Jean Smart on Broken Knee, Lead Actress Win

Jean Smart is anything but a hack.

At Emmys 2025, the Hacks star won the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, beating out Nobody Wants This‘ Kristen Bell, The Bear‘s Ayo Edebiri, Abbott Elementary‘s Quinta Brunson and The Residence‘s Uzo Aduba. (Click here to see all the celebrities at the award show.)

This is Jean’s fourth Emmy for her performance as comedian Deborah Vance. In addition to winning in 2021, 2022 and 2024, she holds one Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy for Samantha Who? as well as two in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category for Frasier.

Taking the stage at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater Set. 14, the 73-year-old told the crowd, “If I was walking like John Wayne, it’s because I broke my knee this summer and it’s not quite repaired.”

Still, she was in great spirits. As Jean put it, “One of the best things about winning something like this is that you actually get to publicly thank the people you work with.”