Jean Smart Wins Lead Comedy Actress at Emmys; Pays Tribute To Late Husband in Speech

Jean Smart has made history with her win at the 2021 Emmy Awards on Sunday (September 19).

The 70-year-old actress picked up the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Deborah Vance on HBO Max’s Hacks.

During her speech, Jean paid tribute to her late husband, Richard Gilliland, who passed away just six months ago.

“I would not be here without him, without him putting his career on the back burner so that I could take advantage of all the opportunities that I’ve had,” she shared on stage after a standing ovation for her win.

She thanked HBO Max and her team “for working through a pandemic. You’re all so creative and brave.”

Jean also made history with her win, as she became only the second actress to win an Emmy for Best Lead, Best Supporting Lead and Best Guest Star in Comedy. Betty White is the other.

Hacks also picked up the Emmys for Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Writing on a Comedy Series.

Stay tuned for the video!