Jean Smart Ties Emmy Acting-Wins Record

Jean Smart won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards for the fifth and final season of “Hacks,” completing a perfect sweep for every eligible season of the series. The victory was her eighth acting Emmy, tying Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman for the record for most acting wins by a performer; Allison Janney also won her eighth Emmy later that night for “The Diplomat,” creating a same-night tie among four performers. Smart, who plays comedian Deborah Vance, became the first woman to win an acting Emmy for every season of a series, surpassing comparable runs by Louis-Dreyfus and Candice Bergen. “Hacks,” which ended in May after five seasons, also won Outstanding Comedy Series and received a record 24 comedy-series nominations for its final season.