Jean Smart makes Emmy history as Hacks and Widow's Bay win big
Jean Smart has set an Emmy first that no performer had managed before.
She won best actress in a comedy for Hacks at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards. Zendaya presented the prize. Smart stars as Deborah Vance, the stand-up comic at the centre of the HBO Max programme. It was her fifth win for all five seasons of the show. No performer in TV history had previously won for every single season of a show's run, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The night began with a newcomer. Kate O'Flynn took the first award handed out, supporting actress in a comedy, for Widow's Bay. Supporting covers performers who are not the central star. Amy Poehler presented the award. O'Flynn plays Patricia on the Apple TV programme. It was her first nomination and her first win.
She prevailed in a crowded category. Fellow nominees included Hannah Einbinder and Megan Stalter, both recognised for Hacks. That gave Hacks two contenders in the same race. Widow's Bay still broke through.
Mariska Hargitay steered the ceremony from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. She was the first woman to host the Emmys in 15 years. The hosting slot shapes the whole broadcast, from pace to tone.
The wider race had been led by The Pitt and Widow's Bay, with Hacks also among the top-nominated titles. Widow's Bay stars Matthew Rhys. Television Academy records now list Smart with 15 nominations and 7 wins across her career, according to the Television Academy.
The 2026 ballot also brought first-time nominations for Kevin Carroll, Stephen Root and Dale Dickey, a reminder of how much new talent cycles through each season.
What makes this stand out is the consistency. Five seasons. Five lead-actress wins. That requires a writers' room, a crew and a commissioning slot to hold together year after year.
