Jean Smart makes Emmy history with fifth straight 'Hacks' win

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Five seasons of “Hacks.” Five Emmy Awards for Jean Smart.

Smart completed an undefeated run Monday night, winning lead actress in a comedy series for every season of the acclaimed HBO Max comedy and becoming the first woman to win an acting Emmy for every season of a television series.

The audience rose for a standing ovation as Smart, 75, made her way to the stage for her fifth victory as legendary Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance. Smart immediately turned the moment into material.

“Just the men stay standing. The girls get to sit down,” she joked.

It’s her eighth trophy overall, which ties the all-time performer record shared by Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Smart also becomes the first to win best actress for each season of a show’s run.

Smart, who first got noticed in the CBS comedy “Designing Women,” won her first Emmys for guest appearances on “Frasier” and then another for a supporting role on “Samantha Who.”

The victory gave Smart her fifth lead comedy actress Emmy for “Hacks,” which debuted in 2021 and ended its five-season run in May.

Smart dedicated the award to the creative team behind the series: Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky and Paul W. Downs.

“It all begins and ends with them,” Smart said. “I love you guys so much.”

She also thanked HBO, Universal, her representatives and her children, Forrest and Connor, whom she called her “anchor.”

Then, with the clock counting down on both her speech and a remarkable five-season run, Smart summed it up simply: “What a ride!”

She punctuated the moment by tossing her Emmy into the air and catching it before leaving the stage.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus came close to accomplishing the same feat with “Veep,” winning lead comedy actress six consecutive times. But Louis-Dreyfus lost for the show’s seventh and final season to “Fleabag” star Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Smart had played down the significance of the potential record before Monday’s ceremony. During an August appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” she called the distinction a “technicality” and pointed to Louis-Dreyfus’ larger collection of Emmy victories.

“I’ve got to give it to Julia Louis-Dreyfus,” Smart said.

Her three Emmys outside “Hacks” came for two guest appearances on “Frasier” and a supporting comedy actress victory for “Samantha Who?” Smart has received 15 Emmy nominations during her career.

“Hacks” follows the unlikely partnership between Vance and Ava Daniels, the younger comedy writer played by Hannah Einbinder. The series became an Emmy fixture during its run, with previous victories including outstanding comedy series and supporting comedy actress for Einbinder.

Since “Hacks” premiered, the only performer other than Smart to win lead comedy actress was Quinta Brunson for “Abbott Elementary” at the January 2024 ceremony, when “Hacks” did not have a new season in contention.

For her final turn as Deborah Vance, Smart prevailed over a field that included Elle Fanning for “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” and Lisa Kudrow for “The Comeback.”