Jean Smart Makes Emmy History as the First Actress To Win for Every Season of a Show
Some records in television history take decades to reach, while others come down to a single nail-biting nomination year after year. Jean Smart has spent the past five years quietly chasing one of the rarest feats in Emmy history, and this year’s ceremony finally delivered the milestone fans had been waiting on.
‘Hacks’ wrapped its acclaimed five-season run this past spring, closing the book on Smart’s portrayal of legendary Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance. The show had already become something of an Emmy fixture throughout its run, collecting wins across multiple categories and cementing itself as one of the defining comedies of its era.
That legacy reached a new peak this year. Jean Smart became the first female performer in Emmy history to win an acting award for every single season of a television series, taking home her fifth consecutive trophy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on ‘Hacks.’
The 75-year-old actress received a standing ovation as she made her way to the stage to accept the award from presenter Zendaya, turning the moment into a punchline almost immediately. Smart joked to the room, “Just the men stay standing. The girls get to sit down,” poking fun at the discomfort of formalwear before diving into her acceptance speech.
The win puts Smart in genuinely rare company. Julia Louis-Dreyfus came close to matching this exact achievement during her legendary run on ‘Veep,’ winning Lead Comedy Actress six consecutive times, but she ultimately lost the show’s seventh and final season to Phoebe Waller-Bridge for ‘Fleabag.’ That near-miss makes Smart’s clean sweep across all five ‘Hacks’ seasons all the more remarkable.
Jean Smart reacts to winning her historic fifth Emmy for playing Deborah Vance in ‘HACKS.’ pic.twitter.com/vSxxJHEByd
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) September 15, 2026
The victory also brings Smart’s career Emmy total to eight, tying the all-time record for a female performer shared by Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman. Interestingly, Smart had downplayed the significance of the potential record before the ceremony, calling the distinction a “technicality” during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! back in August, while pointing to Louis-Dreyfus’s larger overall Emmy collection.
Official trailer for HACKS season 5/final season
— Rama's Screen (@RamasScreen) March 23, 2026
On HBO Max APRIL 9th at 9 pm ET
In the aftermath of a mistaken news that she passed away, Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and Ava (Hannah Einbinder) return to Las Vegas more determined than ever to secure Deborah’s legacy as a comedian. pic.twitter.com/npJYTThqLk
Smart’s road to this moment stretches back decades. She first gained wider recognition on the CBS sitcom ‘Designing Women’ before eventually winning her first two Emmys for guest appearances on ‘Frasier,’ followed by another win for her supporting role in ‘Samantha Who?’ Those three earlier victories, combined with her five ‘Hacks’ wins, brought her career total to eight trophies across 15 Emmy nominations.
During her acceptance speech, Smart dedicated the award to the creative team behind ‘Hacks,’ naming Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky, and Paul W. Downs directly and saying it all begins and ends with them. She also thanked HBO, Universal, and her representatives, before turning her attention to her children, Forrest and Connor, whom she described as her anchor.
For her final turn as Deborah Vance, Smart beat out a competitive field that included Elle Fanning for ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’ and Lisa Kudrow for ‘The Comeback.’ With ‘Hacks’ now concluded and its Emmy legacy fully secured, Smart’s fifth win closes out one of the most dominant single-role runs in the award’s history.
What makes Jean Smart's Emmy achievement most impressive?
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
