Jean Smart Wins Second Consecutive Emmy For Lead Actress In A Comedy Series For ‘Hacks’: “I Didn’t Realize The Breadth Of The Appeal Of Our Show”

Jean Smart has won her second consecutive Emmy for lead actress in a comedy series for her role as legendary Las Vegas comic Deborah Vance in HBO Max’s Hacks.

“Thank you for a second time honoring this show,” Smart said during her on-stage acceptance speech. “I have to tell you, I’m so blown away by our writers who not only matched season 1 but surpassed it, and as we all know, season 2 of a show is kind of a litmus test. This has just been a thrill. She went on to thank our crew and ad because we were on location almost every single day this season “who went above, above, above and beyond and supporting actors who added so much to our show. She went on to thank her fellow cast members Hannah Einbender, who was nomininated in the supporting actreess in a comed series category, and Kaitlin Olson, who plays her daughter, among others.

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She also gave a humorous shout-out to her fellow nominee, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan, who sent this box of “unbelievable designer cookies, they were like five pounds each and I thought that was so classy, then I realized she was hoping I wouldn’t fit into a single dress in Hollywood.”

She concluded with a quick story, “I didn’t realize the breadth of the appeal our show,” she said recalling how they were shooting in a mall and three young boys, around the ages of 10 or 11, approached her, and said ‘Hey, that’s Deborah Vance”, to whom she replied, Hi! You should not be watching this show!”

Smart is now a five-time Emmy award winner out of 12 nominations, including back-to-back wins for guest turns on Frasier as Lana Gardner, as well as a supporting actress win on the ABC sitcom Samantha Who? on which she played Regina Newley, the overbearing mother. She also received back-to-back Emmy nods for her portrayal of Martha Logan, the mentally unstable First Lady of the United States, on the action drama series 24.

Smart’s Deborah Vance is a sassy, caustic, aging comedian who is fighting to stay relevant. In Season 2, Vance left the casinos of Las Vegas to take her stand-up act on the road, along with her young, entitled writer Ava, played by Hannah Einbinder, who also was Emmy-nominated in the supporting actress category.

Hacks received 17 2022 Emmy nominations including outstanding comedy series.

Smart’s fellow nominees in the outstanding lead actress in a comedy series category included Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Issa Rae (Insecure), Elle Fanning (The Great), Kaley Cuoco (The Flight Attendant) and Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary).

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