Jean Smart Gets Emotional as She Makes History at 2026 Emmys with 5th Win for “Hacks” Role: ‘What a Ride’

Throughout her decades-long career, Smart has won eight Emmys, including two for her work on ‘Frasier’

NEED TO KNOW

• Jean Smart makes history as she wins Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the 2026 Emmys
• The Hacks star tied the record for most Emmys won by a performer, which stands at eight, joining Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus
• Also, Smart is the first performer to win an Emmy for every season of their show

Jean Smart is taking home more than a trophy tonight — she’s making history.

The Hacks star, 74, won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Deborah Vance in the HBO comedy Hacks at the 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 14.

Smart began 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.”

The actress’ win made Emmys history as she became the first performer to win for every season of her show. The moment was not lost on the audience who gave the star a standing ovation.

It’s Smart’s fifth consecutive win for playing Deborah Vance, setting the record for the Emmys’ first-ever “perfect run,” winning for every season the show has aired. 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 won for every season their show aired.

Smart’s win also tied the record for most Emmys won by a performer. Smart joins Cloris Leachman and Louis-Dreyfus as the only performers to win eight Emmys.

The actress has also won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2008 for her role as Regina Newly in Samantha Who? Additionally, she won two Emmys for her guest appearances on Frasier in 2000 and 2001.

Fans said goodbye to Deborah and the rest of the Hacks gang when the show came to an end in May. During Smart’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Aug. 18, she described her farewell to the hit show and her beloved character as “bittersweet,” though she always knew the show would conclude after five seasons.

Smart told guest host Rosie O’Donnell that she “instantly” wanted the part of the Las Vegas comedian, however, there was one thing that scared her. “[The stand-up part] was the only thing that scared me. I thought, ‘Oh, will other comedians buy me as a comic?’ That was the only thing that was concerning,” she said.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2024, Smart said the show was “everything I could want for my next job. But I needed to be sure that real stand-ups could believe I was a comic. I had never been a comedian, so they were the real litmus test. And I passed, I think!”

Other actresses nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series were Quinta Brunson for Abbott Elementary, Ayo Edebiri for The Bear, Elle Fanning for Margo’s Got Money Troubles and Lisa Kudrow for The Comeback.

See PEOPLE’s coverage of the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, airing live on NBC and Peacock on Sept. 14.