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Jean Smart

Acting

Born September 13, 1951 · Seattle, Washington, USA

Also known as Jean E. Smart · Jean Elizabeth Smart

Biography

Jean Elizabeth Smart (born September 13, 1951) is an American actress. She has received numerous accolades including five Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, four Critics' Choice Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards as well as nominations for a Tony Award and a Grammy Award. Smart first gained prominence for her leading role as Charlene Frazier Stillfield on the CBS sitcom Designing Women, in which she starred from 1986 to 1991. She went on to win five Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles as Lana Gardner in the NBC series Frasier (2000–01), Regina Newley in the ABC sitcom Samantha Who? (2007–09), and Deborah Vance in the HBO Max comedy series Hacks (2021–present). She was Emmy-nominated for her roles in The District (2000–04), 24 (2006–07), Harry's Law (2011), Fargo (2015), Watchmen (2019) and Mare of Easttown (2021). She also acted in FX's Legion (2017–2019) and voiced Ann Possible in the Disney Channel animated series Kim Possible (2002–2007). On stage, she made her Broadway debut portraying Marlene Dietrich in the biographical play Piaf (1981). She returned to Broadway in the revival of The Man Who Came to Dinner (2000) for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Smart's film credits include The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), Sweet Home Alabama (2002), Garden State (2004), I Heart Huckabees (2004), Youth in Revolt (2009), The Accountant (2016), A Simple Favor (2018), and Babylon (2022). She received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Guinevere (1999). Description above from the Wikipedia article Jean Smart, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Awards & recognition

  • Golden Globe AwardBest Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy · 2026
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy · 2025
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 2025
  • Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series · 2025
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 2024
Show all 17 awards →
  • Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series · 2023
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy · 2022
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 2022
  • Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series · 2022
  • Crystal Award · 2021
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 2021
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series · 2008
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series · 2001
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series · 2000
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy · 2023 · nominated
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie · 2008 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Actress in a Play · 2001 · nominated

Filmography50+ titles

Batman: The Animated Series

1992as Helen Ventrix (voice)

Fargo

2014as Floyd Gerhardt

Mare of Easttown

2021as Helen Fahey

Mad About You

as Chelsea Stevens-Kobolakis

Static Shock

2000as Richie's Mom (voice)

Hey Arnold!

1996as Phoebe's Mother (voice)

Halt and Catch Fire

2014as LouLu Lutherford

Psych

2006as Gillian Tucker

Arrested Development

2003as Mimi

Locked Up: A Mother’s Rage

1991as Cathy

24

2001as Martha Logan

The Studio

2025as Jean Smart

Hawaii Five-0

2010as Governor Pat Jameson

Frasier

1993as Lana Gardner

A Fight for Jenny

1986as Valerie Thomas

Watchmen

2019as Laurie Blake

Big Mouth

2017

Legion

2017as Melanie Bird

Veep

2012as Imogene Walsh

Kim Possible

2002as Dr. Ann Possible / TV Trash Heap Executive #1 (voice)

Wildflower

2022as Peg

Babylon

2022as Elinor St. John

Hacks

2021as Deborah Vance

The Oblongs

2001as Pickles Oblong (voice)

Life Itself

2018as Linda Dempsey

Hot in Cleveland

2010as Bess

The Accountant

2016as Rita Blackburn

Garden State

2004as Carol

Remington Steele

1982as Gloria Blyer

The Facts of Life

1979as Ellen Slater

Alice

1976

Call Me Crazy: A Five Film

2013as Claire

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

1993as Kate

Life as We Know It

2010as Helen Berenson (uncredited)

Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama

2005as Dr. Ann Possible (voice)

Designing Women

1986as Charlene Frazier Stillfield

Saturday Night Live

1975as Self - Host

Dirty John

2018as Arlane Hart

Who Do You Think You Are?

2010as Self

The Kid

2000as Deirdre Lefever

The District

2000as Sherry Regan

Sirens

2014as Nora Farrell

Balto III: Wings of Change

2004as Stella (voice)

Charlotte's Web

2025as Narrator (voice)

A Simple Favor

2018as Margaret McLanden

When Calls the Heart

2013as Frances Tunnecliffe

Scarlett

1994as Sally Brewton

Samantha Who?

2007as Regina Newly

The Kelly Clarkson Show

2019as Self

Angie Tribeca

2016as Carnie