Jean Smart Wins the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for ‘Hacks’

Smart completes a historic five-for-five run as Deborah Vance, winning for every season of the series.

Looks like Jean Smart is getting the last laugh — again.

On Monday night, the 75-year-old TV icon won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series with her fifth and final season as comedian Deborah Vance on HBO Max’s “Hacks.”

Smart triumphed over Quinta Brunson for “Abbott Elementary,” Ayo Edebiri for “The Bear,” Elle Fanning for “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” and Lisa Kudrow for “The Comeback.” IndieWire Awards Editor Marcus Jones also ranked Smart first in his final 2026 Emmy predictions.

The victory completes an impeccable five-for-five record for Smart, who has won the category across all five seasons of “Hacks.” This final win makes Smart the first performer in TV history to take home an Emmy for every existing seasons of a series. It’s also Smart’s eighth acting Emmy overall, tying her with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman for the all-time record. 

“Just the men stay standing, the girls get to sit down,” she joked to begin her acceptance speech before going on to thank her collaborators. She ended her brief speech by succinctly summarizing her run on the HBO comedy series: “What a ride this has been!”

Smart entered her “Hacks” era with two Emmys for guest starring as Lana Gardner on “Frasier,” in 2000 and 2001, and another for playing Regina Newly on “Samantha Who?” in 2008. She first won for playing Deborah in 2021, before taking the stage again in 2022, 2024, and 2025.

Created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky, “Hacks” spent its last season with Deborah embarking on a final campaign to control her legacy. After being falsely reported dead while mourning the loss of her late night show, Deborah returns to Vegas determined to make sure her career ends on her terms — with Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder, also nominated again in 2026) by her side. 

IndieWire’s TV critic Ben Travers awarded Season 5 an “A-” in his review, writing, “‘Hacks’ lives alongside its lead characters, inviting us into their worldview so that we never want to leave.

The Television Academy was similarly reluctant to let go. “Hacks” earned 24 nominations for its farewell season, setting a new single-year record for a comedy series. The series previously won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series for its third season in 2024. Fittingly, the win for Smart ensures she, and Vance, will enjoy the final word on their show’s big goodbye.