Jean Smart

Jean Elizabeth Smart (born September 13, 1951) is an American actress. Her work includes both comedy and drama, and her accolades include eight Emmy Awards, three Actor Awards and three Golden Globe Awards, with nominations for a Grammy Award and a Tony 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 eight Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles as Lana Gardner in the NBC series Frasier (2000–2001), Regina Newley in the ABC sitcom Samantha Who? (2007–2009), and Deborah Vance in the HBO Max comedy series Hacks (2021–2026). She was Emmy-nominated for her roles in The District (2000–2004), 24 (2006–2007), 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). Smart's film credits include Flashpoint (1984), 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 playing the mother of a rebellious student in the drama Guinevere (1999). On stage, she made her Broadway debut portraying Marlene Dietrich in the biographical play Piaf (1981). She starred in the revival of the George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart play The Man Who Came to Dinner (2000), for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. She returned to Broadway in the one-woman play Call Me Izzy (2025).