Jean Smart won the award for Best Actress in a TV Comedy Series at the 2026 Golden Globes, marking her third win for her role as Deborah Vance in the HBO series Hacks. In her speech, she humorously called herself a “greedy bitch” before making a brief, pointed comment that referenced more extensive political remarks she made earlier in the evening on the red carpet.
The star used her platform on the red carpet to voice strong concerns about the current political climate in the United States, describing it as a “turning point” and encouraging people to “do the right thing.” She was part of a group of celebrities wearing “Be Good” pins, a silent protest following a recent high-profile killing involving a federal agent.
The Red Carpet “Rant”: A Citizen and a Mom Speaks Out
Before accepting her award, Jean Smart spoke with several media outlets on the red carpet. She shifted focus from the night’s celebration to express deep worry about national events.
She told Entertainment Tonight that “everything’s kind of overshadowed” by what is happening in the country. She described feeling like the nation is at a “turning point” and stressed the importance of people keeping their heads. In an interview with Variety, she called the situation a “moment of reckoning”.
Smart directly addressed potential criticism about actors making political statements. “I know that there are people who find it annoying when actors take opportunities like this to talk about social and political things,” she said. “But I’m not here right now speaking as an actor. I’m here speaking as a citizen and a mom, and I hope people understand that”.
She also clarified that she does not believe her opinion holds more weight because of her fame. “I don’t feel like my opinion matters any more than anyone else’s,” she stated. “I feel like if you feel strongly about something, and you have the chance to share your feelings or encourage people… you should do it”.
A Silent Statement: The Meaning Behind the “Be Good” Pins
Jean Smart’s political commentary was not limited to words. Like several other attendees, including Mark Ruffalo and Wanda Sykes, she wore a small “Be Good” pin on her white gown.
These pins were part of a coordinated statement referencing the death of Renee Nicole Good, a woman who was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis just days before the ceremony. The #BeGood campaign, endorsed by the ACLU, aimed to honor Good and another individual, Keith Porter, and served as a protest against ICE enforcement actions.
Wanda Sykes, wearing an “ICE Out” pin, explained the sentiment on the red carpet: “Of course this is for the mother who was murdered by an ICE agent… We need to speak up. We need to be out there and shut this rogue government down because it’s just awful what they’re doing to people”.
The Acceptance Speech: From Grateful Star to Sober Citizen
When Jean Smart took the stage to accept her award, her tone blended her signature wit with the seriousness of her earlier comments.
She began by joking, “What can I say, I’m a greedy bitch,” acknowledging her third win for the same role. She expressed gratitude to the Golden Globes, her Hacks team, showrunners, co-star Hannah Einbinder, and her family.
She then smoothly transitioned, stating, “There’s just a lot that could be said tonight.” She chose not to repeat her detailed views, telling the audience, “I said my rant on the red carpet, so I won’t do it here”.
She concluded her speech with a clear, universal plea: “Let’s all do the right thing. I think everybody in their hearts knows what the right thing is to do. So let’s do the right thing”. This line directly echoed the core message from her red carpet interviews.
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A Night of Understated Protest and Smart’s Legacy
Jean Smart was not the only attendee blending celebration with commentary. Host Nikki Glaser made jokes about heavily redacted “lists” and “BS news,” alluding to political controversies without naming them.
Mark Ruffalo also spoke bluntly on the red carpet, criticizing the administration and saying, “I don’t know if I can pretend like this crazy stuff isn’t happening”.
For Smart, this win further cements her acclaimed career. She now has three Golden Globes for Hacks, having also won in 2022 and 2025. The series is currently filming its fifth season. In a backstage interview after her win, Smart even imagined how her character, Deborah Vance, would handle the moment: “She’d probably take a lot of stabs at all the men in the audience and pretend she slept with all of them… I think after spending five or six years with the company of Ava Daniels, she’d also make some political commentary about what’s going on in the world right now”.
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