Jean Smart’s touching victory tribute
The 2021 Emmy Awards saw legendary actress Jean Smart win her fourth Emmy for her critically-acclaimed leading role in Hacks.
The award is Smart’s first for a leading role, following wins in the supporting comedy actress and guest comedy actress categories for Samantha Who? and Frasier.
Smart accepted the award to a standing ovation, dedicating it to her late husband Richard Gilliland.
“Before I say anything else, I have to acknowledge my late husband who passed away six months yesterday,” Smart said.
“I would not be here without him, and without his kind of putting his career on the back burner so I could take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities that I have had.”
The 70-year-old attended the award night with her 13-year-old son Forrest, who she shares with her late husband.
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Prior to his unexpected passing from a “brief illness”, Gilliland was due to work with Smart on a movie directed by Tate Taylor.
Gilliland was also honoured in the Memoriam section of Hacks.
“He was a great dad, and he made me laugh every day,” Smart told Variety.
“Him passing away was just not ever even a thought. And it’s changed every moment of my everyday life; every atom of my existence I feel like is altered.
“But I just want people to know how much he’s sacrificed for me to be where I am, and to get the opportunities that I’ve gotten and let his career kind of take a back seat to help take care of our home and our kids. And it kills me he didn’t get the chances that I got, because he was so talented. I was very lucky when I met him.”
The star was nominated for a second award this year, for her role as Helen Fahey in Mare of Easttown.
Smart also acknowledged that she was bucking the norm following her recent string of hit roles.
“I certainly realise that’s not the norm for most actresses of my vintage,” she told the publication.
She added that “it was pure luck” that both Hacks and Mare of Easttown debuted a month apart.
“The fact that I had two roles that were such good ones, and kind of worlds apart, coming out at the same time - actors never get that opportunity,” she said.
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