Jean Smart Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Jean Smart
Smart at the 2018 San Diego ComicCon
Born	Jean Elizabeth Smart (1951-09-13) September 13, 1951 (age 73) Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Washington (BFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1975–present
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Richard Gilliland (m. 1987; died 2021)
Children	2
Awards	Full list

Jean Elizabeth Smart (born September 13, 1951) is an American actress. She is famous for her roles in both funny shows (comedies) and serious shows (dramas). She has won many awards, including six Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. She has also been nominated for a Tony Award and a Grammy Award.

Smart first became well-known for playing Charlene Frazier Stillfield on the TV show Designing Women from 1986 to 1991. She later won Emmys for her roles in Frasier (2000–01), Samantha Who? (2007–09), and Hacks (2021–present). She also had important roles in shows like 24 (2006–07), Fargo (2015), and Watchmen (2019). Smart also voiced Ann Possible in the cartoon series Kim Possible (2002–2007).

On stage, she played Marlene Dietrich in the play Piaf (1981) on Broadway. Her movies include Sweet Home Alabama (2002), Garden State (2004), and Babylon (2022).

Jean Smart's Early Life and School
Jean Smart's Acting Career
Jean Smart's Personal Life
Jean Smart's Awards and Recognitions
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Jean Smart's Early Life and School

Jean Smart was born and grew up in Seattle, Washington. Her mother was Kathleen Marie "Kay" Sanders, and her father was Douglas Alexander Smart, a teacher. Jean is the second of four children. When she was 13, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Her father's family came from Scotland.

She went to Ballard High School in Seattle and finished in 1969. There, she became very interested in acting through the school's drama program. She then studied acting at the University of Washington and earned a degree in Fine Arts.

Jean Smart's Acting Career

Starting Out in Theater and TV (1975–1999)

After college, Jean Smart began acting in plays in different parts of the Pacific Northwest, including Washington, Alaska, and Oregon. She performed with the Seattle Repertory Theater and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. In the mid-1970s, she moved to New York City. There, she started acting in plays that were not on Broadway, as well as other professional theater shows. In 1981, she was nominated for an award for her acting in the play Last Summer at Bluefish Cove. In the same year, she made her Broadway debut in Piaf, playing the famous singer Marlene Dietrich. She later played this role again for a TV version in 1984.

Smart also started getting small roles on TV shows in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She appeared on shows like The Facts of Life and Remington Steele. After some roles where she showed her funny side, casting directors started seeing her as a comedic actress. She also had a role in the movie Flashpoint (1984).

In 1985, Smart got a main role as Charlene Frazier Stillfield in the comedy series Designing Women. She played this character from 1986 until the show's fifth season. After leaving Designing Women, she mostly worked on TV movies and supporting roles in films. She was in the movie Mistress (1992) and the family drama Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993). She also appeared in The Brady Bunch Movie (1995).

Success with Frasier and Broadway Return (2000–2005)

In 2000, Jean Smart joined the cast of the popular comedy series Frasier. She played the character Lana Gardner, and the show was set in her hometown of Seattle. She won two Primetime Emmy Awards for her guest role in this series. Smart said she loved the role on Frasier and was proud of her work there.

In the same year, she returned to Broadway in a play called The Man Who Came to Dinner. Her performance earned her a nomination for a Tony Award. Soon after, she appeared in several well-known movies. These included Sweet Home Alabama (2002), where she played the mother-in-law of Reese Witherspoon's character. She was also in the comedy Bringing Down The House (2002) with Queen Latifah.

From 2000 to 2004, Smart played a detective supervisor on the TV show The District. From 2002 to 2007, she provided the voice for Dr. Ann Possible in the animated series Kim Possible. She also voiced Pickles Oblong on The Oblongs. In 2004, she had a supporting role in the movie I Heart Huckabees.

More TV Success (2006–2019)

In 2006, Smart joined the cast of the TV series 24. She played Martha Logan, the First Lady of the United States, who was sometimes unstable. She received two Emmy nominations for this role in 2006 and 2007. She also appeared in movies like Lucky You (2007) and Youth in Revolt (2009).

Smart won her third Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for playing Samantha's mother in the sitcom Samantha Who? (2007–2009). In 2012, she was nominated for another Emmy for her role in Harry's Law.

In 2015, Smart starred in the second season of the TV series Fargo. She played Floyd Gerhardt, a strong woman who had to take over her family's crime business after her husband became ill. For this role, Smart won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries. She also worked on the show Legion, playing a therapist named Melanie Bird. In 2016, Smart was in the thriller movie The Accountant with Ben Affleck.

In 2019, Smart played Laurie Blake, an FBI agent, in the HBO series Watchmen. Critics praised her performance, and the series won many awards, including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards. Smart herself was nominated for an Emmy and won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.

Continued Acclaim with Hacks (2020–Present)

In 2021, Smart appeared in the HBO crime drama series Mare of Easttown. She played the mother of Kate Winslet's character. Her role received great reviews, with many saying she "wrenched away the spotlight."

She also stars as the main character in the HBO Max comedy series Hacks (2021). In this show, she plays Deborah Vance, a famous Las Vegas comedian who wants to connect with a younger audience. USA Today called Smart "The Queen of HBO" because of her roles in Watchmen, Mare of Easttown, and Hacks. She won two Primetime Emmy Awards in a row for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Hacks (2021 and 2022). She won the award again in 2024.

In 2022, Smart appeared in the movie Babylon, playing a gossip columnist named Elinor St. John. In September 2024, she hosted the first episode of Saturday Night Live's 50th season.

Jean Smart's Personal Life

Jean Smart was married to actor Richard Gilliland for 35 years. He passed away in March 2021. They met while working on the TV show Designing Women. Richard played J.D. Shackelford, the boyfriend of Annie Potts's character. Jean also worked with her husband again in season 5 of 24.

They have two sons. Their first child was born in 1989, and they adopted their second son in 2009.

Jean Smart's Awards and Recognitions

Jean Smart has received many awards for her acting. She has won six Primetime Emmy Awards. She won two Emmys for her guest role in Frasier (2000, 2001), one for Samantha Who? (2008), and three times in a row for Hacks (2021, 2022, 2024).

She was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway play The Man Who Came to Dinner (2001). In 2016, Smart was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Patience and Sarah.

Smart is one of only two actresses, along with Betty White, to win all three comedy Emmy awards: for a lead role, a supporting role, and a guest role.