Downs has been creating
digital shorts with
Lucia Aniello under the moniker Paulilu since the pair met at the
Upright Citizens Brigade. In 2012, they made a
web series called
Paulilu Mixtape for
Above Average Productions, a division of
Broadway Video. From 2014–2019, Downs played Trey Pucker on the
Comedy Central sitcom
Broad City. Trey is a fitness instructor and the boss turned romantic interest of Abbi Abrams (played by
Abbi Jacobson) at Soulstice. On April 29, 2015, it was announced that Downs and Aniello would be writing a female spin-off of
21 Jump Street. On June 22, 2015, it was announced that the duo sold their script for
Move That Body, a feature film acquired by
Sony. Retitled
Rough Night and released in 2017, Aniello directed, while Downs co-starred opposite
Scarlett Johansson in the film. In 2016 he wrote and starred in his own 30-minute episode of the
sketch show Netflix Presents: The Characters. On April 20, 2016 Downs starred in the Comedy Central miniseries
Time Traveling Bong alongside
Broad City co-star
Ilana Glazer. In 2018, Downs co-starred in
Netflix's summer comedy
Like Father opposite
Kristen Bell,
Kelsey Grammer, and
Seth Rogen. Downs is showrunning and co-starring in the
HBO Max show
Hacks, starring
Jean Smart. In 2021, Downs and Aniello struck a deal with
Warner Bros. Television. On January 31, 2025, Downs appeared on season 17 of ''
Rupaul's Drag Race'' as a guest judge. Downs had a
cameo role in the
eighth episode of
The Studio, which premiered on May 6, 2025. ==Personal life==