Jean Smart Strikes Emmy History WIth Fifth Consecutive Win For Hacks

Jean Smart has made Emmy history. She became the first performer to win for every season of her show as she took her fifth consecutive Emmy lead actress laurel for Hacks. She has won for all of the five seasons. Three actors have previously won at least five Emmys for their respective shows — Candice Bergen for Murphy Brown, Don Knotts for The Andy Griffith Show and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for Veep — but none have pulled off the feat for every season. Smart created an exception. a record hard to beat. Hacks concluded with its finale in May.

For her fifth Hacks win, Smart defeated Quinta Brunson for Abbott Elementary, Ayo Edebiri for The Bear, Elle Fanning for Margo’s Got Money Troubles and Lisa Kudrow for The Comeback. She started her acceptance speech by thanking Universal and HBO, and “my reps who are the best in the business, and my children who are my anchor, Forrest and Connor.”

“But this one, I’m dedicating to [series creators] Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky, and Paul W. Downs. It all begins and ends with them. I love you guys so much. Thank you. Thank you all so much,” she concluded, adding, “What a ride this has been.”

Jean Smart's Emmy Wins

Prior to Hacks, Smart gathered three acting Emmys — two for her guest role as Lana Gardner on Frasier, in 2000 and 2001, and another for playing Regina Newly on Samantha Who? in 2008. Smart’s win also tied the record for most Emmys won by a performer. Smart joins Cloris Leachman. She enters a small club that entails Ed Asner, Tyne Daly, Alfre Woodard, John Lithgow, Betty White, Helen Mirren and Laura Linney in that distinction. Janney's previous Emmy wins came for The West Wing, Mom and Masters of Sex.

Smart has made light of her historic awards run for Hacks. “What can I say — I’m a greedy bitch,” she said while accepting her third Golden Globe for the show earlier this year. “I’m one of luckiest people in not this room, but the entire business. … I’m just surrounded by so much support.” Smart also grabbed four Critics' Choice and three SAG awards for essaying Deborah Vance in Hacks.