Jean Smart won the Emmy for lead comedy actress for her performance as Deborah Vance, a Las Vegas stand-up legend, in “Hacks.”
It’s her third win for her role in the Max comedy but her sixth Emmy overall. She previously won twice for guest actress on “Frasier” and for supporting actress in a comedy for “Samantha Who?”
“It’s very humbling, it really is, and I appreciate this because I just don’t get enough attention,” Smart quipped, accepting the honor Sunday night at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
She went on to thank “Hacks” showrunners Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky, as well as her agent of 30-plus years, Scott Henderson, “who is retiring and breaking my heart.”
“Scott, I love you, and I wish you all the best. He’s going to bicycle through France, because that’s better than representing me,” she continued her Deborah Vance-inspired acceptance speech.
Smart beat last year’s winner, “The Bear” star Ayo Edebiri, preventing the FX comedy from making a sweep in the top comedy categories. With production delayed by the dual Hollywood strikes, “Hacks” did not compete in 2023, but the show returned to Max in May for a third season, its most acclaimed yet. Created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky, the series follows the testy relationship between Deborah Vance, an old-school, Joan Rivers-esque comedian, and Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), the much younger writer who helps Deborah revamp her stale act.
Season 3 saw Deborah’s career flying high as she vied for a coveted late-night hosting gig, but the character also faced accountability for insensitive jokes from her past, and her relationship with Ava confronted new challenges.
“Hacks” has been a late-career breakthrough for Smart, a veteran actor who first gained prominence as the naive Charlene in the CBS sitcom “Designing Women,” and she has earned 13 Emmy nominations to date.
“Hacks” was nominated for 17 Emmys this year, including comedy series.