the film.^[9]

In 2016 he wrote and starred in his own 30-minute episode of thesketch showNetflix Presents: The Characters.^[10] On April 20, 2016 Downs starred in the Comedy Central miniseriesTime Traveling Bong alongsideBroad City co-starIlana Glazer.^[11]

In 2018, Downs co-starred inNetflix's summer comedyLike Father oppositeKristen Bell,Kelsey Grammer, andSeth Rogen.^[12]

Downs is showrunning and co-starring in theHBO Max showHacks, starringJean Smart. The first season ofHacks garnered 15Emmy nominations and 3 wins, including "Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series", "Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series", and Jean Smart won "Outstanding Lead Actress in aComedy Series".^[13] The series won twoWriters Guild of America Awards in the categories of "Comedy Series" and "New Series",^[14] and Aniello won aDirectors Guild of America Award inthe category of "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series".^[15] The series also took home twoGolden Globe Awards for "Best Musical or Comedy TV Series" and "Best Television Actress in a Musical or Comedy".^[16]Hacks was honored as one of the "Outstanding Television Programs of the Year" at theAmerican Film Institute Awards^[17] and won a 2022Peabody Award.^[18] Season 1 ofHacks also received various award nominations at theScreen Actors Guild Awards,^[19]Critics Choice Awards,^[20]Producers Guild of America Awards,^[21] and theGotham Awards.^[22]

In its second season,Hacks received 17Emmy nominations and 3 wins, including "Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series", "Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series", and "Outstanding Contemporary Costumes".^[13] The series won aWriters Guild of America Award in the "Episodic Comedy" category,^[23] and was honored as one of the "Outstanding Television Programs of the Year" at theAmerican Film Institute Awards for its second consecutive year.^[24] Jean Smart also won aCritics Choice Award for "Best Actress in a Comedy Series" for her second consecutive year.^[25] The series was nominated for threeGolden Globe Awards,^[16] twoWriters Guild of America Awards,^[26] twoScreen Actors Guild Awards,^[27] and aProducers Guild of America Award.^[28]

In 2021, Downs and Aniello struck a deal withWarner Bros. Television.^[29]

On January 31, 2025, Downs appeared on season 17 ofRupaul's Drag Race as a guest judge.

He lives inLos Angeles with Aniello, his wife and comedy partner.^[30][31] They have a son, born in 2022.^[32]

• Paulilu Productions
• Paul W. Downs atIMDb

• Living people
• American male television actors
• American male television writers
• American television writers
• American sketch comedians
• 21st-century American male actors
• People from Sussex, New Jersey
• Primetime Emmy Award winners
• Pingry School alumni
• Male actors from New Jersey
• Duke University alumni
• American male screenwriters
• Film producers from New Jersey
• American male film actors
• Upright Citizens Brigade Theater performers
• 21st-century American comedians
• 1982 births
• 21st-century American screenwriters
• 21st-century American male writers
• American showrunners
• Writers Guild of America Award winners
• Comedians from Sussex County, New Jersey
• American male comedians
• Actors from Sussex County, New Jersey

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from April 2016
• Articles with hCards
• Place of birth missing (living people)