It would be inappropriate to make a list of phenomenal actresses without mentioning Jean Smart in it. The awards and nominations she has received as a film, television, and stage actress bear witness to this.
While she can boast of having won two Primetime Emmy Awards for her role as Lana Gardner in NBC sitcom Frasier, she is also proud of her third Emmy in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance of Regina Newly in ABC sitcom Samantha Who? Most recently (2016) she won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Film/Miniseries. The award was given for the role of Floyd Gerhardt in the black comedy series created by Noah Hawley – Fargo. In total Jean, Smart has received no less than 11 nominations for prestigious awards.
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Known for her comedic roles, Jean Smart’s acting career began shortly after graduating from college. It all began with her performances at regional theaters in Alaska, Washington, and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Records show that she performed at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland and the Seattle Repertory Theatre before moving to New York to star in off-Broadway productions. Among other things, she was admired for her remarkable performance in an off-Broadway play – last summer at Bluefish Cove. For this reason, she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Soon Jean would appear in television production. Eventually, she was cast into the worldwide spotlight as Charlene Frazier Stillfield in the sitcom of CBS – Designing Women.
In the meantime, she never knew that she would be content with an acting career. She was only interested in the theatre in her last year of high school. Originally she wanted to become a veterinarian.
Jean Smart Age, Wiki, Bio
The actress was born Jean Elizabeth Smart on September 13, 1951. In 2018 she will celebrate her 67th birthday.
The second child of her parents’ four children, Jean Smart was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. It is said that her parents, Kay and Douglas Smart, were teachers and housewives.
At the age of 13, Jean Smart was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, but this did not stop her from attending Ballard High School in Seattle. She graduated in 1969. Because of the interest, she developed in acting in high school, Smart attended the University of Washington Professional Actors Training Program. There she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. The actress is a member of the university’s Alpha Delta Pi Association.
Sometime in 2010, she joined the Chris Elliott Fund for Glioblastoma Brain Cancer Research (CEF) to raise awareness and raise funds to fight glioblastoma, considered the most aggressive form of brain cancer. This was after she lost her older sister Georgia to the disease. From what we have learned, Jean was with her sister when she was diagnosed. “It’s just incredibly heartbreaking, she was the most faithful, loving, and generous person I’ve ever met,” she said.
Husband, Daughter, Children
Jean Smart’s husband is Richard Gilliland. They have been married since 1987 and are thought to have met while working on the set of Designing Woman. He was Mary Jo’s back and forth boyfriend in the sitcom created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason.
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The couple has a son named Connor Douglas. He was born in 1989. Jean gave birth to him at 38. They also have a daughter named Bonnie Kathleen. As it turned out, Jean had to be a mother again at 57. So she and her husband adopted Bonnie from China in May 2009. The actress once revealed that she and Richard had been discussing adoption for over ten years.
“When we finally started the process, it actually took much longer than we expected. We thought my son would be about 15 when we had the baby, and he just turned 20,” she said.
Jean Smart Net worth
Just like other celebrities, Jean Smart’s fans have always wondered whether she’s super-rich or just rich. Undoubtedly she has done well as an actress and that has paid off financially. It was generally assumed that the value of everything she owns is $4 million.