Jean Smart won Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Hacks at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards.
Smart plays Deborah Vance, a veteran Las Vegas comedian whose career and personal life drive the series. Hacks pairs Deborah with Ava Daniels, a younger comedy writer, creating a professional relationship that shifts between rivalry, mentorship, and friendship.
The Critics Choice honor recognized Smart’s performance in the comedy-series category. Other nominees included Kristen Bell for Nobody Wants This, Natasha Lyonne for Poker Face, Rose McIver for Ghosts, Edi Patterson for The Righteous Gemstones, and Carrie Preston for Elsbeth.
Smart’s award is distinct from the ceremony’s supporting-actress-in-a-comedy-series prize. That award went to Janelle James for Abbott Elementary, while Smart won the lead-actress category for Hacks.