Los Angeles Plays Las Vegas in Jean Smart’s New HBO Max Comedy ‘Hacks’

“Hacks” premiere episode, titled “There Is No Line,” opens upon Deborah’s stand-up comedy act taking place in the main auditorium of the supposed Palmetto casino in Sin City. Filming actually occurred at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, located at 4401 W. 8th St. in L.A.’s Mid-Wilshire area. The historic 1,238-seat venue, which was originally established as the Windsor Square Playhouse in 1927, is part of the headquarters of The Ebell of Los Angeles, a female society founded “to interest women in the study of all branches of literature, art and science and the advancement of women in every branch of culture.” Designed by architect Sumner P. Hunt, both the group’s clubhouse and theatre have appeared onscreen in copious productions. The venue has also played host to countless luminaries. Just a few of the notables to grace its stage along with Jean Smart include Judy Garland, Julie Andrews, Elizabeth Taylor, Dolly Parton and Kevin Bacon.

The rest of the Palmetto is a mash-up of several different locales. For establishing shots, the production utilized an authentic Vegas lodging, The Palazzo at the Venetian Resort located at 3325 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

Most hotel interiors, as well as the exit Deborah is seen leaving from at the beginning of the pilot, can be found at The Biltmore Los Angeles, one of downtown’s most historic and storied properties located at 506 S. Grand Ave. The Beaux Arts-style lodging was designed by architects Leonard Schultze and S. Fullerton Weaver in 1923 and has gone on to become one of the city’s most celebrated and oft-filmed sites. Areas utilized on “Hacks” include the Gold Room, the limousine ramp, the glass-ceilinged lobby (above) and the Galleria, which masks as the main floor of the casino where Ava is begrudgingly taught how to play the slots. The Palmetto’s employee cafeteria can also be found at the Biltmore. Ava’s hotel room and Deborah’s lavish dressing room are just sets, though.

And finally, the posh casino eatery where Deborah meets with Palmetto owner Marty (Christopher McDonald) in episodes one and five is The Restaurant at the NoMad Los Angeles, located at 649 S. Olive St. in downtown L.A. Designed by Morgan, Walls and Clements in 1923 as the headquarters of The Bank of Italy, the property was reimagined as a luxury hotel by the Sydell Group in 2018. Though designer Jacques Garcia gave the structure a massive facelift as part of the revamp, the original coffered ceiling in the restaurant area remains. The stunning two-story space also features Moorish-inspired arches, a mezzanine and colorful booth seating.

Deborah’s opulent manse, easily the crown jewel of the show’s locales, is also an amalgamation of several different spots. The front exterior can be found way off the Las Vegas Strip – about 300 miles to be precise. To portray her lavish digs, producers looked to the estate at 360 Stone Canyon Rd., a Bel Air behemoth reported to measure a whopping 27,000 square feet – a fitting spot to exhibit Vance’s long-running and massive success.

The pool and backyard scenes, though, were shot about a mile and a half away at 100 N. Carolwood Dr. in Holmby Hills. If that address sounds familiar, it should. The manse is well known for being  the final residence of pop star Michael Jackson.

The interior of Deborah’s home, which Ava comments looks like a Cheesecake Factory, is an elaborate set – so elaborate, in fact, that, according to Architectural Digest, it takes up two soundstages at Paramount Pictures Studio!

Deborah and Ava’s talent agent, Jimmy Lusack Jr. (played by series co-creator Paul W. Downs), and his hilariously daft assistant, Kayla (Meg Stalter), report to work each day at the Albert C. Martin Jr.-designed high-rise known as 1900 Avenue of the Stars in Century City.

In episode one, a desperate Ava bombards her producer friend to ask for a writing job while at Alfred Coffee located at 8428 Melrose Pl. in Beverly Grove. The charming cafe, with its vine-wrapped exterior, subway-tiled walls and famed “But first, coffee” signage, is easily one of L.A.’s most Instagrammable spots!

When Ava lands at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport in episode one, she’s actually at the Long Beach Convention Center at 300 E. Ocean Blvd., which bears virtually no resemblance to LAS. But throw in a row of slot machines, the requisite cigarette smoke and some gate signage, and, voila, the space becomes a ready-for-its-close-up airport.

The site also pops up in episode ten, “I Think She Will,” this time pulling triple duty as McCarran International Airport, the Las Vegas Convention Center, where Madame Mayor Pezzimenti (Lauren Weedman) unveils the street named in Deborah’s honor, and the spot where Deborah’s business manager, Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins), dines al fresco with his new boyfriend, Wilson (Johnny Sibilly), at a Flaming Grain food truck.

In episode two, titled “Primm,” Deborah coerces Ava to accompany her on a road trip, which is actually a covert mission to acquire an antique pepper shaker. On the drive, the two stop at the Kwik Serv gas station/superstore at 37202 90th St. E. in Littlerock, a census-designated place situated just outside of Palmdale in Los Angeles’ Antelope Valley.

T.L. Gurley Antiques, where the two attempt to procure the prized shaker – and where Ava later returns to successfully nab it – can be found at 512 S. Fair Oaks Ave. in Pasadena. Little set dressing was needed for the shoot – the Santa on the roof is authentic to the shop.

Though Deborah claims to be on Las Vegas Blvd. about 15 minutes north of Primm when she gets a flat tire in episode two, in truth she suffers the blowout on a dusty stretch of Longview Rd. in between E. Avenues S and T in Littlerock, about five miles east of the gas station where she and Ava stopped earlier.

Deborah’s grand opening appearance at a Pyre Pizza franchise (for which she earns “100 grand and some stock”) in episode three, “A Gig’s a Gig,” was shot at the now-vacant former site of The Pizza Press outpost at 8440 Balboa Blvd. in Northridge.

The fabulously retro building where Deborah’s daughter, DJ (Kaitlin Olson), lives is known as The Polynesian in real life. Located at 1830 Taft Ave. in Hollywood, the condo complex, which gives off a very Las Vegas vibe, was constructed in 1962 by architect Emery Kanarick and is a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.

In episode four, “D’Jewelry,” DJ tries to sell her gems (which she proudly “self-tumbles!”) at a jewelry expo purported to be at the Las Vegas Convention Center. In reality, filming took place in the lobby of the Paramount Theatre on the Paramount Pictures lot.

DJ and Ava celebrate their success at the jewelry expo by hitting up Mo’s House of Axe, an axe-throwing establishment/bar at 611 S. Western Ave. in Koreatown that, as described on Yelp, is “hard to axeplain until you’re there.”

Though an establishing shot of the Rancho Las Palmas hotel located just outside of Palm Springs at 41000 Bob Hope Dr. in Rancho Mirage is used to portray the Seven Graces Surgical Center and Luxury Aftercare, where Deborah recovers from “a little eyelid maintenance” in episode six, when she and Ava are shown are walking the facility’s grounds they are actually on the Paramount lot, which serves as the show’s home base.

Marcus calls a stunning midcentury modern pad at 17133 Nanette St. in Granada Hills home on the series. The A-frame property, designed by Joseph Eichler in 1964, appears in numerous episodes. With a striking entrance atrium, Chef’s kitchen and great room with a fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows, it is no wonder that Marcus’ mother, Robin (Angela Elayne Gibbs), is constantly hanging out there, much to his chagrin.

Ava is finally able to unlock Deborah’s phone in episode six, “New Eyes,” thanks to a brilliant idea courtesy of Kiki (Poppy Liu), by using her wax figurine at Madame Tussauds Hollywood (6933 Hollywood Blvd.) for facial I.D.

The famed Drive-Thru Tunnel of Love at Las Vegas’ Little White Wedding Chapel, located at 1301 S. Las Vegas Blvd., is where DJ marries Aidan (Paul Felder) – sans prenup – in episode seven, appropriately titled “Tunnel of Love.” The couple was in good company! Just a few of the notables who have tied the knot on the premises include Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner, and, perhaps most famously, Britney Spears and her first husband, Jason Alexander. The latter’s union, which was also done sans prenup and lasted a scant 55 hours, took place in the early morning hours of January 3, 2004, and was quickly annulled once the singer’s team got wind of the spontaneous ceremony.

In episode eight, titled “1.69 Million,” Deborah returns to her stand-up roots by trying out new material at a supposed Sacramento-area comedy club because, as she says, ”if it works there, it’ll work anywhere.” In reality, filming did not take place in Capital City but at the HaHa Comedy Club located at 4712 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood. Both the interior and exterior of the venue, which features an onsite bar and restaurant, were utilized in the episode.

Later in “1.69 Million,” Marcus and Wilson grab dinner – and decide to go on a bouldering trip together – at Smeraldi’s Restaurant, yet another spot that can be found at the Biltmore hotel. The upscale Italian eatery, named in honor of muralist Giovanni Smeraldi whose ornate work can be found throughout the lodging, is situated off the original lobby, a gorgeous space that today serves as a lounge area known as Rendezvous Court.

At the end of “1.69 Million,” Deborah almost runs down her sister, Kathy (Linda Purl), in what is supposed to be the parking lot of the HaHa Comedy Club. Filming took place about five miles south, though, at Classic Parking, Inc. located at 1634 N. Las Palmas Ave. in Hollywood.

Silver Lake’s Cafe Stella, located at 3932 Sunset Blvd., is where Ava both gleefully orders an $11 iced matcha latte and later randomly runs into her ex, Ruby (Lorenza Izzo), while in L.A. for a possible job opportunity in episode nine, “Interview.”

It is at Ava’s parents’ house at 14942 Wyandotte St. in Van Nuys that Deborah and Ava finally make amends and decide to work together again in the season one finale, “I Think She Will” – well, for the time being, at least. There’s no telling what will happen in season two once Deborah finds out about Ava’s tell-all email!

Disclaimer: Please remember that some of these locations are private homes. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the properties in any way.