Emmy winner Jean Smart has spent decades on the small screen — and thankfully, the TV legend has shown zero signs of slowing down.
Having struck gold in 2021 headlining HBO Max’s Hacks, while also supporting Kate Winslet in the highly acclaimed crime drama Mare of Easttown, the actress has had one helluva year, which could — and should — earn her a fourth win. (We’d certainly give up the gold for Smart, who quickly rose to the top of our own Dream Emmys list.)
Below, we’re celebrating the scene-stealer’s best and most compelling roles of her four-decade-plus career — and of course, you’ll find both of the aforementioned series in our list. (Uhh, spoiler alert?) But we’re also diving deeper. Much deeper.
The actress has played plenty of eclectic characters over the years, from a Sugarbaker & Associates staffer to a couple of puuurrr-fect animated roles, and we’ve carefully selected our favorites and ranked them accordingly. Also making the cut are Smart’s emotionally turbulent First Lady and her warring North Dakotan crime boss.
Ready to see what other roles we cherry-picked as her best? Keep scrolling down to view the complete list, then hit the comments to let us know which ones are your favorites (and which actors’ resumes you’d like to see us tackle next).
There probably isn’t much overlap between the viewers young enough to have watched this mid-2000s Disney Channel cartoon yet old enough to appreciate the actress voicing the title character’s mother — but what a sweet, sweet Venn diagram to find yourself in. Smart brought the perfect mix of warmth and wisdom to the role of Ann Possible, a brilliant neurosurgeon who had parenting down to a science.
Smart reunited with Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley to play Dr. Melanie Bird, a mother hen to wayward mutants, on the trippy FX drama. Melanie wasn’t a mutant herself, but her cool demeanor and hard-won wisdom were almost like superpowers, and it was nice to see Smart enjoy a dimension-spanning romance with Jemaine Clement, as Melanie’s mutant husband Oliver.
Smart’s emotionally crippling persona may be called Depression Kitty, but just thinking about the saucy, smooth-talking Southerner puts a smile on our faces. And that’s before we remembered that her full name is Kitty Beaumont Bouchet. As for the part where she drove Vincent Van Gogh to suicide back in the 19th century? Look, we said we love the character — not her actions.
When you have the talented Christina Applegate as your show’s leading lady, you need a comedic powerhouse to play her TV mom. Enter Smart, whose hilarious portrayal of Samantha’s blunt, filter-free mother Regina earned the actress a well-deserved Emmy Award. Even when Regina did things like tell her daughter that she should start sleeping in a bra, Smart’s line delivery was so sharp that we couldn’t help wanting her as our mom, too.
Smart shined as the emotionally unstable First Lady who grew to despise her husband so much that she stabbed him. The actress perfectly embodied Martha’s dramatic flairs, including her drinking problem, yes, but also her quest for justice in the aftermath of President David Palmer’s assassination. Smart not only turned our heads, but the Television Academy’s as well: She received two back-to-back nominations for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for the role.
As one of Frasier Crane’s former classmates and crushes, Lana turned the titular doctor into a yammering, nervous nelly. Though her aggressive personality proved too much for Frasier to handle, their brief fling led to loads of laughs and chemistry between the actress and the cast. Plus, Smart’s seven-episode guest-spot won her two back-to-back Emmys Awards in 2000 and 2001.
Mare’s mom Helen was stubborn and opinionated, letting her mouth fly whether her take was requested or not. The flawed parental never held back (especially when it came to her even-more-flawed daughter), and Smart accentuated Helen’s sharp edges, pointed dialogue, and later, her admission of her own shortcomings as a mother. This role — and series, in general — was one for the record books.
Smart’s steely character Floyd bore a man’s name but was as maternal to her self-sabotaging sons as she was soft-spoken — even as the crime boss’ wife threatened to spark a turf war. Best of all, the actress’ memorable and meaty turn on Fargo Season 2, which earned her an Emmy nod and a Critics’ Choice award, allowed her to convincingly deliver a speech fans still quote. “Don’t assume just because I’m an old woman that my back is weak and my stomach’s not strong.”
Damon Lindelof’s comic continuation earned the actress yet another Emmy nod for her role as Laurie, a former masked superhero-turned-FBI agent who made a living catching incognito vigilantes. Smart beautifully showcased Laurie’s conviction and determination, both of which snowballed after a lifetime filled with heartbreak and loss. Her stern, dry demeanor stole scenes left and right, despite the show’s meaty concept and dynamic cast. “I eat good guys for breakfast,” Laurie once warned. With Smart at the helm, we didn’t doubt it one bit.
Though Charlene was the most naïve Sugarbakers staff member, Smart infused her with an intelligence and savvy that made the role eminently entertaining. Smart leaned hard into Charlene’s contradictions, tempering the office manager’s southern charm with an unexpectedly wicked sense of humor. (Remember her delivery of that “where y’all from… bitch” punchline? Yeah, it still kills.)
Smart’s portrayal of the disgraced Vegas stand-up proved to be the role of a lifetime. From Deborah’s penchant for zingers, to her heartfelt admissions and unwavering tenacity, Smart soared as a character who was beaten down by misogyny, but never defeated. Bitingly sarcastic and fiercely feminist, Deb was an absolute firecracker that gave Smart the chance to deliver an incredibly compelling, career-best performance that we can’t wait to see more of.
My husband and I love Jean Smart! She was fabulous in 24, Frasier, Watchmen, Mare of Easttown, and we’re now going to watch Hacks! What a treasure!
Legion belongs higher on this list, IMHO—certainly higher than the animated roles! I’d put it between Frasier and Easttown.
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Smart is having a fantastic career renaissance. Hopefully, Hacks will provide her first ever leading actress Emmy nomination.
Nothing on High Society or !#!# my dad says?
She was fantastic on both
I loved Charlene, but I love her in everything she does. She is an amazing actress/
Yes. She was so good in both. I loved High Society and **** My Dad Says.
For me it was horny housewife in the Brady bunch movie. I was kid and thought she was hilarious even though it was a tiny role
She wants the Brady’s mail, LARRY!!
She was also The District.
You missed her as Governor Pat Jameson on HAWAII FIVE-O.
Who brought Steve McG to head up the Task Force… Then he takes her down..
Love her!!! As the mom in Sweet Home Alabama too! She is multitalented!!!
Martha Logan needs to be top 5
Love, love, LOVE Jean Smart. Always have. She’s so recognizable and her boisterous laugh is a scene stealer in itself. So happy she’s finally getting the recognition she deserves.
I’ve been rewatching Designing Women. Both she and Delta Burke left a huge hole in the series when they were no longer on it.
Jean Smart never disappointed,
Classic
I’d add Dirty John to this list
Jean was great in the TV Movie Change of Heart as well. She is underrated and under used. She is fantastic in Hacks and was just as great in Designing Woman. Absolutely love her.
The In-Laws was a Meet the Parents knock off, but Jean Smart elevated it! She’s one of the actresses that I’m most excited to see in a TV show.
You have it backwards: Meet the Parents was a knock off of the original The In-Laws. If you have never seen the original do yourself a favor and watch it. Peter Falk was brilliant and still, more than forty years later, I crack up anytime the word “serpentine” is uttered.
So true! I still yell “serpentine” at random times to people who are moving purposely from one point to another. Thankfully, some of them actually get it. :) Love Jean Smart in practically everything she’s done.
It’s one of those scenes that you just keep rewinding over and over again – and it just keeps getting funnier and funnier!!
Watchmen, Fargo, 24, Mare and Legion are my favorite Jean Smart performances. She can do anything! I’m about halfway through Hacks and loving it.
Her role on 24 is ranked too low. Easily top 3. Also, she was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, then Outstanding Guest Actress.
She was also good in Style & Substance with Nancy McKeon from The Facts of Life. It’s a shame that show didn’t last long.
I like Jean Smart. I heard she left Designing Women because of Delta Burke getting fired for gaining weight. Jean’s very classy and loyal to her costars. I hope she always continues acting.
I just finished season 5 of “24”. Jean was so powerful Martha Logan. She and Gregory Itzin were an amzing team.
It seemed like Gregory Itzin was channeling Richard Nixon when he portrayed President Charles Logan in 24
Jean is AMAZING in Hacks! Even if the writing team didn’t give her such great material, her performance would be stellar.
Come on! Charlene should be number 1. Smart is certainly having quite the career these past years.
There is no universe where Charlene is NOT #1.
On this list, I think one and two need to be reversed.
While brilliant in Hacks, she was never better than Charlene. Not only did she hold her own against the likes of Dixie Carter, Delta Burke and Annie Potts, she often bested them.
I remember being stunned by her performance playing Aileen Wuornos in Overkill. To that point I had only ever seen her in Designing Women, so I did not realize just how great her range was. I love that she finally seems to be getting her due with the general public.
Animated voice work beat out High Society!
Jean Smart is absolutely wonderful. Even in series I do not care for, I will sample to watch her. It is a no-brainer she is ever present with her chameleon ways, characters infused with humanity, and welcome presence. Love her!
As a huge fan of 24, her role as Martha Logan was outstanding.
+1
Don’t forget her role as the crooked governor on Hawaii Five O