6 Ways to Write Characters in the Entertainment Industry with Depth (Like in Hacks)
Hacks provides insight into the world of stand-up comedy and aging stars with depth. Let’s discuss writing entertainment industry settings while making the characters feel layered and authentic…
Writing characters who work in the entertainment industry can be a delicate balancing act.
On one hand, you’re diving into a world full of glamor, ambition, and creative chaos.
On the other, you risk falling into tired clichés: the washed-up star, the sleazy agent, the self-absorbed diva.
Shows like Hacks give us a masterclass in how to write complex, layered characters who work in showbiz without reducing them to stereotypes.
Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels aren’t just “types” — they’re fully fleshed-out people with history, ambition, and flaws that drive the story forward.
Let’s break down how to make entertainment industry settings work while keeping characters as deep as your story deserves.
1. Context Matters — Ground Your Characters in Real Experience
Your characters need to be rooted in the realities of the entertainment industry, but that doesn’t mean every detail has to be lifted straight from a Hollywood tell-all.
What matters most is creating characters that feel authentic to the world they’re in.
Hacks nails this with Deborah Vance, a legendary stand-up comedian struggling to stay relevant in an industry obsessed with youth.
Her story isn’t just about the highs and lows of comedy — it’s about a woman fighting to remain significant in a world that often discards aging performers.
When writing entertainment industry characters, ask yourself: where are they in their careers?
Are they just starting out, or are they veterans of the industry?
A character fresh off their first big break has a very different perspective than someone who’s been doing it for decades.
Think about the kinds of experiences they’ve had that inform their worldview.
Deborah’s bitterness and Ava’s naive idealism work so well together because they’re at opposite ends of their careers, yet they’re still struggling with similar insecurities.
Career longevity impacts how they view success, failure, and everything in between.
For example, someone like Billie Eilish, who skyrocketed to fame as a teenager, would likely have a very different mindset compared to, say, an artist like Cher, who’s seen decades of ups and downs in the music business.
Make sure your characters’ experiences align with their time in the industry.
2. Avoid the Easy Tropes — Don’t Rely on Industry Stereotypes
It’s easy to fall into the trap of writing shallow industry archetypes, but your characters deserve more.
The entertainment world is full of colorful figures, yes, but they’re also real people with real struggles.
In Hacks, Deborah could’ve easily been written as the washed-up has-been, bitter and unlikable. But instead, she’s complex.
Sure, she’s bitter, but that bitterness is a result of decades of being underappreciated, fighting misogyny in comedy, and constantly having to prove herself.
There’s a reason behind her anger, making her far more interesting than just another “faded star” character.
One of the biggest pitfalls is reducing an agent to nothing more than a soulless suit who only cares about money.
To keep things authentic, avoid falling back on stereotypes like the egotistical actor or the cutthroat producer without exploring what makes them tick.
Dive deeper into their personal lives, their motivations, and how the industry has shaped them.
Ask yourself: what’s their backstory? How did they get here? Why do they behave the way they do?
Doing this adds nuance to even the most over-the-top characters.
3. Make Space for Vulnerability
The entertainment industry is often seen as cutthroat, but that doesn’t mean your characters have to be emotionless machines.
Vulnerability is what makes characters feel real.
In Hacks, Deborah may be tough as nails on stage, but we see glimpses of her softer side in her moments of vulnerability.
Whether it’s her complex relationship with her daughter or her fear of losing relevance, those cracks in her armor make her relatable.
The same goes for Ava.
She enters the show as a Gen Zer who thinks she’s got it all figured out, but as the series progresses, we see her insecurities, her desire for validation, and her struggles with her career.
Vulnerability adds layers. It makes characters human.
When crafting characters in the entertainment world, don’t be afraid to show their weaknesses.
Vulnerability isn’t a sign of weakness in writing — it’s a sign of depth.
What are your characters afraid of? What keeps them up at night? How do they deal with rejection, failure, or the constant pressure to perform?
Answering these questions will add layers to their personalities.
4. Highlight the Highs and Lows of the Industry
The entertainment industry is full of extremes — glamorous highs and soul-crushing lows. Your characters should experience both.
They shouldn’t just be cruising through life on red carpets and private jets, nor should they be endlessly suffering in obscurity.
Showing the spectrum of the industry helps to make their journey feel real and relatable.
In Hacks, Deborah’s life looks glamorous on the outside — she’s rich, has a successful career, and lives in a mansion. But that success comes with a cost.
She’s lonely, disconnected from her family, and constantly worried about becoming irrelevant.
Similarly, Ava’s life isn’t as charmed as it may seem. While she’s talented, she’s struggling to find her place in a competitive industry that doesn’t always value her voice.
These stories of highs and lows are what make the entertainment world so fascinating and make your characters feel fully realized.
Ask yourself: how does success affect your characters? How do they handle failure? Are they able to enjoy their victories, or are they always chasing the next big thing?
Incorporating these elements makes for a richer narrative.
5. Develop Meaningful Relationships
While the entertainment industry may seem like a world of self-absorbed individuals, the relationships between characters are crucial for adding depth.
Whether it’s professional rivalries, creative partnerships, or personal friendships, the interactions between your characters can reveal who they are beyond their public personas.
In Hacks, the relationship between Deborah and Ava is the beating heart of the show.
Their mentor-mentee dynamic is complicated, full of power struggles, mutual admiration, and deep emotional connection.
This relationship reveals more about each character than anything they do individually.
Through their interactions, we see Deborah’s fear of obsolescence and Ava’s desperate need for approval.
Strong relationships are what drive character development.
Look at The Devil Wears Prada — the relationship between Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs is fraught with tension, but it’s also what forces Andy to grow and evolve.
When writing your entertainment industry characters, think about their relationships.
Are they mentoring someone? Do they have a rival? How do these dynamics push them to grow or reveal more about their flaws?
Characters rarely exist in isolation, especially in such a collaborative field as entertainment. Use relationships to add another layer to your story.
6. Authenticity — The Final Layer
Writing characters with depth in the entertainment industry isn’t just about throwing them into dramatic situations.
It’s about making them feel real, relatable, and authentic. A big part of that is avoiding clichés and stereotypes, sure, but it’s also about doing your research.
Know the world you’re writing about.
If your character is a stand-up comic like Deborah Vance, understand the world of comedy.
If they’re an actor, know what it’s like to go on auditions, face rejection, and deal with the pressures of fame.
Whether you’re writing about comedians, actors, musicians, or any other entertainment professional, authenticity matters.
You don’t need to be in the entertainment industry to write about it, but you do need to be curious and do your homework.
Watch interviews with real industry professionals.
Read biographies or memoirs like Bossypants by Tina Fey or Born Standing Up by Steve Martin.
Authenticity is what separates a flat character from one who feels like they could walk off the page and into the real world.
Lights, Camera, Depth
Writing characters in the entertainment industry with depth takes more than flashy settings or witty dialogue.
It requires you to dig into who they are beneath the surface, showing their vulnerabilities, relationships, and the highs and lows of their lives.
Don’t shy away from their flaws, and don’t fall into the trap of industry clichés.
Give them layers, and let those layers unfold as your story progresses.
Characters in the entertainment world may live glamorous lives, but it’s their real, human experiences that make them worth watching.
Just like in Hacks, it’s not about the comedy or the fame — it’s about the people behind it.
So, write your characters with as much depth as the industry they’re navigating, and your audience will thank you for it.
Happy Writing!
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