Jean Smart won the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series on September 14 for her performance as Deborah Vance in the fifth season of HBO Max’s “Hacks.” It was her fifth consecutive victory in the category for the role, making her the first female performer to receive an Emmy for every season of a television series.

Zendaya presented the award, and Smart received a standing ovation as she took the stage. In her acceptance remarks, she thanked “Hacks” creators Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky and Paul W. Downs, crediting them as the foundation of the series. Her comic speech also acknowledged the physical discomfort of formal awards-night clothing while playfully telling women in the audience they did not need to remain standing.

The latest trophy brings Smart’s career Emmy total to eight. That places her level with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman for the most acting Emmy victories by a performer of any gender. Allison Janney also reached eight on the same night with a win for “The Diplomat.” Ed Asner follows with seven acting wins.

Smart’s five awards for “Hacks” build on a television career that had already produced three Emmys. She won twice as a guest actress for “Frasier,” in 2000 and 2001, and received a supporting-actress award for “Samantha Who?” in 2008. Her other nominated work has included “The District,” “24,” “Harry’s Law,” “Fargo,” “Watchmen” and “Mare of Easttown.” She is also widely known for playing Charlene Frazier Stillfield in the CBS comedy “Designing Women” from 1986 to 1991.

The lead comedy actress field also included Lisa Kudrow for “The Comeback,” Quinta Brunson for “Abbott Elementary,” Elle Fanning for “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” and Ayo Edebiri for “The Bear.” Smart’s victory extended a run that began with the first season of “Hacks” and has continued without interruption through the fifth.

Only one performer had previously won for every season of a series: Bill Cosby received awards for all three seasons of “I Spy” between 1966 and 1968. Smart’s achievement is distinct both for spanning five seasons and for being the first such sweep by a woman.

The record reflects the sustained awards recognition for her portrayal of Vance, a veteran comedian navigating career reinvention and an evolving creative partnership. While the win adds a historical marker to Emmy statistics, Smart used her moment primarily to highlight the show’s creators and the collaborative work behind the performance. The result confirms that each completed season of “Hacks” has now produced the same lead-actress outcome.