Jean Smart
Biography
Jean Elizabeth Smart is an American actress born on September 13, 1951, in Seattle, Washington. She has received numerous accolades during her career, including five Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, four Critics' Choice Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, alongside nominations for a Tony Award and a Grammy Award. Smart first gained prominence for her leading role as Charlene Frazier Stillfield on the CBS sitcom Designing Women, starring from 1986 to 1991. She subsequently won Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles as Lana Gardner in the NBC series Frasier, Regina Newley in the ABC sitcom Samantha Who?, and Deborah Vance in the HBO Max comedy series Hacks.
Career overview
Jean Elizabeth Smart is an American actress born on September 13, 1951, in Seattle, Washington. She has earned numerous accolades throughout her career, including five Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, four Critics Choice Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, alongside nominations for a Tony Award and a Grammy Award. Known for a substantial body of work encompassing television and film with 132 known credits, Smart first gained widespread prominence through her leading role as Charlene Frazier Stillfield on the CBS sitcom Designing Women, in which she starred from 1986 to 1991.
Following her breakout television work, Smart continued to secure acclaimed television roles that contributed to her multiple Primetime Emmy Award wins. She received Emmy recognition for her performances as Lana Gardner in the NBC series Frasier, a role she played from 2000 to 2001, and as Regina Newley in the ABC sitcom Samantha Who?, spanning from 2007 to 2009. She further added to her Emmy wins for portraying Deborah Vance in the HBO Max comedy series Hacks, a role she has played from 2021 to the present.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about Jean Smart.
Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
143 titles- The Studio (2025) as Jean Smart
- E.B. White's Charlotte's Web (2025) as Narrator (voice)
- Too Good (2025) as God
- Garden State - The 20th Anniversary Concert (2025) as Self - Presenter
- Janis Ian: Breaking Silence (2025) as Self
- Wildflower (2023) as Peg
- A Panoramic Canvas Called Babylon (2023) as Self
- Babylon (2022) as Elinor St. John
- Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden Girl (2022) as Self
- Hacks (2021) as Deborah Vance
- Mare of Easttown (2021) as Helen Fahey
- Senior Moment (2021) as Caroline Summers
- Superintelligence (2020) as President Monahan
- The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019) as Self
- Watchmen (2019) as Laurie Blake
- Mad About You (2019) as Chelsea Stevens-Kobolakis
- Dirty John (2018) as Arlane Hart
- A Simple Favor (2018) as Margaret McLanden
- Life Itself (2018) as Linda Dempsey
- A Shoe Addict's Christmas (2018) as Charlie
- Brampton's Own (2018) as Judy
- The Messenger (2018) as The Woman
- Big Mouth (2017) as Depression Kitty (voice)
- Big Mouth (2017)
- Legion (2017) as Melanie Bird
- Awaken the Shadowman (2017) as Evette
- Angie Tribeca (2016) as Carnie
- The Accountant (2016) as Rita Blackburn
- Bad Internet (2016) as President Powers
- Getting Ed Laid (2016) as The Hooker
- Waffles and Bullet Holes: A Return to Sioux Falls (2016) as Self
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self
- The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015) as Self - Guest
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self - Guest
- Fargo (2014) as Floyd Gerhardt
- Variety Studio: Actors on Actors (2014) as Self
- Halt and Catch Fire (2014) as LouLu Lutherford
- Sirens (2014) as Nora Farrell
- Miss Meadows (2014) as Mother Meadows
- Miss Meadows (2014) Co-Executive Producer
- Warren (2014) as Claire Cavanee
- Getting On (2013) as Arlene Willy-Weller
- When Calls the Heart (2013) as Frances Tunnecliffe
- Call Me Crazy: A Five Film (2013) as Claire
- Waking (2013) as Dr. Hinton
- Veep (2012) as Imogene Walsh
- Hope Springs (2012) as Eileen, Kay's Friend
- William & Catherine: A Royal Romance (2012) as HRH Camilla
- Harry's Law (2011) as Roseanna Remmick
- Hawaii Five-0 (2010) as Governor Pat Jameson
- The Talk (2010) as Self
- Hot in Cleveland (2010) as Bess
- Who Do You Think You Are? (2010) as Self
- $#*! My Dad Says (2010) as Rosemary Pernworth
- Life As We Know It (2010) as Helen Berenson (uncredited)
- Barry Munday (2010) as Carol Munday
- Woke Up Dead (2010) as Meryl Greene
- Youth in Revolt (2009) as Estelle Twisp
- Hero Wanted (2008) as Melanie McQueen
- Samantha Who? (2007) as Regina Newly
- Lucky You (2007) as Michelle Carson
- Psych (2006) as Gillian Tucker
- Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama (2005) as Dr. Ann Possible (voice)
- Garden State (2004) as Carol
- I ♥ Huckabees (2004) as Mrs. Hooten
- Center of the Universe (2004) as Kate Barnett
- Balto III: Wings of Change (2004) as Stella (voice)
- A Very Married Christmas (2004) as Ellen Griffin
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Guest
- Arrested Development (2003) as Mimi
- Bringing Down the House (2003) as Kate Sanderson
- Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time (2003) as Dr. Ann Possible (voice)
- The Designing Women Reunion (2003)
- Audrey's Rain (2003) as Audrey Walker
- Killer Instinct: From the Files of Agent Candice DeLong (2003) as Agent Candice DeLong
- Kim Possible (2002) as Dr. Ann Possible (voice)
- Kim Possible (2002) as Dr. Ann Possible / Tutor Woman (voice)
- Kim Possible (2002) as Dr. Ann Possible / Tour Guide (voice)
- Kim Possible (2002) as Dr. Ann Possible / Additional Voices (voice)
- Kim Possible (2002) as Dr. Ann Possible / TV Trash Heap Executive #1 (voice)
- Sweet Home Alabama (2002) as Stella Kay Perry
- In-Laws (2002) as Marlene Pellet
- 24 (2001) as Martha Logan
- The Oblongs (2001) as Pickles Oblong (voice)
- The District (2000) as Sherry Regan
- Static Shock (2000) as Richie's Mom (voice)
- The Kid (2000) as Deirdre Lefever
- Snow Day (2000) as Laura Brandston
- The Man Who Came to Dinner (2000) as Lorraine Sheldon
- Guinevere (1999) as Deborah Sloane
- Forever Fabulous (1999) as Loreli Daly
- Style & Substance (1998) as Chelsea Stevens
- The Odd Couple II (1998) as Holly
- Change of Heart (1998) as Elaine Marshall
- The View (1997) as Self
- The View (1997) as Self - Guest
- Hey Arnold! (1996) as Phoebe's Mother (voice)
- Undue Influence (1996) as Dana Colby
- Edie & Pen (1996) as Wendy the Waitress
- The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) as Mrs. Dena Dittmeyer
- High Society (1995) as Ellie Walker
- A Stranger in Town (1995) as Rose
- A Stranger in Town (1995) Co-Producer
- Scarlett (1994) as Sally Brewton
- The Yearling (1994) as Ory Baxter
- The Yarn Princess (1994) as Margaret Thomas
- Frasier (1993) as Lorna Lynley
- Frasier (1993) as Lana Gardner
- Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993) as Kate
- Batman: The Animated Series (1992) as Helen Ventrix (voice)
- Mistress (1992) as Patricia Riley
- Just My Imagination (1992) as Pally Thompson
- Overkill: The Aileen Wuornos Story (1992) as Aileen Wuornos
- Locked Up: A Mother’s Rage (1991) as Cathy
- A Seduction in Travis County (1991) as Karen
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self - Guest
- A Place at the Table (1988) as Susan Singer
- Project X (1987) as Dr. Criswell
- Designing Women (1986) as Charlene Frazier Stillfield
- Fire with Fire (1986) as Sister Maria
- A Fight for Jenny (1986) as Valerie Thomas
- Lime Street (1985)
- Piaf (1984) as Marlene
- Protocol (1984) as Ella
- Flashpoint (1984) as Doris
- Single Bars, Single Women (1984) as Virge
- Goodnight, Beantown (1983)
- Reggie (1983) as Joan Reynolds
- Remington Steele (1982) as Gloria Blyer
- Teachers Only (1982) as Shari Kirkland
- Hoodlums (1980) as Carol
- The Facts of Life (1979) as Ellen Slater
- Before and After (1979) as Woman Bather
- Alice (1976)
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Nominee
- The Emmy Awards (1949) as Self - Winner
- The Emmy Awards (1949) as Self
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Nominee
- Untitled Nathan Lane Documentary as Self
- Miss Macy as Miss Macy
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Jean Smart best known for?
Jean Smart is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Studio (2025), Wildflower (2023), Babylon (2022), Hacks (2021).
When and where was Jean Smart born?
Jean Smart was born on September 13, 1951 in Seattle, Washington, USA.
How many credits does Jean Smart have?
Jean Smart has accumulated over 143 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1944 to 2025.
What is Jean Smart's background in cinema and television?
Jean Elizabeth Smart is an American actress born on September 13, 1951, in Seattle, Washington. She has received numerous accolades during her career, including five Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, four Critics' Choice Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, alongside nominations for a Tony Award and a...