Jean Smart made Emmy history on Monday, Sept. 14, with her fifth win for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for “Hacks,” making Smart the first person ever to win the Emmy for their work in every season of a series.
“Just the men stay standing, the girls get to sit down,” Smart said as she reached the stage, slipping into a riff à la her character Deborah Vance about how women in the entertainment business have to do so much more for awards shows. “Your Spanx and your tape and your shoes? You’re thinking, ‘Oh my God, she’s not that good!’”
She is, in fact, that good, and with the conclusion of “Hacks” after its most recent season, she’s shown it with five Emmys on her mantlepiece.
While “Hacks” is gone, the new series “Widow’s Bay” got off to a strong early start, with Kate O’Flynn winning outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series as the nervous mayoral aide Patricia, and Stephen Root winning outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series as Wyck, the crusty fisherman who knows all the lore of the island.
“I have to say it is Matthew Rhys and the brilliant Kate O’Flynn,” Root said as he thanked his co-stars while accepting his first-ever Emmy. “The comic styling of these two is the best thing in the 21st century.
“And thank you, Harrison Ford, because my son came up to me, running up to me, going, ‘You’re in a category with Harrison Ford?’” Root continued. “Thank you, sir, for all your many, many years of great acting. And thank you, everyone on ‘Widow’s Bay.’”
Rhea Seehorn also joined Root and O’Flynn in the first-time Emmy winners club in the first hour of the show, winning for her work in the first season of Apple’s “Pluribus.” The role was created for her by Vince Gilligan, who also cast her in his earlier series “Better Call Saul,” for which she earned three nominations but no wins.
Noah Wylie won his second consecutive Emmy for best actor in a drama series for the gritty medical series “The Pitt.” Four of his co-stars, however, were unsuccessful in the race for best supporting actress in a drama, for which Allison Janney of “The Diplomat” edged them out.