Hannah Einbinder (Hacks, North Hollywood) is opening up about the emotional experience of filming the finale of HBO Max’s Hacks, describing the process as “incredibly heavy” as the acclaimed comedy came to an end after five seasons, according to Deadline. The Emmy-winning actress, who made her onscreen debut as comedy writer Ava Daniels, discussed the unique challenge of saying goodbye to a character she portrayed for half a decade.

The Emmy-winning actress, who made her onscreen debut as comedy writer Ava Daniels, spoke with Deadline about the unique challenge of saying goodbye to a character she portrayed for half a decade. She explained that accessing those emotions was surprisingly natural because her real-life experience so closely mirrored the character’s journey.

Deadline reports, Einbinder described a “convergence of real life with the text,” noting that she was fully aware while filming that it would be the final time she would play Ava. After five seasons, she said she felt deeply connected to the character’s perspective, making the emotions in the finale feel genuine. Einbinder also spoke about her affection for both Ava and Deborah Vance, played by Jean Smart (Designing Women, Mare of Easttown).

The finale was written by co-creators Lucia Aniello (Broad City, Time Traveling Bong), Paul W. Downs (Broad City, The Amazing Spider-Man), and Jen Statsky (Parks and Recreation, The Good Place), with Aniello directing the episode. The finale follows Deborah and Ava on a trip to Europe, where Deborah reveals that the cancer she had removed in prior episodes has returned, and that she plans to enter an assisted-suicide facility.

The revelation sparks an emotional exchange between the longtime friends as Ava tries to convince Deborah to reconsider her decision. As the conversation unfolds, the possibility of creating another comedy special together becomes a reason for Deborah to keep moving forward, bringing the relationship between the two women back to the center of the story one final time.

The latest interview offers a more personal look at how closely Einbinder’s real-life farewell aligned with Ava’s final chapter, as Hacks concludes its run as one of HBO Max’s most celebrated original comedies.