Jean Smart makes history with fifth consecutive Emmy win

LOS ANGELES - American actress Jean Smart made Emmy history by winning for the fifth consecutive time for her role in the comedy series Hacks. The 75-year-old became the first woman to win an Emmy for every one of five consecutive seasons of the same television series.

In Hacks, Smart plays veteran comedian Deborah Vance, who begins working with a younger writer. The HBO series ended after five seasons. Her latest victory brings Smart’s career total to eight Emmys.

That puts her alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Cloris Leachman and now Allison Janney among the actresses with the most Emmy wins in history.

Several other records were also set. Comedy series Widow’s Bay won 14 awards, breaking the previous comedy record of 13.

Welsh actor Matthew Rhys also made history by winning two lead-acting Emmys in the same year, for The Beast In Me and Widow’s Bay. Rhys dedicated his wins to Wales.

Hospital drama The Pitt, which led the nominations with 25, ultimately won five Emmys. Noah Wyle again took the award for best actor in a drama series, while The Pitt won best drama series for a second consecutive year.

Stephen Colbert’s cancelled The Late Show also received an Emmy, with Colbert using his acceptance speech to recognize his former writing staff.

The Emmy Awards are regarded as the leading American awards for television.