Jean Smart's Busy Year: From Dominating Hacks to a New Broadway Play and Hilarious SNL Appearances

It seems like Jean Smart is everywhere these days, and honestly, I am not complaining. This amazing actress, who has collected six Emmy Awards, is now back on Broadway in a new play called Call Me Izzy. She just keeps adding to her impressive career. The world premiere of this darkly comedic story began performances on May 24, playing for a limited 12-week run at Studio 54. It is exciting to see her back on the stage.

The play Call Me Izzy tells the story of a woman in rural Louisiana. She has a secret that is both her greatest ability and her only escape. The story paints a picture of a woman who refuses to be silenced. Instead, she embraces her determination, humor, and strong imagination. Jamie Wax wrote the play. Sarna Lapine directs it. Oscar and Grammy-winning composer T Bone Burnett composed the music. This sounds like a great team coming together to bring this story to life. It is always interesting to see what kind of project attracts an actress of Smart's caliber.

It was also announced that two-time Tony nominee Johanna Day will serve as Smart's standby for the play. Day has earned Tony nominations for her work in Proof and Sweat. She has also appeared on Broadway in many other shows. Knowing there is another talented actress ready to step in shows the seriousness of the production. This kind of arrangement is common in theater, ensuring the show can go on no matter what happens.

Jean Smart's Broadway Return After Years of Television Acclaim And Awards

Exploring Her Journey From Early Stage Roles To Her Latest Acclaimed Performance

Jean Smart first appeared on Broadway back in 1981 in a production of Piaf. She returned to the Broadway stage in 2000. That time, she got a Tony nomination for her role as Lorraine Sheldon in a revival of The Man Who Came to Dinner. In that play, she starred with Nathan Lane. Her return to Broadway now marks another important moment in her career. It shows her continued love for live theater, even with all her success in television and film.

Her television career has been particularly shiny. She has won Emmy Awards for her roles on TV shows like Frasier and Samantha Who? Most recently, she won three Emmys back-to-back for her strong performance in Hacks. She plays Deborah Vance, a comedian. She has now won six Emmys overall. She is currently seen as the favorite to win again, according to Gold Derby predictions. This consistent winning streak really highlights how much the industry and audience love her work.

In Hacks, Jean Smart brings a special touch to Deborah Vance. Her acting makes the character so compelling. She can be tough and vulnerable at the same time. This is why she keeps winning awards for it. Her fellow cast members Hannah Einbinder, Megan Stalter, Paul W. Downs, and Carl Clemons-Hopkins have also been put forward for Emmy nominations in their supporting categories. It is great to see the whole team get recognition for their hard work. The show’s trio of showrunners, Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky, are also up for writing awards for a season four episode. Downs is also being considered for his directing work on the same episode. This shows the quality of the show is top-notch all around.

Jean Smart's Memorable Recent Appearances Beyond Her Acclaimed TV Series

From Guest Stars on Hacks to a Hilarious Sketch on Saturday Night Live

Besides the main cast and showrunners, many recurring actors on Hacks are also getting attention for Emmy submissions. This includes Kaitlin Olson, Jane Adams, and Christopher McDonald. Newer additions like Robby Hoffmann, Tony Goldwyn, and Julianne Nicholson are also being submitted for Guest Actor and Actress awards. This shows that the show brings in great talent across the board. Every small part on Hacks feels carefully chosen. It makes the show even better.

Jean Smart recently hosted the season 50 premiere of Saturday Night Live. She joined cast members Sarah Sherman, Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Ashley Padilla, and Chloe Fineman for a hilarious sketch. It was for a fake Bravo show called The Real Housewives of Santa Fe. Anyone who watches the Housewives shows knows that big moments often happen at dinner. The cameras always catch what the women are ordering. Since this was Santa Fe, the women all ordered Southwestern fajitas. The waiter, played by Andrew Dismukes, just wanted to put the hot, sizzling plates on the table.

The problem was that six women were screaming and waving their arms across the table. There was no room for meal service. Dismukes’ character was left awkwardly stumbling in the background. The women were arguing about who was and was not "a businesswoman." Louise, played by Smart, was tired of Jill, played by Gardner, bringing up her business, Beauty by Jill. Jill said Louise was not a businesswoman. But Louise said she and her husband owned businesses all over town, so she was totally a businesswoman! She then pointed out that Brie, played by Padilla, was not a businesswoman even though she owned a business called Candles by Brie.

Yvonne, played by Nwodim, was told not to speak in the argument. She was not a businesswoman either, even though she owned Hats by Yvonne and was both a businesswoman and a mother. Her children were businesspeople too! Karen, played by Fineman, had a husband who was 105. But if you said she was not a businesswoman, you better be ready to say that for-profit prisons were not a business. Jan, played by Sherman, was just there to host the dinner. She almost got crushed by the fajita plates. It was unclear if she was a businesswoman. But her hopes for a calm dinner were ruined. Louise stormed out with her "short shiny husband and his weird shirts," played by Bowen Yang, and without the fajitas she asked to be boxed up to go.

Louise’s husband, played by Bowen Yang, also played a very funny part in the dinner. This sketch was not much different from some of the real Real Housewives meals. In fact, it was almost calm compared to some of them. On The Real Housewives of New York, Aviva Drescher once threw her prosthetic leg on the table. Dorinda Medley once yelled "CLIP! CLIP!" to silence her castmates. In an episode called "The Dinner Party from Hell," The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills brought a psychic to dinner. The psychic told Kyle Richards her marriage would end when her children grew up. Years later, Lisa Rinna broke a wine glass. And who can forget Teresa Giudice flipping a table in season 1 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey?

Why Jean Smart Remains Such A Beloved And Respected Figure In Entertainment

Her Ability To Balance Drama And Comedy Keeps Her At The Top Of Her Craft

Jean Smart’s ability to move between serious drama and sharp comedy is what makes her so special. Whether she is making us laugh out loud in Hacks or playing a compelling character in a new play, she brings a depth and honesty to every role. Her performances never feel forced or overdone. She always manages to find the truth in her characters. This is why audiences and critics love her so much. She has a way of making even the most outlandish situations feel real.

Her long career shows how much she adapts and how good she is at her job. She has been in many movies, like The Brady Bunch Movie, Sweet Home Alabama, Garden State, and I Heart Huckabees. Each role shows a different side of her talent. She is not stuck in one kind of character. She is always trying new things. This keeps her work fresh and exciting for her and for us watching. It is rare to see an actress with such a long and varied career who continues to put out such high-quality work.

Paul W. Downs, one of the co-creators of Hacks, has talked about how much he appreciates working with Jean Smart. He even received a special gift from her, showing the good relationships she forms with her colleagues. This kind of detail, while small, speaks volumes about her character beyond the screen. It is clear that she is not only a fantastic actress but also someone who is great to work with. I am always happy to see Jean Smart in a new project. She brings a level of quality and entertainment that is hard to match. Her continued success is a reminder of her incredible talent and hard work.