Jean Smart is an American actress. She is known for her diverse roles in comedies and dramas on stage and screen. She gained notoriety for her role as Charlene Frazier-Stillfield in the CBS sitcom Designing Women (1986–1991). She had a recurring guest role as Lana Gardner, a romantic interest in the NBC sitcom Frasier from 2000 to 2001 earning two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
She expanded her work in television often shifting from comedy and drama taking roles such as Detective Sherry Regan in the CBS crime drama series The District (2000–2004), Martha Logan in the Fox action drama series 24 (2006–2007), Regina Newly in the ABC sitcom Samantha Who? (2007–2009), Roseanna Remmick, a District Attorney in the NBC legal comedy Harry's Law (2011–2012), Floyd Gerhardt in the FX anthology series Fargo (2015), Melanie Bird in the FX superhero series Legion (2017–2019), and Agent Laurie Blake in the HBO limited series Watchmen (2019), and Helen Fahey in the HBO miniseries Mare of Easttown (2021). She gained acclaim and five Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for playing comedian Deborah Vance in the HBO Max comedy series Hacks (2021–2026).
On film, she took early roles in the action thriller Flashpoint (1984), the romance drama Fire with Fire (1986), and the science fiction comedy Project X (1987). She took supporting roles in the satirical comedy film The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), the romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama (2002), the comedy Bringing Down the House (2003), the independent dramedy Garden State (2004), the independent film I Heart Huckabees (2004), the romance Youth in Revolt (2009), the dramedy Hope Springs (2012), the action thriller The Accountant (2016), and the black comedy mystery A Simple Favor (2018). She played a gossip columnist in the Damien Chazelle historical epic Babylon (2022).
On stage, Smart made her Broadway debut playing Marlene Dietrich in the Pam Gems play Piaf (1981). She acted in the Broadway revival of the Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman play The Man Who Came to Dinner (2003) for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. In 2025, she returned to Broadway in the one-woman play Call Me Izzy (2025).
Film Year Title Role Notes 1980 Hoodlums Carol 1984 Flashpoint Doris Protocol Ella 1986 Fire with Fire Sister Marie 1987 Project X Dr. Criswell 1992 Baby Talk Narrator Mistress Patricia Riley 1993 Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey Kate 1994 The Yearling Ora Baxter 1995 The Brady Bunch Movie Dena Dittmeyer 1996 Edie and Pen Wendy the Waitress 1998 The Odd Couple II Holly 1999 Guinevere Deborah Sloane 2000 Forever Fabulous Loreli Daly Snow Day Laura Brandston Disney's The Kid Deidre Lefever 2002 Sweet Home Alabama Stella Kay Perry 2003 Bringing Down the House Kate Sanderson 2004 Garden State Carol I Heart Huckabees Mrs. Hooten Balto III: Wings of Change Stella (voice) A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. 2006 Whisper of the Heart Asako Tsukishima (voice) 2007 Lucky You Michelle Carson 2008 Hero Wanted Melanie McQueen 2009 Youth in Revolt Estelle Twisp 2010 Barry Munday Carol Munday Life As We Know It Mrs. Berenson Uncredited 2012 Hope Springs Eileen 2016 The Accountant Rita BlackburnGetting Ed LaidThe HookerShort film 2017 Awaken the Shadowman Evette2018 Life Itself Linda Dempsey A Simple Favor Margaret McLanden 2020 Superintelligence President Monahan 2021 Senior Moment Caroline Summers2022 Wildflower Peg Babylon Elinor St. John 2025Too GoodGodShort film
Television Year Title Role Notes 1979 Before and After Woman Bather Television film1983 Reggie Joan Reynolds Main cast Teachers Only Shari Main cast (season 2)1984 The Facts of Life Ellen Slater Episode: "Next Door" Maximum Security Dr. Allison Brody 3 episodes Single Bars, Single Women Virge Television film Piaf Marlene Dietrich 1986 A Fight for Jenny Valerie Thomas 1986–91 Designing Women Charlene Frazier-Stillfield Main cast 1987 Place at the Table Susan Singer Television film1991 A Seduction in Travis County Karen Locked Up: A Mother's Rage Cathy1992 Overkill: The Aileen Wuornos Story Aileen Wuornos Just My Imagination Pally Thompson 1993 Batman: The Animated Series Helen Ventrix (voice) Episode: "See No Evil"1994 Scarlett Sally Brewton Miniseries, recurring role The Yarn Princess Margaret Thomas Television film 1995 A Stranger in Town Rose 1995–96 High Society Elinore 'Ellie' Walker Main cast1997 Hey Arnold! Reba Heyerdahl (voice) Episode: "Phoebe Cheats" Undue Influence Dana Colby Television film1998 Style & Substance Chelsea Stevens Main cast A Change of Heart Elaine Mitchell Television film 2000 The Man Who Came to Dinner Lorraine Sheldon 2000–01 Frasier Lana Gardner 7 episodes 2000–03 Static Shock Maggie Foley (voice) 3 episodes 2000–04 The District Detective Sherry Regan Recurring role 2001 The Oblongs Pickles Oblong (voice) Main role 2002–03 In-Laws Marlene Pellet 2002–07 Kim Possible Dr. Ann Possible (voice) Recurring role2003Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time Television film2004 Audrey's Rain Audrey Walker Killer Instinct: From the Files of Agent Candice DeLong Candice DeLong A Very Married Christmas Ellen Griffin Hey Arnold! Reba Heyerdahl (voice) Episode: "Phoebe's Little Problem/Grandpa's Packard" 2004–05 Center of the Universe Kate Barnett Main cast2005Kim Possible: So the DramaDr. Ann Possible (voice)Television film 2006–07 24 Martha Logan Main cast (season 5); guest (season 6) 2007–09 Samantha Who? Regina Newly Main cast 2008 American Dad! Miriam Bullock (voice) Episode: "One Little Word"2009Woke Up DeadMeryl GreeneEpisode: "Mother's Day" 2010 Psych Gillian Tucker Episode: "Chivalry Is Not Dead...But Someone Is" 2010–11 Hawaii Five-0 Governor Pat Jameson 4 episodes2011 $#*! My Dad Says Rosemary Penworth 4 episodes William & Catherine: A Royal Romance Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall Television film 2011–12 Harry's Law Roseanna Remmick Recurring role (season 2)2013 Hot in Cleveland Bess Episode: "Conoga Falls" Call Me Crazy: A Five Film Claire Television film, segment: "Allison" When Calls the Heart Frances Television film2014 Halt and Catch Fire LouLu Lutherford Episode: "High Plains Hardware" Getting On Arlene Willy-Weller 2 episodes 2014–15 Sirens Nora Farrell 3 episodes2015 The McCarthys Lydia Episode: "Gerard's Engagement Party" Fargo Floyd Gerhardt Main cast (season 2) 2015–16 Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce Katherine Miller Recurring role (season 2) 2016 Bad Internet President Powers Episode: "The President Goes Viral"2017 Angie Tribeca Carnie Episode: "License to Drill" Veep Mrs. Walsh Episode: "Judge" 2017–19 Legion Melanie Bird Main cast (seasons 1–2); guest (season 3) 2018 A Shoe Addict's Christmas Charlie / Guardian Angel Television film 2018–19 Dirty John Arlane Hart Recurring role (season 1) 2018–21 Big Mouth Depression Kitty (voice) Recurring role 2019 Arrested Development Mimi 2 episodes WatchmenAgent Laurie Blake Main cast Mad About YouChelsea Stevens-Kobolakis Episode: "Real Estate for Beginners" 2021 Mare of EasttownHelen Fahey Miniseries, main role 2021–26HacksDeborah Vance Lead role 2022 Ghostwriter Charlotte (voice) 2 episodes 2024 Saturday Night Live Herself (host) Episode: "Jean Smart/Jelly Roll"2025 The Studio Herself Episode: "The Golden Globes" Charlotte's WebNarrator3 episodes
Theatre Year Title Role Venue Ref. 1976 Henry VI, Part 2 Queen Margaret Oregon Shakespeare Festival Much Ado About Nothing Beatrice 1977 Henry VI, Part 3 Lady Elizabeth Grey 1977 A Moon for the Misbegotten Josie Hogan Tao House, Danville, California 1978 Henry IV Donna Matilde Intiman Playhouse, Seattle The Dance of Death Alice A Christmas Carol Mrs. Cratchit, Mrs. Fezziwig 1979 Terra Nova Kathleen Alaska Repertory Theater, Anchorage Catsplay Ilona A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle Fallen Angels Performer Seattle Repertory Theatre Tartuffe Elmire 2nd Stage, Seattle Medea Chorus Intiman Theatre, Seattle A History of the American Film Eve Seattle Repertory Theatre 1980 Macbeth Lady Macbeth Pittsburgh Public Theater 1980–81 Last Summer at Bluefish Cove Lil The Actors Playhouse (Off-Broadway) 1981 Piaf Marlene Dietrich Plymouth Theatre (Broadway)KeanElena Koefeld Hartford Stage1982The GreeksClytemnestra, Helen Hartford Stage 1985 Strange Snow Martha The Coast Playhouse, Los Angeles 1988 Three Sisters Natasha Prozorov Intiman Playhouse, Seattle 1992 The End of the Day Various Playwrights Horizons (Off-Broadway) 1996 Fit to Be Tied Nessa Playwrights Horizons (Off-Broadway) 2000 The Man Who Came to Dinner Lorraine Sheldon Roundabout Theatre Company (Broadway) 2005 Lady Windermere's Fan Mrs. Erlynne Williamstown Theatre Festival, MA 2025 Call Me Izzy Izzy Studio 54, Broadway
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