On Sunday night at the 2025 Emmys, Jean Smart triumphantly claimed the award for Best Comedy Actress. Smart found herself in esteemed company among the nominees, including Uzo Aduba (The Residence), Kristen Bell (Nobody Wants This), Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), and Ayo Edebiri (The Bear).
As she stepped onto the stage, Smart didn't waste a moment before sharing a personal update with the audience. "If I'm walking like John Wayne tonight, it's because I broke my knee this summer, and it's still not fully healed," she quipped with a mix of humor and resilience.
"One of the greatest joys of winning an award like this," she continued warmly, "is the chance to publicly express gratitude to the incredible people I work with." She went on to lavish praise on her "unbelievable" crew, "incredible" co-stars, and "beyond brilliant" showrunners. Her appreciation extended to her children, whom she described as her "anchor," and to her "cheerleader," Joe Pacheco.
"Let's be kind to one another," Smart concluded her heartfelt speech, leaving the audience with a poignant reminder.
This latest accolade marks Smart's second consecutive win in the comedy actress category for her portrayal of Deborah Vance on the HBO Max series. It also brings her total Emmy tally to seven wins out of 14 career nominations, having previously secured the same award at the 2024 Emmys.
In May, it was announced that the streamer had greenlit a fifth season of Hacks, making it the longest-running live-action show in Max's history. The renewal was unveiled by series creators and showrunners Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky during an Emmy FYC screening in Los Angeles.
This season has witnessed Smart's character, Deborah, realizing her long-held dream of hosting a late-night talk show, with Ava Daniels (played by Hannah Einbinder) serving as her head writer.
Heading into the Emmys, the Apple TV+ series Severance led the pack with a staggering 27 nominations, including Best Drama Series, vying for the top prize alongside Andor, The Diplomat, The Last of Us, Paradise, The Pitt, Slow Horses, and The White Lotus. The Penguin followed closely with 24 noms, while The Studio and The White Lotus tied with 23 each. The Last of Us, Andor, and Hacks each secured 14 nominations, and Adolescence, The Bear, and The Pitt rounded out the list with 13 apiece. HBO and Max emerged as the most nominated platforms overall.
