Jean Smart

American actress

Photo by: Gage Skidmore · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Born:September 13, 1951

Age:75

Zodiac Sign:Virgo

Born in:Seattle, United States

Languages:English

Television Actor Film Actor Voice Actor Stage Actor Actor

Links

Wikipedia IMDb

Famous For

Movies & TV

24FargoThe AccountantHawaii Five-0Babylon

Awards

Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (2026)Television Hall of Fame (2026)Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (2026)Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (2025)Actor Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series (2025)

Jean Smart

American actress

Biography

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).

This biography uses content from the Wikipedia article “Jean Smart”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.

Photos

Jean Smart speaking at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con International in San Diego, California.

Aubrey Plaza, Jean Smart, Bill Irwin, Amber Midthunder, Jeremie Harris and Navid Negahban speaking at the 2018 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Legion", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere.

Ben Travers, John Cameron, Jeph Loeb, Nathaniel Halpern, Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza, Jean Smart, Bill Irwin, Amber Midthunder, Jeremie Harris and Navid Negahban speaking at the 2018 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Legion", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere.

Jean Smart speaking at the 2018 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Legion", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Please attribute to Gage Skidmore if used elsewhere.

Star of from Designing Women, Brady Bunch Movie, and Legion. NYC May '18.

Actress Jean Smart as Babs in production of Mrs. California at Los Angeles Public Theatre

Actress Jean Smart at the HBO Post-Emmys Party, Pacific Design Center, Sept. 21, 2008

1990 Emmy Awards NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos, but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can. Thanks. Scanned from the original 35MM film negative.

1989 Emmy Awards NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos, but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can. Thanks. Scanned from the original 35MM film negative.