EXCLUSIVE: Hacks co-creators Paul W. Downs and Lucia Aniello are taking to market the first project following their multiple Emmy wins for the HBO Max comedy series. Hot Robot, a half-hour genre comedy written by Genevieve Aniello (The Other Two, Gayme Show), is being developed through Downs and Lucia Aniello’s Warner Bros. TV Group-based Paulilu Productions. Lucia Aniello, Emmy winner for directing the Hacks pilot episode, is set to direct Hot Robot, which will be shopped to streamers and cable networks.
Hot Robot follows a jaded young woman whose life is turned upside down when she’s recruited to work on a super-secret AI project by a big brother corporation.
Downs and Lucia Aniello executive produce via Paulilu Productions.
Genevieve Aniello was most recently the showrunner, executive producer and head writer on Gayme Show at Quibi, as well as a staff writer on The Other Two at Comedy Central. She has a half-hour animated project in development at Fox. Previously, she consulted and did punch-up work on Hacks, Emily in Paris, Broad City, Florida Girls and Younger. Prior to that, she was the director of development at Jax Media, where she oversaw the development and/or production of several shows, including Search Party (TBS), Netflix Presents: The Characters, Desus & Meru (Showtime), The Reductress Hour (Comedy Central), It’s Personal with Amy Hogart (TBS), and The Rundown with Robin Thede (BET).
Downs and Lucia Aniello are writing and executive producing the second season of Hacks, starring Jean Smart. The first season of the dark comedy earned 15 Emmy nominations and 3 wins, Writing for a Comedy Series for Downs, Aniello and fellow co-creator Jen Statsky; Directing for Aniello and Lead Actress In a Comedy Series for Jean Smart. Downs and Aniello also wrote, executive produced and directed Comedy Central’s praised series Broad City, which ran for five seasons.
As an actor, Downs is best known for his role as Trey Pucker on Broad City. On the big screen, Downs starred in Sony’s Rough Night opposite Scarlett Johansson which he co-wrote and produced with Aniello, who directed. In addition to her work on Hacks, Aniello also serves as executive producer and director on Comedy Central’s series Awkwafina is Nora from Queens and Netflix’s The Baby-Sitters Club.
Genevieve Aniello is repped by CAA, Mosaic, and attorney Benjamin Rubinfeld. Lucia Aniello and Downs are represented by UTA, 3 Arts, and Ziffren Brittenham LLP.
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