Jean Smart Net Worth

What Is Jean Smart's Net Worth?

Jean Smart is an American actress who has a net worth of $12 million. Jean Smart's career has spanned more than four decades across stage, television, and film. She first gained national attention in the 1980s sitcom "Designing Women," playing Charlene Frazier Stillfield, a role that established her as a sharp comedic talent. After leaving the show in 1991, she expanded her range with performances on stage, including a Tony-nominated turn in the Broadway revival of "The Man Who Came to Dinner."

In the years that followed, Smart became a fixture on television, known for her versatility and ability to shift between comedy and drama. She earned Emmy Awards for guest appearances on "Frasier" and a supporting role in "Samantha Who?," proving her comedic timing remained razor-sharp. At the same time, she took on darker and more complex characters in acclaimed dramas, including "24," "Fargo," and "Legion."

Her career reached another high point in the 2020s with back-to-back celebrated performances. On HBO's "Watchmen" (2019), she played Laurie Blake, earning widespread acclaim, and soon after starred in "Mare of Easttown" (2021), delivering another Emmy-winning performance. That same year, she took the lead in the HBO Max comedy "Hacks" as legendary stand-up comic Deborah Vance. The role became a defining late-career triumph, earning her multiple Emmy Awards and critical praise for carrying a series that explores both the highs and lows of show business.

Smart's body of work reflects remarkable range, from sitcoms and prestige dramas to Broadway stages. With multiple Emmys and decades of memorable roles, she has become one of the most respected and enduring actresses of her generation.

Early Life

Jean Elizabeth Smart was born on September 13, 1951, in Seattle, Washington. She is the daughter of Kathleen Marie Kay and Douglas Alexander Smart, and she is the second of four children. Smart was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 13. Jean discovered in season 10 of the TV show "Who Do You Think You Are?" that she is a direct descendant of Dorcas Hoar, one of the last women convicted of witchcraft during the Salem witch trials. She began acting at Ballard High School in Seattle, graduating in 1969, and earned her BFA from the University of Washington's Professional Actors Training Program.

Early Career

After graduating from the University of Washington, Jean Smart built her foundation on the stage. She performed in Seattle-area theaters and with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival before moving to New York, where she worked off-Broadway and in regional productions. In 1980, she played Lady Macbeth at the Pittsburgh Public Theater opposite Tom Atkins and Keith Fowler, and she earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for her performance in the off-Broadway play "Last Summer at Bluefish Cove."

Smart made her Broadway debut in 1981 in the play "Piaf," and by the late 1970s she was booking guest roles on television, including "Alice," "Remington Steele," and "The Facts of Life." She also appeared in short-lived sitcoms such as "Teachers Only" and "Reggie" and played supporting parts in films including "Flashpoint" (1984). These early years established her range across stage, television, and film.

Designing Women

In 1985, Smart became a household name when she was cast as Charlene Frazier Stillfield on the CBS sitcom "Designing Women." Playing the sweet and naïve office manager of an Atlanta interior design firm, Smart became a fan favorite. She remained with the show for five seasons, earning national recognition during its run. Her work on "Designing Women" set the stage for a career that would span comedy, drama, and everything in between.

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Film & TV Success

After leaving "Designing Women" in 1991, Smart appeared in a string of made-for-TV movies and film roles. She portrayed serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the TV movie "Overkill: The Aileen Wuornos Story" (1992) and received praise from critic Roger Ebert for her performance in the black comedy "Mistress" (1992). Throughout the 1990s she balanced family dramas like "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" (1993) and "The Yearling" (1994) with comedies such as "The Brady Bunch Movie" (1995).

Her career shifted upward again in 2000 when she joined "Frasier" as Lana Gardner, winning two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. In 2000, she also starred in a Broadway revival of "The Man Who Came to Dinner," which earned her a Tony Award nomination. Around this time she appeared in major films including "Sweet Home Alabama" (2002), "Bringing Down the House" (2003), and "Garden State" (2004).

Smart took on memorable television roles in the 2000s and 2010s, including voicing Dr. Ann Possible in Disney's "Kim Possible" (2002–2007), playing First Lady Martha Logan on "24" (2006–2007), and starring in "Samantha Who?" (2007–2009), which earned her a third Emmy Award. Later projects included "Harry's Law" (2011–2012), another Emmy-nominated turn, and acclaimed work in the FX anthology "Fargo" (2015), where she won a Critics' Choice Award. She also appeared in films like "I Heart Huckabees" (2004), "Lucky You" (2007), and "Youth in Revolt" (2009).

In 2019, Smart drew critical acclaim as Laurie Blake in HBO's "Watchmen," a role that showcased her ability to reinvent herself across genres. In 2021, she followed with another praised performance in the limited series "Mare of Easttown."

Hacks

Jean Smart reached a career-defining high point with her lead role as Deborah Vance in HBO's comedy series "Hacks," which premiered in 2021. The series follows Vance, a legendary Las Vegas stand-up star, as she navigates generational clashes with a young comedy writer, played by Hannah Einbinder, while fighting to stay relevant in a changing industry.

Her performance earned widespread acclaim, with critics calling it one of the finest of her career. Smart won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2021, 2022, and again in 2025, cementing her dominance in the category. She also won Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe for the role, while "Hacks" itself became one of HBO Max's signature series.

Personal Life

Jean married actor Richard Gilliland in 1987, and they welcomed two children together. Sadly, Richard passed away unexpectedly from a heart condition in March 2021 at the age of 71. Jean was still in the process of filming "Hacks." The pair had been married for nearly 34 years.

Real Estate

In 2002, Jean and Richard paid $1.525 million for a home in Encino, California. She continues to own this home as of this writing. The home's estimated value is $4 million. In December 2022, Jean paid $5.25 million for a home in Toluca Lake, California. Just under a decade earlier, the home was owned by George Lopez and his then-wife Ann. Ann received the property in 2011 as part of their divorce and sold it to Jean.

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