Lucia Aniello

Lucia Aniello (born January 10, 1983) is an Italian-born American director, writer, and producer best known for her work on Hacks, for which she won multiple Emmy Awards, and Broad City. She has directed and written episodes of both shows, as well as the miniseries Time Traveling Bong and the 2017 film Rough Night.

Early life Aniello was born in Italy and grew up in Hadley, Massachusetts, where her parents owned Italian restaurants, before moving to New York City. She was in Sigma Delta Tau sorority. She also played varsity tennis for Columbia.

Career Aniello is an alumna of the Upright Citizens Brigade, an improvisational and sketch comedy group founded in 1990 by a group of comedians including Amy Poehler who is an executive producer of Broad City.

Aniello and Paul W. Downs met at an Upright Citizens Brigade Level One improvisational comedy class. Aniello and Downs began working together on a series of digital shorts and improv. They started their own website and comedy production company called Paulilu Productions. Together they have been writing, directing and acting in digital shorts since 2007. Some of their most well-known web series include The Diary of Zac Efron and The Real Housewives of South Boston.

Current work Aniello also co-created Time Traveling Bong. Her interest in the subject began in college when she wrote a thesis on time-travel movies at Columbia University. The movie is a stoner film comedy about two cousins who acquire a bong that acts as a time traveling device.

Aniello directed and, with Downs, co-wrote the comedy Rough Night, which was released in June 2017. It stars Scarlett Johansson, Zoe Kravitz, Kate McKinnon, Jillian Bell, Ilana Glazer, Demi Moore, Ty Burrell and Colton Haynes. During the time of the film's release, Aniello was the first woman to direct an R-rated comedy in nearly 20 years.

In 2020, she directed and executive produced the Comedy Central series Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens as well as Netflix's Baby-Sitters Club.

In 2023, Aniello directed the Apple holiday commercial “Fuzzy Feelings” which won “Best Commercial” at the 2024 Emmy Awards.

In May 2020, it was announced that Aniello would be showrunning and directing the HBO Max show Hacks, starring Jean Smart. Hacks, co-created with Downs, ran for 5 seasons and concluded in 2026.

, Aniello and Paul W. Downs signed a deal with Warner Bros. Television.

Personal life Aniello resides in Los Angeles with her husband and comedic partner Paul W. Downs, with whom she co-wrote Rough Night. After having their wedding delayed for 16 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aniello and Downs got married in a September 2021 intimate ceremony in Italy. A week later, they publicly announced their wedding at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards during Aniello's acceptance speech after winning the award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. They have a son, born in 2022. Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Hacks –

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Hacks –

Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series Hacks

Comedy Series Hacks

New Series Hacks Golden Globe Awards Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy Hacks

AFI Awards Outstanding Television Program of the Year Hacks

Peabody Awards Peabody Award, Entertainment Honoree Hacks

Outstanding Comedy Series Hacks

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Hacks – Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Hacks –

Episodic Comedy Hacks –

Comedy Series Hacks Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television Hacks

AFI Awards Outstanding Television Program of the Year Hacks

Children's and Family Emmy Awards Outstanding Children's or Family Viewing Series The Baby-Sitters Club

Outstanding Comedy Series Hacks

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Hacks –

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Hacks –

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy Hacks

Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series Hacks –

Episodic Comedy Hacks –

Comedy Series Hacks

Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series Hacks –