Jean Smart had quite the comical take after taking home her win.
Speaking to Gayety backstage after her win at the 83rd Golden Globes, the star reflected on how her characters from the iconic series would react to the major win.
If Deborah Vance were standing on the Golden Globes stage accepting the award for best performance by an actress in a television series, musical or comedy, the moment would be anything but subdued.
Smart stated, “She’d probably take a lot of stabs at all the men in the audience and pretend she slept with all of them. I don’t know. I don’t know. I think after spending five or six years with the company of Ava Daniels, she’d also make some political commentary about what’s going on in the world right now.”
The Hacks star won her second consecutive Golden Globe for best performance by a female actor in a television comedy series, marking her third overall win for her role as sharp-tongued comedy legend Deborah Vance on HBO Max’s hit series. Smart previously took home the award in 2022 and 2025, further cementing her status as one of television’s most decorated performers.
During her acceptance speech, Smart kept her remarks brief but pointed, encouraging the audience to consider the broader moment beyond Hollywood accolades.
“There’s so much that could be said tonight. I said my rant on the red carpet, so I won’t do it here,” Smart said on stage. “Let’s all do the right thing. I think everybody in their hearts knows what the right thing is to do, so let’s do the right thing.”
Smart expanded on those comments earlier on the red carpet, telling TV Insider that the celebratory atmosphere of awards season feels complicated amid ongoing national tensions.
“Everything is kind of overshadowed with everything going on in this country,” she said. “I feel like we’re kind of at a turning point in this country, and I hope people can keep their heads because that’s actually, really the hardest thing. It’s going to take a lot of courage and concern, but I think that’s important.”
Her remarks came during a Globes ceremony where several attendees used fashion and interviews to make political statements. Mark Ruffalo wore a “Be Good” pin and criticized the Trump administration during red carpet interviews, while comedian Wanda Sykes appeared wearing a pin that read “ICE Out.” The comments followed the killing of Renee Good by a federal agent earlier this week in Minneapolis, an incident referenced by multiple attendees throughout the night.
For Hacks fans, and especially LGBTQ+ viewers who have embraced Deborah Vance as a camp icon, Smart’s continued success feels like a win worth celebrating, even as she reminds audiences that real-world issues still demand attention.
