Tony Yacenda

Tony Yacenda is a master of deadpan satire, known for his unmatched ability to play the absurd completely straight. A keen observer of human behaviour, his work is defined by nuance, pitch-perfect casting and impeccable comedic timing. Operating at the intersection of entertainment and advertising, Yacenda consistently turns offbeat concepts into defining cultural phenomena.

He co-created and directed the Peabody Award-winning and Emmy-nominated American Vandal, a Christopher Guest-esque take on the true-crime genre. Built on a ludicrous premise, the series is a comedic feat of satire and storytelling without a false beat. His work with Lil Dicky also made waves, starting with the viral music videos “Pillow Talking” and “Save Dat Money,” and evolving into the breakout FX series Dave. Yacenda directed multiple episodes across its three seasons, including the critically acclaimed season-one finale “Jail.” With Players for Paramount+, he gave the League of Legends the Last Dance treatment, earning spots on numerous critics’ best-of lists. He also directed and executive produced Chad Powers, the acclaimed Hulu comedy series starring Glen Powell and inspired by Eli Manning’s celebrated walk-on prank, with a second season forthcoming. Alongside his American Vandal collaborator Dan Perrault, Yacenda is writing, showrunning and executive producing DC Crime in development for HBO Max, a fictional docuseries that drops reporters into the criminal underbelly of the DC Universe.

His sharp comedic instincts and meticulous craft have made him a go-to commercial director for leading creative teams at Wieden+Kennedy, 72andSunny and Anomaly, to name a few. Among his most notable work is “Cantenna” for Miller Lite, a campaign that turned a beer can into a working digital antenna for cord-cutters to stream football games. The stunt and film generated national headlines and earned a D&AD Award for turning an inventive concept into an enduring brand moment.

Whether crafting genre-bending campaigns, television series or viral music videos, Yacenda approaches every project with an unmistakable comedic voice and an uncompromising commitment to craft. He consistently shapes the cultural zeitgeist, uncovering deeply human truths in the most absurd and delightfully unexpected films.