Jean Smart Wins Fifth Emmy for 'Hacks,' Setting Comedy Actress Record

LOS ANGELES, Sept 14 (Reuters) – Jean Smart secured her fifth Emmy on Monday for her portrayal of a determined stand-up comic on "Hacks," becoming the first performer to win best comedy actress for every season of a series' run.

On "Hacks," Smart portrayed Deborah Vance, a comedian in her seventies striving to stay relevant. The program aired its final season this year on HBO Max.

After thanking the show's creators, Smart said on stage, "What a ride this has been!"

The only woman to come near Smart's milestone is Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who won best comedy actress for six of the seven seasons of "Veep."

Kate O'Flynn took supporting comedy actress for playing a quirky mayoral assistant on the Apple TV horror comedy "Widow's Bay."

Mariska Hargitay, star of NBC's drama "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," hosted the ceremony, breaking with the tradition of having a comedian as emcee. It aired live on NBC and was streamed on Peacock.

"It's a lot of pressure, but it is so reassuring to see so many familiar faces out there, and I'm not just talking about how many of you I've arrested on SVU," Hargitay told the crowd.

The Emmys provided a rare night of celebration as Hollywood contends with production cutbacks, anxiety over artificial intelligence and the proposed Paramount Skydance purchase of HBO owner Warner Bros Discovery, a deal that has divided the industry and faces legal challenges.

HBO Max's "The Pitt," set in a Pittsburgh trauma center, was favored to win best drama—the night's top award—for a second straight year. Competitors included newcomer "Pluribus," an Apple TV show about a woman at war with an alien hive mind. "The Pitt" star Wyle is a leading contender for a second straight best actor Emmy.

Emmy winners are selected by the more than 27,000 writers, directors, performers, producers and craftspeople who make up the Television Academy.