Emmy Awards 2026: Jean Smart makes history with fifth win for ‘Hacks’

Jean Smart won her fifth consecutive Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for “Hacks” on Monday, September 14, 2026. Recognized for her performance in each of the five seasons of the HBO Max series, the 75-year-old American has achieved a feat never before accomplished in a series of this length.

The actress received her award during the 78th Emmy Awards, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. She was nominated for her portrayal of Deborah Vance, a Las Vegas comedian navigating the changes in her profession and a relationship that is both tumultuous and fruitful with a young writer.

According to the Associated Press and Reuters, Jean Smart becomes the first performer to win in the same category for every season of a series with more than three seasons. “Hacks,” which premiered in 2021, concluded this year after five seasons.

This latest award brings Jean Smart’s total Emmy wins to eight throughout her career. However, her ongoing reign on “Hacks” is the standout aspect of the record set on Monday night.

Reuters notes that Julia Louis-Dreyfus previously won six times in seven seasons for “Veep.” Jean Smart remains behind this total for a single role, but she has not experienced any losses over the five seasons of “Hacks.”

The category also included nominees Quinta Brunson for “Abbott Elementary,” Kristen Bell for “Nobody Wants This,” and Ayo Edebiri for “The Bear.” The result was announced during the first part of the ceremony, which was broadcast live on NBC and Peacock.

In other early awards of the evening, Kate O’Flynn won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for “Widow’s Bay,” while Matthew Rhys took home the award for Outstanding Actor in a Limited Series for “The Beast in Me.”